Chinese Christian Intellectuals on America

"'O Christian, what witness have you borne for Christ in Western culture? Did you bring Christ into modern Western culture to Christianize culture? Or did you bring modern Western culture into Christianity to secularize your faith? Have you ever reflected on the reason why people see the witness of your lives and end up doubting the reality of your faith?'"

"'O Christian, don't carry this pseudonym 'Christian nation' on your lips any more — this doesn't help your religion at all! It is high time to stop chaining Christ and the powers of the state together. The noble name of Jesus Christ should no longer be insulted by the selfishness of a nation, people or institution.' Among this great host who call themselves Christians, how many of them truly put their trust in Jesus Christ? Look at their lives: who can believe that they believe in Jesus Christ? When individualism becomes the final authority for moral decisions, when consumerism takes hold of people's lives, isn't faith a mere decoration?"

I'm reading a couple books right now by Chinese intellectuals on faith, society, Christianity, and Western culture. Very fascinating stuff for me (and more motivation to really learn Mandarin). E-mail me for the references - of course the best stuff won't "fit" on the blog. Here's a smattering of quotes relating to the West, humanity, faith, or whatever...

"He was in China in the late 1940's, living on a small island along the southern Chinese coast. He would often take a little fishing boat across the water to preach. One evening, he could not find the boat. He saw a little girl and asked her for help. She asked him for a song, so he sang a Christian hymn and asked her to sing one for him as well. 'I have nothing to sing about,' she said, lowering her head."

"Those of us who came from mainland China believe that there is neither unconditional love nor unconditional hate in the world. Nothing comes without conditions."

"Another reason why Jesus' words stirred me so deeply and immediately was the simplicity and depth with which he spoke. I had studied philosophy and all those pretentious words which cause so much consternation. But Jesus' words penetrate the heart."

"For that person who lives without God, who has no new life, more freedom serves only to accelerate that person's degeneration. This is because one who is free in the realm of sin is driven by his or her own lust. Dostoevsky once said that if God did not exist, everything would be permissible. In the same vein, I believe that though "freedom" seems to be breaking out across the world, if faith in God is lost, "freedom" will soon face its final enemy: freedom itself."