Chinese Province Pushes Ban for Rooftop Christian Crosses

BEIJING — Authorities forcibly removed hundreds of rooftop crosses from skylines of cities in the Chinese province proposing a ban on any further replacement of the religious symbol atop sanctuaries at both Protestant and Catholic churches.

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Authorities in the eastern province of Zhejiang will be given legal grounds to remove rooftop crosses if the proposal is approved.

Zhejiang officials have already topped crosses from more than 400 churches since 2014 which resulted to some violent clashes with the congregation members.

Officials say that the mounted crosses violate the building codes, however, the critics believe that the rapid growth of the Christian groups have threatened the Communist party.

“The authorities have attached great importance to this religious symbol,” said Zheng Leguo, a pastor from the province who now lives in the United States. “This means no more prominent manifestation of Christianity in the public sphere.”

Meanwhile, the government agencies this week released a draft of rules inflicting that the crosses should be wholly affixed to a building façade and be no more than one-tenth of the façade’s height.

Bob Fu of U.S-based China Aid who also documented that 448 churches have had crosses removed or buildings destroyed stood that the draft is just another attempt by the government to legitimize its existing illegal violent campaign of destruction and removal of the cross.

“To continue to forcefully remove and ban the cross on the rooftop of the church buildings demonstrates the Chinese regime’s determination to contain the rapid growth of Christianity in China,” he said in an email.

H/T: Inquirer.net; Photo lifted from Google.

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