Today, the United Front Work Department published an article entitled Christian Community Stays with Us in Fighting Epidemic. Below is the main text:
Editor's note: Since the outbreak of the new corona pneumonia, religious groups and communities around the country have acted quickly to take the epidemic prevention and control work as the most important at present in accordance with the unified requirements of the government and various local party committees by suspending the opening of religious places and all collective religious activities, deferring opening of seminaries, strengthening the notification work for religious groups, and actively donating - they are doing a lot of work and are absolutely a positive role in winning the fight for epidemic prevention and control.
Christians are doing well in holding their ground and doing their duty. In order to protect the health of the vast number of clergy staff and the religious mass, to prevent the emergence of mass new corona pneumonia accumulation, and not bring uncontrollable factors to the national epidemic prevention and control, " CCC&TSPM and the National Association of Chinese YMCA, the National Association of YWCA issued a number of circulars requiring local Christian groups, theological colleges, and gathering sites to join YMCA and YWCA to attach great importance to epidemic prevention and control. In accordance to the guidance of the relevant local departments to actively take effective measures, public activities suspended, all kinds of gathering activities are temporarily suspended, theological schools have delayed the opening of school ... Under the premise of doing a good job of self-protection, carry out social service activities related to the fight against the epidemic."
All kinds of Christian gatherings in the country have been basically suspended; membership activities and offline training of youth fellowship and young women's associations have been suspended. Christian groups, places of activity, seminaries, YMCA and young women's associations have been deployed to purchase disinfectants, hand sanitizers and masks; all in a bid to prioritize the health of staff, believers and members. They strive to do a good job of temperature monitoring, testing and disinfection of public areas, and through the Internet platform, encourage believers, members and staff to do a good job of personal protection.
Secondly, promote the right guidance against heresy... Christian groups, places of activity and clergy staff, with the help of WeChat, websites, microblogs and other media channels, pass on authoritative information about the epidemic to believers, and also disseminate knowledge about scientific prevention and control. Through the promotion of scientific knowledge, interpretation of the teachings of the doctrine, refutation of any attempt to link the epidemic with so-called "sin" and "doomsday" signs as alleged by certain crooked theories and other hypotheses. They educate to guide believers to correctly understand the epidemic, suspend gatherings, understand and engage in other measures that strive to scientifically control the epidemic. They set examples by not generating, believing in or spreading rumors, not misinterpreting the Bible and not believing in pseudo-theology.
According to incomplete statistics, as of February 16, 2020 at 18:00, all local CC&TSPM and churches around the country have raised more than 115.3 million Yuan and also donated materials worth more than 2.7 million Yuan, totaling more than 118 million Yuan.
Local YMCA and YWCA also donated a large quantity of goods, such as Shanghai YMCA and YWCA in the name of Shanghai Hua Ai Charity Foundation donating 5 tons of medical alcohol and other materials. In addition, Amity Foundation has raised more than 60 million Yuan in donations of money and materials (including pledged donations).
- Translated by Charlie Li
