As the world celebrates the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, on Christmas, the Chinese Communist Party reportedly reminded Christians to focus on CCP general secretary and Chinese president Xi Jinping on Christmas Day because it claims that he matters most.
The International Christian Concern (ICC) highlighted the CCP's "bizarre" Christmas message that draws Christians to focus on Xi and the Communist Party on the birth of Jesus Christ.
"In a bizarre statement of Christmas tidings released yesterday, the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) State Administration of Religious Affairs (SARA) has tried to spread Christmas cheer by reminding Christians to focus on what truly matters--the success of the Chinese nation and its leader," the ICC said.
China's SARA said in their statement that Christmas is the best time for "loving the party (CCP), loving the country, and loving socialism." This statement comes after Xi attended SARA's National Conference on Religious Work, meant to assert the importance of the Chinese Church's teachings, which includes CCP-approved tenets.
In a statement dated December 23, the SARA greeted "friends from the Catholic and Christian Circles on the occasion of Christmas" highlighting the CCP's accomplishments for the year in line with its 100th Anniversary. These accomplishments are said to include collaborations with Catholic and Christian communities to thoroughly study and implement " Xi Jinping's thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era."
The statement then directed believers to "persist in the direction of the sinicization of Catholicism and Christianity in our country, adhere to the principle of independence and self-management, adhere to the practice of core socialist values, continue to strengthen self-construction, and promote new progress in sinicization. Carry forward the patriotic spirit, stress the overall situation, the rule of law, science, and love, actively carry out epidemic prevention and control, actively participate in poverty alleviation, and serve the society with new results."
Despite SARA's Regulations on Religious Affairs stating that "all religious shall observe the principle of independence and self-management," the CCP has been controlling the management and operations of various religious minorities including Christian churches and the Catholic Church in China.
The ICC said that "sanctioned religions" or those controlled by the CCP include the Buddhist Association of China, the Three-Self Patriotic Christian Movement, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, the Chinese Taoist Association, and the Islamic Association of China. These "sanctioned religions" make sure that believers strictly adhere to the CCP view of faith that supports the growth of the country and the CCP. This view is simply known as "Xi Jinping thought."
In addition, the CCP approves places of worship, instructs preachers and pastors on what to preach and teach congregations, and even designates the bishop of the Catholic Church in the country as well as members of the Clergy based on those who undergo their sinicization. Those who deviate from their "tenets of faith" meet persecution and punishment.
"To deviate from the CCP's tenets of faith puts Chinese believers at risk of being thought involved in an "evil cult," a phrase used often to discourage the free practice of faith. Chinese Christians are regularly harassed by Chinese police, many arrested," the ICC underscored.
"Others have been considered threats to national security in China, as their faith is a vulnerability to western and foreign influence," the organization added.
The CCP have increased its crackdown on Christians, resulting in a series of arrests involving even those who worship online. This increase is leading a wave of increased persecution. Despite the persecution, however, the ICC raised that Christians know the true meaning of Christmas is in Jesus Christ.
"Regardless, Christians will gather this season knowing that the government might come for them at any time, a risk they are willing to take to celebrate their birth of our savior, Jesus Christ," the organization remarked.
