** Mailing-List Indonesia Nasional Milis PPI-India www.ppi-india.da.ru ** http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/15/eng20050315_176966.html UPDATED: 16:22, March 15, 2005 I'm full of confidence in China's religious development On March 13, the China Religion and Peace Committee held in Beijing the Second Plenary Session of the Second Committee. During the meeting in an exclusive interview by People's Daily,Ting Kuang-hsun, vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, chairman of the "China Religion and Peace Committee", and honorary president of the China Christianity Association, said that he is full of confidence in China's religious development. Reporter: Please make an evaluation on the present state of China's religious development. Ting Kuang-hsun: The Chinese religious circles are making their own contribution to world peace and the motherland's prosperity, the international community also pays special attention to our existence and contribution. At present, more and more Chinese and foreigners recognize the fact that there is freedom of religious belief in China. Those who groundlessly censure us find decreasing words to say. Let me give an example, last night I read a book on the status quo of China's religions, the book was written by a foreigner who censured us, because I wanted to know how the author said about China's religions, so I carefully read this book about 2 cm-thick.. After reading it, I found what is accounted in the book is full of mistakes, compared with another book this writer wrote before, the present book lacks any new contents and new views, very nonsense indeed. China's religions are undergoing all-round construction, various social circles are exerting themselves, regardless of what attacks from outside, we will never waver. Reporter: In which aspects China is carrying out religious construction? Ting: I cherish high expectations of China's religious development. In recent years, the religious work has received high attention from the Party and government, the present situation regarding religious work is in the best period in Chinese history, various religions are having the most favorable opportunity for their construction and development, the government is increasing input to help build sites for religious activities which are welcomed by religious believers. Take Christianity for example. Currently, nearly 10 localities nationwide are building new churches. I often received invitations, which expressed the hope that we could send people to participate in the inauguration ceremony for the new churches. In the past, foreign designs were fully copied for churches built in China, today, Chinese religious believers feel that churches should have Chinese characteristics and can, to some extent, show the characteristics of Chinese culture. In addition, we are carrying out large amounts of other construction work, take the construction of seminaries for instance. The Jinling Union Seminary in Nanjing concentrates a large batch of teachers with a very high theological level, they are engaged in theological education and research, so that graduates from the seminary can reach a fairly high theological level. So far as I know, other Chinese religions are also exerting themselves in self-construction. Reporter: Please say something about the status quo of Chinese religious unity. Ting: Speaking in a traditional sense, there is not much for talks about religious unity, various religions were disunited in the past, each religion regarded itself as representative of the truth, but today this situation has changed a lot. I myself placed the statue of Avalokitesvara, or Goddess of Mercy, right in the middle on the upper side of the fireplace in my own sitting room. Why did I do so? I am the president of Jinling Union Seminary, my colleagues and students often come as quests to my home, by means of which I want to observe their religious thinking. Each time I asked them this question: Is it right to place the statue of the Goddess of Mercy in the home of the president of a seminary? So far I've asked dozens of them, but no one said it was unsuitable. Why is it so? Because Chinese Christianity is carrying out construction of theological thinking, having received education and nurture, these colleagues and students have learned to treat the difference among different religions with an attitude of respect and learned the need for mutual respect and unity. This fact shows that the younger Chinese religious personages have become increasingly enlightened. Reporter: What's your view on international religious exchanges? Ting: I've noticed that in the "Regulations on Religious Affairs" effective on March 1, there is this clause: National religious organizations may send and accept personnel for religious studies in light of their needs and in accordance with regulations. I'm very happy about this, because in the past many international religious personages expressed their intentions to send students to study at Jinling Union Seminary, but I never promised, now with this set of regulations, I feel that the Chinese religious door has been opened wider to the outside. We welcome the internationalization of theological education, such mutual visits and exchanges are active and necessary. For example, there are not only Chinese teachers, but also teachers from the United States, Canada and Finland teaching in Jinling Union Seminary. This is of great help to promoting exchanges and enhancing understanding, I not only favor, but also try my best to promote this practice. Published on the fourth page of People's Daily (Overseas Edition) on March 14, the text of this interview is translated by People's Daily Online. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/O.5XsA/8WnJAA/E2hLAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.uni.cc *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. 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