Criticism as China pulls down Church

beijing — Authorities in northern China have demolished a Christian megachurch in a move denounced by a religious rights group as “Taleban-style persecution”.

China’s officially atheist Communist authorities are wary of any organised movements outside their control, including religious ones.

The huge evangelical Jindengtai (“Golden Lampstand”) Church, painted grey and surmounted by turrets and a large red cross, was located in Linfen, Shanxi province.

Its demolition began on Tuesday under “a city-wide campaign to remove illegal buildings”, the Global Times reported, quoting a local government official who wished to remain anonymous.

A “multitude of military police were mobilised and engaged (in) the destruction by burying a large amount of explosives under the church,” Bob Fu, president of the US-based religious rights group ChinaAid Association, said on Saturday.

“It is like Taleban/Daesh style of persecution against a peaceful church,” he said, adding that it had around 50,000 members,.The house of worship was “primarily destroyed because it refused to register” with the Communist authorities, Fu said. Linfen police and city officials did not answer telephone calls. —