Bring Your Bibles to China

China doesn't like Christianity - or Bibles. And China doesn't want too many Bibles coming to their country during the Olympics. So what? says a U.S. senator

China is one of the most tightly-governed nations in the world today, and it is not highly regarded for its commitment to freedom. In fact, that is an understatement. The word "China" and the word "freedom" don't belong in the same sentence.

Accordingly, China has a policy that "manuscripts, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and videotapes, etc., which are detrimental to China's politics, economy, culture and ethics" are not to be brought into the country.

Imagine if the Bush administration issued this kind of policy, hard-core leftist critics of President Bush would be calling him a tyrant, a demagogue, an evil.....wait...they are already doing this. Hmmmm. Well, anyway....

China considers Bibles to be detrimental to China's "culture and ethics." This creates a dilemma for Olympic athletes who are Christian. Not to worry, said a Chinese official. You can bring ONE Bible. Awww, how nice.

Colorado Democrat Ken Salazar, a member of the United States Senate, says that those traveling into China for the Olympic games should ignore that policy. In other words, take all the Bibles you want!

I like it. Maybe if enough Olympic travelers will do that, it will call the world's attention (in a very poignant way) to one of the most paranoid and repressive regimes in power today. But, then again, the world watching didn't stop them from crushing unarmed students with tanks at Tiananmen Square. So, maybe we shouldn't hold our breath.