Lisa,
Hail to that post! I just went to take a look at Hao Wu's blog and it seems indeed the guy had something to say. I need to dig in further to find what kind of person he is in his writings, but I was touched by his article comparing his relation to his mother to the one with the government. Seems there is much left to discover and I help you hoping that he may be released.
This is just scary. What are the odds of him getting released? I'm going to check out his blog and the other links you have.
If the speculation is correct, that Wu is being detained because the authorities want to use his video footage to prosecute others, then hopefully he won't be in any serious trouble since he's not really the target in the crackdown. BTW, does anyone know what Wu's citizenship status is? It's a sad fact that holding an US passport is really handy for situations like this.
I'm not sure, but I think he has a Chinese passport, unfortunately.
The thing that's weird about the videotape theory is that, if you read his blog post I linked to, the cops in Beijing are well-aware of this particular church; they know where it is and they showed up to threaten the congregation, close it down - it's unclear. So I'm not sure why they would need Hao's video for additional evidence. it's not like they really care about the rule of law anyway.
Unless they are hoping to find people making incriminating statements on tape, but it still strikes me as odd.
Wu Hao mentions in his blog post that this church is attended by several prominent dissidents. Most so called "underground" churches actually operates fairly openly and publicly and are well-known to the authorities. Most of them are left alone by the police. I'm guessing this particular church is attracting attention not because of religion, but because of the people that attends it. Of course this is all just speculation, but imagine if you were the police and you knew that a group of prominent dissidents have been meeting regularly and somebody has been taping these meetings, you'd probably really really want to get your hands on those tapes and it wouldn't really matter whether they're meeting for church service or what not. Unfortunately, Wu is the guy with the tapes.
BTW, Lisa, have you or any other friends of Wu Hao's informed any human rights organizations like Dui Hua of his situation? Hu Jintao will visit the US next month, and if Wu Hao is on the list of people being watched by human rights organizations, then he'll have a better chance of getting released before the Hu visit.
From what I know, Reporters Without Borders have written Hu Jintao, and Dui Hua and Amnesty have also been informed of Hao's situation.
I've been told that the best thing I can do is to help spread the word via blog posts like this one, but I have to say, it doesn't feel like enough.
I went to church in China and nobody arrested me, what gives? Could it be that I, as a guest to their country, show the curtisey of not breaking their laws?
http://chruchinchina.blogspot.com/
Let's for the moment put aside the argument weither China's laws are right or wrong according to our senstivity. The fact remains their laws exist according to their sensitivity, and they have effects in their land.
Rule of law dictates laws are to be observed - else it's anarchy. Unjust law should be changed within the existing reality and current states - else pay the price of civil disobidience (or revolution.)
I'm sure by now you are bored of these obvious principles of our proud western tradition, which many neglects while indicting China.
Let's talk about weither the law that's involved is just.
The reason churches go underground IMHO isn't because they are "unauthorized" Catholics or Protestants. The Church I attended in Zhengzhou was a Protestant church.
My understanding of the reason chruches go "underground" is because they refuse to observe China's law protecting children's right to religious freedom that bars adults from indoctrinating children until the age of 16 (with flexibility).
Reailty is there ain't enough GongAn to kick down the doors and arrest every parent that reads the Bible to their kids, or grandmothers who BaiBai the Kitchen God with little MeiMei.
But when pastors encouraged by foreign missionaries to break China's laws and hold bible school, advertise to the whole village, invite the policeman's kid to come every sunday for the brainswashing session - what do you think happens?
Bobby, you are either incredibly naive or a CCP apologist - and I say this as a person who deeply loves China, would like to live there again and has some sympathy for the CCP, or at least certain elements of it. Browse some of my entries on the pollution problem if you doubt that.
Yes, there are a lot of whacked-out religious cults/churches in China, some with doctrines that bear little resemblance to Christianity as it's generally practiced. But go and read Hao's description of the church that he was attempting to document. It does not on the surface fit that description.
Also, Hao is NOT a foreigner, he is Chinese. And he was only trying to make a documentary - to REPORT on the phenomenae.
As to your referencing the need to obey China's laws, that's a hoot. As I understand it, China's constitution offers its citizens a whole raft of legal protections that do not exist in practice. The whole problem with China's legal system is that the laws on the books are applied arbitrarily and more often than not, disobeyed by the authorities when it suits their purpose to do so. In fact, one of the huge frustations of the Central Government is their inability to force local governments into compliance with the laws that are on the books. This is a huge, huge problem as the Chinese central government attempts to deal with China's pollution and environemtal crisis, not to mention illegal land seizures.
The fact is, Hao was detained for reporting, not for participating or organizing.
As a final note, I am not at all religious, I am certainly not a Christian, and I happen to think that fundamentalist religions, particularly those of the "Abrahamic Triad" are incredibly destructive and dangerous in today's world.
Bobby F, I can hardly believe the rubble that came from your post. Lisa is being kind when she says you must be naive. This week is the first that I have become aware of this situation, but even I know more of the history than you seem to. That aside, I hope you might have some friends in China who might be able to find out something to help this young man.
Lisa, I ache for your friend and his family. I am glad you are trying so hard to get the word out via the blogs. It may not seem like much, but for every person that hears about this attrocity, some will act, pass on the info further, and hopefully get to someone who WILL be able to do something to bring him home... I will be speaking to a few people later today. You ARE helping him.
I will continue to pray for his safety and quick return. M
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