China’s Communist Party is Modifying the Sacred Texts

The Chinese Communist Party has begun a 10-year endeavor to revise the Bible and other religious books as part of an initiative to “sinicize” faith.

Jesus notably challenges the accusing party of a woman charged with adultery in the Gospel of John, telling them, “Let the one within you who is without sin be the first who throws a stone at her.”

The repentant accusers flee and Jesus tells the woman that she is condemned by one.

Twisted Narratives

A lovely tale of forgiveness and compassion, except if you are a CCP official. The narrative then follows a dissident who challenges the authority of the state.

In 2020, a Chinese university textbook provided a possible preview of how a Bible with socialist elements might appear. The altered Gospel of John passage concludes, not with forgiveness, but with Christ himself stoning to death the adulterous woman.

China rewrites the Bible ? Pride comes before the fall! pic.twitter.com/qO1nJRqz13

– TDirected (@DirectedT) July 18, 2023

Municipal CCP bureaucrats in Henan province compelled Protestant churches to substitute the Law of Moses with Xi Jinping phrases. “You shall have no other gods besides Me” evolved into diktats such as “Strongly guard against the spread of Western dogma.”

The 10-year initiative to rewrite the Bible, Quran, and other holy scriptures is part of Xi Jinping’s effort to make believers serve the party, instead of God.

As long as he and the CCP continue to assume the role of God, Xi Jinping has no issue with the first commandment.

Saw this on TV this morning. I checked it out and it looks like China stepped up editing the Bible and Quran back in 2019..

A new state translation of the Bible will establish a ‘correct understanding’ of the text – according to Xi Jinping’s wishes!

SMH! pic.twitter.com/j4aA1Xa1QP

– Thomas O’Connor ’62 baby, #GodBlessAmerica 🇺🇲 (@TheyCallMeTomO1) July 18, 2023

Acceptance?

You might imagine the Vatican, the leaders of the world’s largest Christian congregation, to be furious and defiant. Unfortunately, you are mistaken.

In a 2018 secret talk, the Vatican agreed to allow the Chinese Communist Party to select Catholic bishops in China. This was ostensibly in exchange for vague promises of “safety” for certain Catholic congregations, which were promptly rescinded.

The CCP desires the authority to choose the next Dalai Lama, a sacred Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Tibetan Buddhists attempt to resist CCP compulsion, but Beijing counters that even Pope Francis, the head of the powerful Catholic Church, recognizes their authority over church leadership.

Religion’s influence is enticing to the CCP. What better way to demonstrate party dominance than to subjugate the world’s religions?

This article appeared in NewsHouse and has been published here with permission.