This is good news. Christians are persecuted in many parts of the world. It's a faith that is custom built to thrive under oppression and it is the only ray of hope some have in a system that is brutally capitalist, yet borderline fascist, and may become fully fascist in the future. China is just another example that debunks the myth of state atheism being inherently positive, rarely does it work out that way.

Suicidal Writer: China is just another example that debunks the myth of state atheism being inherently positive, rarely does it work out that way.

No government mandated belief system is inherently positive, whether it's the belief that there's an invisible man in the sky or not.

That is good news, now if they'd just take up drinking too much, smoking, and overeating we could have a much easier time keeping up with them.

thamike: No government mandated belief system is inherently positive, whether it's the belief that there's an invisible man in the sky or not.

Which is why the state should be agnostic on these matters.

Suicidal Writer: Which is why the state should be agnostic on these matters.

Exactly. Completely separated, if you will.

The Chinese people my friend works with actually don't like the American system because it's "too socialist". If that's a common sentiment, then they're moving *away* from fascism, not toward it. Fascism *is* a type of socialism, not the other end of the spectrum from it.

I hope the Chinese feed them to lions. Religion is a caustic influence on any society.

Amazing, it only took one decent earthquake for the millions to start joining Pat Robertson's religion.

thamike: Suicidal Writer: China is just another example that debunks the myth of state atheism being inherently positive, rarely does it work out that way.

No government mandated belief system is inherently positive, whether it's the belief that there's an invisible man in the sky or not.

Jesus Christ there's an invisible man in the sky ?
How high is he ?
I hope he falls on you and not me.

It's a step back.

This short video should answer all your questions on this subject. (popcorns)

Suicidal Writer: Which is why the state should be agnostic on these matters.

And with that statement you demonstrate that, along with many other topics, you have no idea what "agnostic" means.

I hardly think that the cool tag is warranted for religion infesting yet another country.

Why dont they stick to Buddhism?

They deserve each other.

It will be interesting to see if they can follow the simplest of Jesus' teachings.


/Unlike the Christians over here.
//Runs....

Good for China.

Maybe we can export some of the fundie mouthbreathers over there to teach that the sun goes around the earth.

I just hope it's not evengelicals moving in. Cause really, that's just not a good thing.

Poor bastards.

Capitalist1: The Chinese people my friend works with actually don't like the American system because it's "too socialist". If that's a common sentiment, then they're moving *away* from fascism, not toward it. Fascism *is* a type of socialism, not the other end of the spectrum from it.

Couldn't be more wrong.

Finally, someone is bringing hypocrisy christianity to the far East.

I, for one, look forward to their persecution and hanging-
they've had it far too easy over here in the West.


JESUS DIED FOR SOMEBODY'S SINS BUT NOT MINE.

-patti smith 1975

One F Jef: Poor bastards.

This.

Can't wait to watch the havok. It might even slow down their economical progress as they are forced to fight an internal struggle. Who knows, they may just make some great leaps forward socially.

/snark
//seriously - it could destroy their society as they know it
///good? bad? I'm the guy with the slashies!

And yes, I do have a habit of replacing 'c's with 'k's, why do you ask?

/drunk

It did wonders for the Roman empire.

I sense a bright future for this thread.

Mushroom cloud bright.

I wonder if Mormonism is spreading like wildfire in China too. The Communist Party would obviously know that two guys with buttoned up shirts with ties, having backpacks, and riding bikes are Moromon missionaries; oops.

If Mormonism is spreading in China and the Communist Party didn't know about it, they truely deserve a Dumbass tag. Then again, Mormons are America's Jews.

evilotto: It did wonders for the Roman empire.

Yeah. Those suckers adopted the religion, and then the next thing you know, over one thousand years later, boom.

EsteeFlwrPot: Why dont they stick to Buddhism?

Because one offers up that the best thing you can do is obtain enlightenment and then stop existing. That existence is endless suffering.

The other offers life after death in an orgy of absolute existence, one with an absolute love.

At the end of the day its all about what the markets offering, especially if were talking about socially repressed, poor people who don't have all that much to look forward to a positive outlook and the idea that even if they lose in this life they still win it all, is a lot more emotionally persuasive then your going to repeat living probably not better off then where you are now and option B is the peacefulness of not existing.

Or

Which ride would you choose?

One where at the end of it your given a winning lottery ticket?

One where at the end of it your offered another ride, or coma?

wait, why is this cool?

Funk Brothers:

umnmm, what?

Religious choice = good idea
Choosing to be religious = bad idea

EsteeFlwrPot: Why dont they stick to Buddhism?



Maybe it doesn't meet their needs.

The Beacon Man: Abolition of private property. Everything is owned by the 'workers'.

One party (i.e. liberal) rule.

Christianity outlawed.

No 'FOX' news.


It's every liberal's dream...

I don't think you understand what a liberal is. Don't you know to never listen to the vocal minority of any party?

As a liberal, I want people to live their lives how they see it with other consenting adults, and I want them to shut up about it. I don't want to hear it. Go in peace and keep me out of it.

Now really is that anything like you described?

/pro gun, pro nuke liberal

Oh shiat. Wait till they get to the end of the book, then we're poked...

sip111:
Because one offers up that the best thing you can do is obtain enlightenment and then stop existing. That existence is endless suffering.

The other offers life after death in an orgy of absolute existence, one with an absolute love.

The problem with that is that 'Buddhism' (and its much older reincarnation-based forbearers) was able to sustain a crowded land for thousands of years. A certain sense of "if I ruin this field/stream/etc, I'll have to come back to deal with it again".

As opposed to the Christian sense of "Well, I'll be dead in fifty years, my kids will go to heaven, and the rapture's coming anyway".

The former worked better over thousands of years of steady-state agriculture. The latter worked better over a few centuries of massive expansion and resource extraction.

For the immediate individuals in the system, the latter is a little better. Overall, the former works better. Kind of the difference between a private company with a sturdy 50-year business plan, and a stockholder company worried mostly about the quarterly P/E ratio.

This is probably the only instance of people disobeying communist oppression in order to oppress themselves. :\

I wonder if Chinese Christianity is as child-farkingly retarded as it is in the Western world.

Ringshadow: I don't think you understand what a liberal is.

Ya think?

Christianity - repressed, marginalized and, in many cases, illegal in China for more than half a century - is sweeping the country, overflowing churches and posing a sensitive challenge to the officially atheist Communist Party.

You say like that's a good thing. I can't wait until the Chinese Fundies take over and do their own version of the American 20th Century. God and COUNTRY, man!

Isn't China screwed up enough?!!

sip111: That existence is endless suffering.

No that's that not what Buddhism teaches. Nevermind that Christianity Buddhism is hardly monolithic. After all Zen, which is in some ways pretty out there, started in China. Where Buddhism got to mix with Taoism.

Also any religion that traces back to someone who said "Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." has a certain something going for it.

Game With Stones: I wonder if Chinese Christianity is as child-farkingly retarded as it is in the Western world.


Can't tell you, we only know for certain that the Chinese atheists were complete militant coonts like we have here.

Suicidal Writer: thamike: No government mandated belief system is inherently positive, whether it's the belief that there's an invisible man in the sky or not.

Which is why the state should be agnostic on these matters.

Fun fact: Most agnostics are atheists.

Lawnchair: The problem with that is that 'Buddhism' (and its much older reincarnation-based forbearers) was able to sustain a crowded land for thousands of years. A certain sense of "if I ruin this field/stream/etc, I'll have to come back to deal with it again".

As opposed to the Christian sense of "Well, I'll be dead in fifty years, my kids will go to heaven, and the rapture's coming anyway".

I am utterly amazed at how wrong you can be on both those points in the same post.

/Zen Buddhist Roman Catholic

Conflates communism and atheism.

*facepalm*

JQPublic: *facepalm*

You know, I've never actually rooted for Christianity to win...until you came along...;)

As long as they don't listen to the Fundies, it should be a net plus.

Lawnchair: sip111:
Because one offers up that the best thing you can do is obtain enlightenment and then stop existing. That existence is endless suffering.

The other offers life after death in an orgy of absolute existence, one with an absolute love.

The problem with that is that 'Buddhism' (and its much older reincarnation-based forbearers) was able to sustain a crowded land for thousands of years. A certain sense of "if I ruin this field/stream/etc, I'll have to come back to deal with it again".

As opposed to the Christian sense of "Well, I'll be dead in fifty years, my kids will go to heaven, and the rapture's coming anyway".

The former worked better over thousands of years of steady-state agriculture. The latter worked better over a few centuries of massive expansion and resource extraction.

For the immediate individuals in the system, the latter is a little better. Overall, the former works better. Kind of the difference between a private company with a sturdy 50-year business plan, and a stockholder company worried mostly about the quarterly P/E ratio.

Agreed, all the eastern religions have that inherent sense of even after death one can't escape responsibilities to this earth.

I wasn't arguing that one was 'better' then the other, just that one sells better, its economics which caters better to human emotional instinct; group preservation, self preservation, love need, etc etc... at the end of the day religions just a meme of emotional management many traits and cultural habits are emergent off of it, but no matter the traits the one with the most emotionally positive quirks for the individual and that keeps society most productive, will win out over the mob. If I was going to pick the best religion on grounds that it produces the best individual in every aspect of life, then that would be a Jainist, but we humans seldom use pure ethics based reason or logic to choose a religion.

Suicidal Writer: This is good news. Christians are persecuted in many parts of the world. It's a faith that is custom built to thrive under oppression and it is the only ray of hope some have in a system that is brutally capitalist, yet borderline fascist, and may become fully fascist in the future.

Let me know if you find one.

sip111: all the eastern religions have that inherent sense of even after death one can't escape responsibilities to this earth

Actually the big difference is thinking about the here and now versus some future in the hereafter. It's in thinking of how what you do now will effect not only yourself but others instead of trying to get yourself a nice pad in the afterlife.