There will be no restrictions on Bibles being brought into the Olympic village in Beijing next year, contrary to news reports that said that said Bibles would be banned in a nation that is hesitant to embrace Christianity.
The Associated Press reports that a story posted on the Catholic News Agency Web site said a list of prohibited items in the Olympic Village included Bibles. The Associated Press reports that the U.S. Olympic Committee contacted the International Olympic Committee in response to the story, and was told that Bibles would be allowed – and most likely provided alongside Korans.
A notice on the official Beijing Olympics Web site explaining entry procedures into the country said “each traveler is recommended to take no more than one Bible into China.”
As the communist nation prepares to host the international event, the world is watching to see how it responds to freedom of speech issues. Just a month ago, the organizers pledged to hold a variety of religious services during the Olympic games.
