The Chinese Communist Party, as part of its effort to “sinicize”, religion has launched a 10-year-long project to rewrite religious texts and the Bible.

Jesus confronted the accusers of a woman who was caught in adultery by saying, “Let the one amongst you who is innocent be the first to cast a stone at the woman.”

Jesus asks the woman: “Has anyone condemned you?” The woman replied, “No, sir.” Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either.” Go away and sin no longer from now on. ‘”

This is a beautiful story about forgiveness and mercy.

Except if you are a CCP official. It’s the story of a political dissident who challenges the authority of the government. In a Chinese textbook published in 2020, a possible preview of a Bible that might have socialist characteristics appeared. The Gospel of John extract rewritten ends not with mercy but with Jesus himself stabbing the adulterous women to death.

Local CCP officials in Henan forced churches to replace Ten Commandments quotes with Xi Jinping’s. “Thou shall have no gods before me,” became diktats such as: “Resolutely protect against the infiltration by Western ideology.”

Xi Jinping is pursuing a 10-year plan to rewrite sacred texts such as the Bible, Quran, and other holy books in order to get the faithful to serve him rather than God.

At the 19th Party Congress Chairman Xi announced “We will… insist upon the sinicization Chinese religions and provide active guidance to religion and socialism coexist.”

Translated: Xi Jinping doesn’t have a problem with the first Commandment as long as he, the CCP and other members of the CCP play the role God.

You would expect the Vatican to be angry and defiant, as the leader of the largest Christian denomination in the world. You’d be mistaken.

In a 2018 secret negotiation, the Vatican allowed the CCP select Catholic bishops for China. This was supposedly done in exchange for vague assurances of “safety”, which were then immediately revoked.

CCP wants to be able to choose the next Dalai Lama. This is a sacred Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Tibetan Buddhists try to resist CCP pressure, but Beijing says that even Pope Francis as the leader of the powerful Catholic Church accepts CCP authority.

The CCP is tempted by the power of religion — what better way to demonstrate party supremacy than to bring all global religions under control?

The PRC constitution says that citizens enjoy “freedom of religious belief.” But, of course the CCP’s “freedom” is closer to what we would call oppression.

The United Front Work Department is responsible for managing religious affairs in China. Religion can be used to achieve party goals, and once manipulated, it can control the minds of people.

Only five religions are recognized officially. Even less-established religions are subjected to more severe persecution. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice that many outside China are unfamiliar with, but this does not diminish the suffering they suffer at the hands the CCP.

According to the State Department, up to half of those in China’s modern gulags or “Reeducation through Labor”, camps for “Reeducation through Labor”, were Falun Gong followers. There have been reports that Falun Gong prisoner’s organs were harvested on demand and thousands of them were tortured.

In Tibet and Xinjiang, however, we can see the CCP’s brutal attitude towards religion. In the west, Buddhists, Muslims, and other religious groups are being persecuted in China.

CCP commits genocide in Xinjiang, the most serious crime of all, while religious leaders around the world, such as Pope Francis, barely utter a word against it.

Tahir Hamut Izgil is an Uyghur writer who wrote in The Atlantic that the PRC had “required all Uyghurs to give up any religious items, including religious books, prayer rugs and prayer beads as well as articles of clothing.” Some people were reluctant to give up their Qurans. However, when neighbors and relatives began betraying each other, those who held onto them were found, arrested, and severely punished.

According to Maya Wang of Human Rights Watch: “The Chinese government’s restrictions on religion are so strict that they have effectively outlawed Islam.”

The CCP also commits a slow-motion genocide against the Muslim and Buddhist faiths as well as the identities of Tibetans, Uyghurs Kyrgizs, southern Mongolians and other ethnic-religious minorities in China’s north and west.

Bulldozers destroy Buddhist statues. Monasteries have been destroyed. Mosques are destroyed. Children are separated from their families and sent to colonial schools, where they are forbidden to speak native languages or practice religion.

Despite the persecution, there is a growing number of believers in China. During my time in Congress, I have heard stories of religious persecution that are unimaginable. I have also heard of underground churches and brave clergy. These steadfast Christians are as courageous as the saints of early Christianity.

The CCP is tempted by the power of religion — what better way to demonstrate party supremacy than to bring all global religions under control?

Although Chairman Mao called the religion “poison”, I have come to believe that CCP’s bloodstained history of religious persecution is just one battle in their ongoing war against the human spirit and our ability to strive for something greater.

CCP views anything other than its Marxist-Leninist system with a savage jealousy.

The pastor of a Chinese church said in an interview with The Guardian that “[the PRC rulers] will lose.”