Contributor "Another perspective" is right on track on the situation on the ground in China. I like a statement made by Rob Gifford, in his book, China Road, about watching China: "if you're not confused, then you simply haven't been paying attention." The issue is how to better advance, in the environment that is China, the reforms that would most benefit the church for God's glory.

Any more I feel that reading American viewpoints on Christianity in China is like viewing an object in a warped mirror. First, is there persecution of HC Christians in China? Yes, in some provinces and some cities. In other provinces HCes worship openly. In some cases, they've even built their own buildings. Second, are the HC Christians the only "good" Christians in China? No, there are many orthodox, Bible-believing leaders in the official church, as well. And in some places believers feel equally at home in HCes and official churches. There are also some widespread heterodox HC networks, true cults. Third, are some believers in prison because of their faith? Yes, in some places, particularly in political hot sports. This tends to be more common of leaders than pew Christians. In sum, there is religious openness some places in China. And persecution is still the norm in other places.

Suggesting that Sec. Clinton's statements "could not (be) more..discomfiting for house-church Christians", and the editorial overall do not reflect realities in China. Rather than forming views based on China Aid and Bob Fu who has not been in China for years; the editorialist and readers of CT would be more well served to form views from the first hand reporting done by Rob Moll in Christianity Today's, May, 2008, issue. In discussions last week with house-church (HC) leaders from a church that in 2008 was the subject of an unwanted China Aid report about a “raided” church, the HC leaders' view was that: 1) the religious freedom dialogue should be separate from other issues, 2) those outside China should learn from the HC inside China how to cultivate advances for religious freedom through positive engagement with govt rather than China bashing, and 3) foreign entities should intervene only when by a narrow definition a persons health or life is at risk. END

Now I personally demand that the Editorial Staff of Chiristianity disprove my claim that present America is not now the most pagan nation ever, but does so by ordering God to bless America? !) Not one single iota of the USA Constituiton is still in place and obeyed. 2) America is now the mass grave of around 50 million of unborn babies, while the butchers stay in business. 3) As stated by none other than the WSJ, America is replacing the traditional Biblical marriage with: Commited Cohabiters, Feb. 3, 2009. 4) Every year some 1 million of American joungster are throwing into limbo due to divorce. 5) Now more American women live without a man than do! 6) More married couples want no children than do. 7) America is swindling futurity on a large scale, as America is now in debt over 60 trillion dollars. This number 7 based on these worlds: "The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, in the name of funding, is but swindling futuity on a large scale". By Thomas Jefferson. So?

I'd feel better about the "concern" and the timing if when President Bush went to China for the Olympics and actually said that he wanted the Chinese to make it easier for the house churches to register(!) there had been a high level of condemnation. Perhaps it would be better if Secretary Clinton hadn't been as "realistic" but that seems to have been the same policy that garnered virtually no comment from the editors or Congressmen Smith, Wolf or Pitts for the past eight years. Of course, we need to pressure China to democratize. We should insist on fairer trade practices. But, the policies of an Administration that was given almost complete uncritical support by this magazine for eight years has created a situation where China has about a trillion dollars of our bonds. So, we have given them a great degree of economic power over us. It is easy for minority party congressmen to find their consciences on these issues NOW. Where were they for the past eight years???