{"id":38034,"date":"2021-08-18T14:00:26","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T05:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=38034"},"modified":"2021-08-18T14:22:09","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T05:22:09","slug":"vomk-report-167","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2021\/08\/18\/vomk-report-167\/","title":{"rendered":"CHINA: OFFICIALS REMOVE CROSSES FROM CHRISTIAN FISHERMEN\u2019S BOATS"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”38037″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”Citing safety concerns, officials in Qushan Island, Zhejiang Province forcibly removed crosses from several fishing boats on July 28. They also erased \u201cEmmanuel\u201d slogans painted on boats and informed fishermen that if they refused to permit the cross removals they would be denied fishing permits and access to gasoline.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”38041″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>The population of\u00a0<\/span>Qushan<\/span>\u00a0Island\u00a0<\/span>is around 70,000. O<\/span>ne<\/span>–<\/span>third\u00a0<\/span>of these are\u00a0<\/span>Christians<\/span>\u00a0registered as attending Three-Self churches<\/span>. However, many\u00a0<\/span>unregistered house churches operate here,\u00a0<\/span>so\u00a0<\/span>the majority of<\/span>\u00a0the island is thought to be Christian,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”38051″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”A row of crosses on Qushan\u2019s fishing boats.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

According to Representative Foley, p<\/span>eople in\u00a0<\/span>Qushan<\/span>\u00a0first heard the gospel more than 100 years ago.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cLocal history records say that\u00a0<\/span>a British boat foundered on a reef near\u00a0<\/span>Qushan<\/span>\u00a0in 1863. After\u00a0<\/span>Qushan<\/span>\u00a0fishermen saved 24 crew members, the British Consulate sent the fisherman a large plaque saying<\/span>\u00a0\u2018<\/span>Shine Jesus Shine<\/span>\u2019 t<\/span>o thank them. They also sent them the Bible and missionaries.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Prior to that point, says Representative Foley,\u00a0<\/span>Buddhism\u00a0<\/span>was\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>dominant<\/span>\u00a0religion<\/span>\u00a0on the island<\/span>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cP<\/span>utting crosses on fishermen\u2019s boats become\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>Qushan<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Island tradition,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cThey also\u00a0<\/span>paint\u00a0<\/span>the phrase \u2018<\/span>Emmanuel<\/span>\u2019,\u00a0<\/span>which\u00a0<\/span>means\u00a0<\/span>\u2018<\/span>God\u00a0<\/span>with us\u2019,<\/span>\u00a0on their boats<\/span>\u00a0and on the front doors of their homes<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Rows of crosses atop the boats in the\u00a0<\/span>Qushan<\/span>\u00a0harbor\u00a0<\/span>are one of the representative images of the island.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to Representative Foley, however, t<\/span>his year a<\/span>s the closed fishing season\u00a0<\/span>came to an end<\/span>\u00a0on August 1 and<\/span>\u00a0fishermen prepare<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for the\u00a0<\/span>coming open season,\u00a0<\/span>government\u00a0<\/span>officials informed them of the\u00a0<\/span>cross removal<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>requirement, citing safety concerns. \u201c<\/span>When Christian fishermen asked county officials to show legal documents for their actions, they could not provide any<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Instead, authorities\u00a0<\/span>dispatched contractors to\u00a0<\/span>forcibly remove\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>crosses\u00a0<\/span>and paint over the \u2018Emmanuel\u2019 slogans on the\u00a0<\/span>Christian fishing boats.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says the fishermen are angry but feel they have no option but to comply. \u201c<\/span>One fisherman said, \u2018<\/span>We are upset because of the forcible cross removal, an unacceptable government action. Authorities ban us from fishing if we do not agree to remove crosses from our boats.<\/span>\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”38048″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Qushan County CCP contractors removing a cross from a fishing boat.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”38045″ img_size=”281X426″ alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Qushan County CCP contractors erasing an \u201cEmmanuel\u201d slogan from a fishing boat.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]According to Representative Foley, fishermen\u00a0do not\u00a0consider the crosses to be a danger.\u00a0\u201cThey\u00a0say the crosses bring them peace when they are at sea, especially when due to the poor phone service they are not able to contact anyone for help if they encounter trouble.\u00a0One fisherman asked, \u2018Why do crosses bother them? If they don\u2019t like a cross, why can\u2019t they simply regard it as\u00a0the\u00a0logo of\u00a0the Red Cross?\u2019 But the\u00a0cross removal\u00a0requirement remains.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Individuals interested in learning more about Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s partnership with Chinese unregistered churches canvisit www.vomkorea.com\/en\/project\/china\/<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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