Ten members of church falsely accused of “fraud”, sentenced to harsh prison terms

The Golden Lampstand Church in Linfen City, Shanxi Province, was handed a harsh sentence June 20. Ten church members were each sentenced to multiple years in prison on charges of “fraud.” Among them, core member Brother Li Shuangping was sentenced to nine years and two months in prison, fined 100,000 yuan — the harshest sentence. The cases of Yang Rongli, the church’s founder, and Pastor Wang Xiaoguang will be handled separately. This trial not only severely violates legal justice but also highlights the Chinese authorities’ increasingly aggressive and unabashed systematic suppression of Christian house churches.

Chinese Communist-approved cardinal took part in papal election. Why is no one talking about this?

The conclave that elected the first American pope had another first that few have heard about: a voting cardinal named Stephen Chow who was approved for his current position by the Chinese Communist Party, pursuant to a 2018 pact between the Party and the Vatican. He is, by Chinese law, obliged to “support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party” as part of the CCP’s United Front Work Department. That’s its entity charged with conducting global propaganda and influence operations.

Chinese Communist Party Government Rewrites Portions of the Bible

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government is rewriting portions of the Bible in an effort to increase its control over religion in country, according to U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI).  In a meeting of the House Select Committee on the CCP, Rep. Gallagher stated that Chairman Xi Jinping is on a “quest to make the faithful serve the party rather than God.”

Holy See: Review Vatican-China Agreement

(London) – The new Pope, Leo XIV, should direct an urgent review of the Vatican’s 2018 agreement with the Chinese government that allows Beijing to appoint bishops for government-approved houses of worship, Human Rights Watch said today. He should also press the government to end the persecution of underground churches, clergy, and worshipers.