China destroys mosque to send a message

China destroys mosque to send a message

WEIZHOU, China — A newspaper of the ruling Communist Party said Aug. 11 that no religion is above the law in China, urging officials to stay firm as the government attempts to rewrite how religions are practiced in the country.

In Weizhou, people gathered earlier in the week to protest the destruction of a large mosque. The protest comes as faith groups that were largely tolerated in the past have seen their freedoms shrink as the government seeks to “Sinicize” religions by making the faithful prioritize allegiance to the officially atheist Communist Party.

No faith is exempt, as Christian churches have been shut down and Bibles seized, Islamic crescents and domes have been stripped from mosques and Tibetan children have been moved from Buddhist temples to schools.

The Global Times newspaper said in an editorial that the authorities had to send a message to all religious groups that none of them are above the law. (RNS)