Bibles will be allowed at Beijing Olympics, but only for personal use

By Anita Chang | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | via CNEWS
November 10, 2007

Outraged Beijing Olympic organizers sought to refute allegations of religious intolerance Thursday, saying Bibles and other religious items for personal use are welcome at next year's Beijing Olympics.

That latitude, however, does not extend to the Falun Gong spiritual movement, banned eight years ago as an "evil cult" and persecuted mercilessly ever since.

Recent reports by a religious news agency and European media that Bibles would be banned at the Olympics touched off an outcry that prompted a U.S. senator to call the Chinese ambassador for an explanation and a Christian athletes group to protest the "deep violation."

Angry Beijing organizers flatly denied the reports, while the Foreign Ministry said they were likely the work of people who wanted to sabotage Beijing's hosting of the Games.

"There is no such thing. This kind of report is an intentional distortion of truth," said Li Zhanjun, director of the Beijing Olympics media centre. Li said texts and items from major religious groups that are brought for personal use by athletes and visitors are permitted.

A notice on the official Beijing Olympics website explaining entry procedures into the country said "each traveller is recommended to take no more than one Bible into China."

Religious services - Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist - will be available to athletes in the Olympic Village next summer, Li said.

However, those policies do not apply to Falun Gong, reasserting China's determination to marginalize, persecute and eradicate the spiritual movement.

Falun Gong was banned after members staged a massive peaceful protest in 1998 outside government headquarters to demand official recognition. The U.S. State Department says practitioners in China face arrest, detention and possible torture, while members overseas maintain a vigorous campaign of protest against China's government.

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