“He taught me the law and made me gain favour before the powerful.”
[Aug.12.2022] As the Chinese Communist Party imposes sanctions on religious content in Hong Kong, phenomenon of deficiency of the Bible is noticeable. Hong Kong’s high level of autonomy has ended since the National Security Law was enacted two years ago.
“The Catholic Church, which operates the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (SBF), a Bible research group in Hong Kong, reported that printing companies fear printing the Bible without government approval as that could lead to problems with the authorities,” the International Christian Association (ICC) said.
Hong Kong’s National Security Law, which ended Hong Kong’s autonomy after its 1997 handover of the United Kingdom (to China), designated 4 categories as crimes and those are a succession of state power, subversion, regional terror activities, and collusion with foreign or external forces to jeopardize national security.
China Aid, a Chinese human rights organization, quoted Rev. Raymond Mary Yeung, an SBF monk, that “All Catholic Chinese scriptures in the society sold to bookstores, and if the printing problem is not resolved soon, we will face a shortage of printed Bible.”
The Chinese government recently demanded Christians to register and declared that religious content approved by the state only can be posted online. In response, the ICC said, “This is to control religion and align it with the party’s political ideology and goals, often called ‘Chineseization’.” The ICC said Christian organizations, except for the SBF, are not being affected.
“According to this law, China’s decision is above Hong Kong’s judicial system if the case deemed to be related to national security,” China Aid said. “In such cases, judges must obtain approval from China.” Hong Kong citizens will now have to be taken to China and sentenced in an allied court by the Hong Kong goverment,” the CP said.
For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. 28 And The LORD has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. (Ezra 7:10,28)
God, we lift companies to You that are afraid to print the Bible on sanctions that the Chinese government is trying to control religion. Pray that those who are determined to teach the law of God to people will receive favour before those who have power and work hard to spread the Bible. So let the nations see that God’s hand helps the church of Hong Kong and work for the evangelization of the land despite all the obstacles that prevent him from hearing the gospel.
Prayer 24·365
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