Pirated copies of Gibson movie stir Chinese

World Net Daily ^ | April 1, 2004

[NYer]

Christians in China believe their communist government won't show "The Passion of the Christ," but pirated copies of the film on Jesus' suffering and death are playing to small gatherings throughout the country.

The private viewings with poorly made DVD copies and Chinese subtitles are accompanied by prayer gatherings and questions by young agnostics who want to know more about Christian faith, reports UCAN, the Union of Catholic Asian News in Hong Kong.

"The Passion" has "struck a heavy blow against atheism," says one Chinese youth.

A Catholic priest in the underground church said he was so moved by the film he plans to show it to parishioners on Good Friday, April 9, the day commemorating Jesus' crucifixion, UCAN reported.

The priest told UCAN he bought the DVD copy on the street for the equivalent of about $1.

"The quality is not good and the Chinese translation is lousy. But for those of us who know the Bible, we know what's going on," he said.

Under pressure internationally, the Chinese government has cracked down on pirated videos, but a priest in the government-approved Catholic Church has encouraged his parishioners to watch the film by Mel Gibson, which has generated more than $300 million in box office receipts.

A Chinese webmaster who asked to remain anonymous, said the film has created a buzz on Internet discussion forums in China and, quite "a number of laypeople have said they felt their faith strengthened" after watching it.

Some Protestant websites allow the film to be downloaded from a site in China.

"My Protestant friends praised the film after watching it," the webmaster told UCAN.

The webmaster noted China's strict censorship and government-sponsored atheism which teaches Jesus was a mythical character makes it likely "The Passion" would be banned as a challenge to state authority.

"What's more," he said, "'The Passion' is a very powerful evangelization tool, so it is highly unlikely it will be shown publicly in China," he said.

But the movie's huge success in China, reflected in the demand for pirated DVDs, has "struck a heavy blow against atheism."

Yunnan Catholic Online, in Kunming, more than 1,300 miles southwest of Beijing, said a local layman reported he attended two private viewings were many Catholics cried, and a few even screamed when they saw Jesus being scourged, according to UCAN.

In Tangshan, about 100 miles southeast of Beijing, a Catholic university student recommended the film to friends.

Afterward, "one of them asked me to tell him more stories of the Bible, and another expressed his wish to join the Church," he said.

"The Passion of the Christ" will open at the beginning of April in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, but the Hong Kong media affirm the film is unlikely to be shown in mainland China because of its religious nature.

In Hong Kong, at least 50 special screenings are scheduled for Catholic and Protestant groups.

[NYer]

PASSION PING!

Catholic Ping - let me know if you want on/off this list

[Lost Highway]

God bless Mel.

[joesnuffy]

The USA is in bed with Satan's favorite trading partner....the nation of the dragon....
China hates evangelical Christians...they threaten to replace 'the state' as god with the
real God....the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob and His only begotten Son...Jesus Christ

Satan fumes over the notion that God comes into what he considers his nation and rescues
lost souls...right from under his nose...trophies he wont be taken to hell or eventually into the Lake of Fire with him...

Christians need to support their brothers and sisters in Christ who are in the belly of the beast
fighting the good fight...

imo

[GirlShortstop]

"The Passion" has "struck a heavy blow against atheism," says one Chinese youth.

Alleluia!

[TXnMA]

Interesting post. May HE become known and believed throughout the entire world! If it takes pirated DVDs to accomplish that, I expect Gibson would be prepared to absorb the loss...

Re your tagline: I'd say it another way:

[Skooz]

An excellent read:

Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity Is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power by David Aikman

[jwalburg]

I misread the headline. I thought it said that the pirated copies STAR Chinese

[dennisw]

You have one billion plus heathens there. I think this movie will effect some conversions. Perhaps even a lot. It would be amusing to see the Islamics come out with a sanitized cinematic version of Mohammed's life and tried to use that as a conversion vehicle.

[atomicpossum]

After reading recent posts on FR about the huge size of the Christian Church in China, I've been looking forward to what happens when The Passion reaches their shores (which it was destined to do on the pirate market well before anyone expected). The church is becoming a larger and larger force in China and the Party is supposed to be dwindling....there may be revolution from within...

[NYer]

Re your tagline: I'd say it another way

Mary is not only the Mother of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father; she is also Mother of all the Father’s adopted children. As their Mother, she has been given the role of molding them into the likeness of Jesus.

As He chose Mary as the instrument through whom He would come to us, so He chose Mary as the instrument through whom we should go to Him. And both the mystery of God coming to us through Mary, and our being led to God through Mary, is a work of the Holy Spirit. So when we speak of Mary’s unique role in our sanctification, she is but the instrument the Holy Spirit uses in sharing with us the divine life of grace. It is in this sense that Mary fashions us into the likeness of Christ.

[tallhappy]

she is also Mother of all the Father’s adopted children

No. And this is inappropriate for this thread to start such extrabiblical flame war-like arguments on something not related to the Gospel.

[tallhappy]

which it was destined to do on the pirate market well before anyone expected).

Pirated copies have been out for a long time.

[conservonator]

"Behold, your mother."

[CathyRyan]

I may be wrong but I do not think Mel will be to upset this :)

[CathyRyan]

I may be wrong but I do not think Mel will be to upset over this :)

[montag813]

"The Passion" has "struck a heavy blow against atheism," says one Chinese youth.

God Bless Mr. Mel Gibson.

(and I am a Jew, btw)

[Blood of Tyrants]

He died for ALL. The more Christianity is driven underground in China, the stronger it becomes.

[Ditto]

I heard Aikman interviewed on a local talkshow this morning. Very interesting. He said that in another 20 years or so, China will be 30% Christian. That is a LOT of people!

[Skooz]

Yep. And the book points out that Christianity is experiencing explosive growth in many universities. Thus, the future leadership may well be predominately Christian.