Christians outraged as China destroys mega-church

A HUGE church has been demolished by Chinese authorities, the latest flashpoint between religious groups and the officially atheist Communist Party.

The Golden Lampstand Church in the city of Linfen, northern Shanxi province, was destroyed on Sunday using dynamite and heavy machinery.

Chinese state media dismissed the demolition as part of routine removal of illegal buildings, but critics fear a more political motivation.

While freedom of religion is supposedly guaranteed in China, Beijing’s stability-obsessed leaders are deeply suspicious of any organisation that does not come under its rigid controls.

Pictures released by Chinaaid, the Us-based religious campaign group, showed clouds of debris billow during the demolition and the church’s steeple and cross toppled on the ground in a pile of rubble.

The church has been embroiled in a long-running battle with the local government and several of its leaders were imprisoned in 2009 during a previous crackdown.

Bob Fu, of Chinaaid, said. “The repeated persecution of Golden Lampstand Church demonstrates that the Chinese government has no respect for religious freedom or human rights.”

The church was purportedly built with almost £2million raised by local worshippers. A Catholic church in the neighbouring province of Shaanxi was also reportedly demolished last month, 20 years after it opened. There are 60million Christians in China.