Christians in China have depended heavily on the internet for Bible teaching and sermons. But as American Family News (AFN) reported earlier, the Communist Party is cracking down on what is posted online.
Jonathan Dingler of ChinaAid says the legislative body has issued what is called the "Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services," making it illegal to post religious content online without a license.
"Most Christians, most religious people that aren't within the five sanctioned religious groups in China, they're not able to get these licenses," Dingler explains. "They're not able to post any religious content."
So far there is no information on what charges would be brought against violators, but authorities could use the usual trumped-up charges.
"It wouldn't surprise me personally to see courts do that," the ChinaAid spokesman says. "That's picking quarrels and troubles, and they also have a very common charge -- subversion of state power -- which one of our friends in China is suffering nine years in prison for that for having a sermon online that asked for President Xi Jinping to accept Christ and repent."
Any violators of the new rules, which go into effect, March 1st, will take the risk of being locked up as well.
