Don't Let The Enhanced Fireworks Fool You...

Remember who's hosting the Olympics: Chinese Officials Seize Bibles from American Christians

Chinese customs officials confiscated more than 300 Bibles on Sunday from four American Christians who arrived in a southwestern city with plans to distribute them, the group's leader said.

The Bibles were taken from the group's checked luggage after they landed at the airport in the city of Kunming, said Pat Klein, head of Vision Beyond Borders. The group, based in Sheridan, Wyoming, distributes Bibles and Christian teaching materials around the world to "strengthen the persecuted church," according to its Web site.

The group arrived in China on Sunday and had intended to distribute the Bibles to people in the city, Klein told the AP in a telephone interview while still at the airport.

"I heard that there's freedom of religion in China, so why is there a problem for us to bring Bibles?" Klein said. "We had over 300 copies and customs took all of them from us." [...]

China faces routine criticism for its human rights violations and its repression of religious freedom. Religious practice is heavily regulated by the Communist Party, with worship allowed only in party-controlled churches, temples and mosques, while those gathering outside face harassment, arrest and terms in labor camps or prison.

A Chinese Christian activist was detained Aug. 10, the opening weekend of the Olympics, on his way to a church service attended by U.S. President George W. Bush in Beijing. A rights group said later that the activist, Hua Huiqi, a leader of the unofficial Protestant church in Beijing, had escaped from police and was in hiding.

China's a totalitarian state... nothing more, nothing less.

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Cheating China

Cheaters
Liars
Phonies

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The President Shouldn't Go To The Olympics

IOC Agrees To Internet Blocking At The Games

The Chinese government confirmed Wednesday what journalists arriving at the lavishly outfitted media center here had suspected: Contrary to previous assurances by Olympic and government officials, the Internet would be censored during the upcoming games. [...]

On Wednesday - two weeks after its most recent proclamation of an uncensored Internet during the Summer Games - the International Olympic Committee quietly agreed to some of the limitations, according to Kevan Gosper, chairman of the IOC press commission, Reuters reported.

No surprises here. Lord knows the IOC doesn't haven't the balls to stand up to them, but one could have hoped the United States would at least mention the active censorship and lack of freedom in China. I've never been in favor a full boycott of the 2008 Games, however I have always been of the opinion that we should only send low level representatives to the Beijing. Having the President of the United States, or the leader of any nation in the free world, at the games sends a message to China that their conduct is acceptable. Mr. President, stay home.

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Hiding Behind Words

Something is making me gag, and it's not the air pollution in Beijing. Have you heard the latest buzz words that the communist dictators of China are hiding behind? Olympic Spirit; get used to it, it's all you're going to hear between now and the close of the games.

"Linking the Darfur issue to the Olympic Games will not help to resolve this issue and is not in line with the Olympic Spirit that separates sports from politics," BOCOG said.

China is on the defensive against critics using the Games to spotlight the communist regime's curbs on human rights, press freedoms, and religion.

"It is understandable if some people do not understand the Chinese government policy on Darfur," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. "But I am afraid that some people may have ulterior motives, and this we cannot accept."

Now, I don't necessarily expect the Chinese to solve the crisis in Darfur on their own. After all the United States has been woefully absent on the issue as well. But everyone, including Beijing, could put a lot more pressure on the Islamic government in Khartoum. For me it's more a matter of the barbaric offenses against human rights in the People's Republic. The Olympics should be above politics, okay I can accept that; but above human rights? No.

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