China – Divine Council

by Marin Katusa

In 2015, a 16-year-old student from Jiangsu, China, tried to board a train.

She couldn’t even purchase a ticket.

The student, Zhong Pei, tried enrolling in classes at her university. But she was not allowed to do that either.

Zhong had committed a serious crime: She was guilty of being related to someone else.

Her father had killed two people and died in a car accident. So the Chinese government blacklisted her as “dishonest.”

It took her four months before she was able to overturn the decision and go to her university.

China’s Social Credit System – America’s New Nightmare?

What Zhong experienced was the result of testing for China’s new “Social Credit System.”

The SCS aims to be a unified program that provides a “social credit score” for every one of China’s 1.3 billion citizens.

But the Chinese government needed help to develop the algorithms that determine social credit scores. So it enlisted eight companies for pilot programs, including its two largest, trusted social media companies: Tencent and Alibaba. They both came up with their own solutions: Alibaba’s affiliate Ant Financial rolled out its own “Sesame Credit” system. And Tencent had a nationwide system that was trialed for less than a day before it was taken down with pressure from the People’s Bank of China.

Both Alibaba and Tencent own enormous Chinese payments systems. They also own the largest Chinese marketplaces.

So Tencent’s program and Alibaba’s Sesame Credit can easily measure how much, how often, and what is bought online in China… and more importantly, when it is paid for.

Chinese regulators are pressuring both as neither has received an official license to operate their social credit systems. But Tencent and Alibaba are pushing aggressively because they see the benefits – these seemingly innocent systems could help bring order to the chaos of Chinese commerce.

The plan, however, does not stop there. And the Chinese government has already laid the framework for the dystopian future.

Laws from 2012 and 2016 require internet companies to retain customers’ real names and information.

There will be no opting out from this future.

In 2020, the system will become the Social Credit System (SCS). And it will be owned and operated entirely by the Chinese state government.

The SCS will take into account not only purchases, but also hobbies, your lifestyle, and even who you hang out with.

If you raise a child, attend government events, or do well at your job – things considered ideal for a model citizen – your social credit score will go up.

However…

If you drink too much, play too many video games, or speak ill of the government – your social credit score will go down.

It’s a national database that will hold information on every citizen.

It will assess information as innocent as whether an academic degree was actually earned. And as personal as if a female is supposed to be taking birth control.

In short, the SCS will not be a measurement of how regularly you pay your bills.

It will show the government precisely how well you toe the party line.

Social Credit – Obedience to an Authoritarian State

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Persecution is increasing in Nepal. In the latter third of 2018, the Nepal government has deported and expelled at least 78 missionaries representing some 21 nations of the world. This in response to new legislation passed in October 2017 and put into effect in the summer of 2018.

For a personal overview of current conditions in Nepal, listen to my interview with Dr. Michael S. Heiser.

Also, please remember the native Nepalese believers “in chains” arrested by the same legislation (as we’re exhorted to do in Hebrews 13:3.) They face a hefty fine up to 50,000 rupees and five years in prisons (not up to Western standards) and often need total support from their families to survive (akin to the parable in Matthew 25:31-46.)

Biblical Era Powers

Nepali conditions are more akin to that of the world of the Bible than those in the west might imagine. We are surrounded by powers that would rather their influence or King (earthly or heavenly) not be impinged upon by any new kingdom; especially after the overthrow of their former monarchy.

Misleading Census Data

The 2011 census report in Wikipedia for Religions in Nepal is probably not accurate:

Hindu 81.3%
Buddhist 9.0%
Muslim 4.4%
Folk 3.0%
Christian 1.42%
Other 0.9%

The census is probably not accurate because the powers that be don’t want to report on the increase of Christianity resulting from the wave of Christian aid after the 2015 earthquakes.

Current Nepali Government

The current government is elected but is led by a communist faction with an overwhelming 2/3 majority for a five-year term. Nevertheless, it’s the first stable government since the bloody ravaged filled uprising in 2006. That uprising was focused on Christians as one of their primary necessities and partnered with the governments of both India and China in a unified effort.

Here is the Chinese media reporting on its pact with India and Nepal to drive out the West and Christianity in particular and an interview from this past summer as the legislation began to be enforced. The interviewee is a Christian political leader in Nepal and one of the principals at a college where I teach. He travels across Nepal with a book he’s written to address abuses of members of congregations who are being mistreated and deceived into giving up their rights so hard fought for in the newly established constitution.

Recent Persecution Events

Recent events in Nepal’s history concerning the rise in persecution is documented in the following articles:

Also, a school was shut down and children forced out because outsiders believed the children were being forcibly converted.

Preservation Law

The Anti-Conversion Law was followed up by a similar Preservation Law to protect the Hindu religion and religious tourists’ sites from the spread of Christianity. Such sites are at the heart of their economy. The Preservation Law can be used against anyone with a beef against believers for any reason to bring harassment through trumped-up charges.

Christian Moonies?

A recent summit was held and the focus was on the need to curtail Christianity. The “Moonies” and their “daughter of Jesus” represented Christianity and gave USD 100,000.

Tons of criticism ensued that this was even allowed among the Hindu/Buddhist majority currently ruling.

On the docket was a discussion of the role of faith-based organizations/initiatives in Asia. As a result, certain powers that be were ready to restore Nepal to a Hindu kingdom and drive out Christianity entirely.

Violent Swings

Much that happens in the new political environ of Nepal is in the wake of violent swings from one extreme to another. Those poised use the momentum to achieve their goals. Each one waits for their “moment” to strike while the iron is hot!

At the same time, though, in India, some elections of interest “just happened” to be going on. Their election process there have separate states voting each according to its designs. The current prime minister, Narendra Modi, recently lost his super majority and his influence has been gradually reduced to more like a fifty-fifty split at present it would seem.

Modi’s Upsurge

As the champion in Asian politics of Hinduism, Modi’s upsurge has been the driving force behind much persecution since in both India and subsequently Nepal. Those opposed to Christianity have ridden his “wave” of popularity to bring about their own agendas and as Nero of Rome did centuries ago take it out on Christians. Asia is much more akin to Biblical times in so many ways.

Now that he is not so strong, many feared what would happen if this slide/trend continues. Traditionally, the Congress party in India has stood up for the rights of Christians. Due to much political corruption, they lost to Modi when he and his party initially rose to power in 2014. Now the opposition to Modi has been able to cobble back a 50% stake apparently in the legislature and who will be the next prime minister in the wake of India’s 2019 General election.

Facebook Nonsense in Nepal

You wouldn’t believe what goes on Facebook here. A while back, they had Navy Seals in Syria slitting children’s throats! That was tough for some people to process albeit many knew the US is not like that!

The Empire Strikes Back

Teach Nepal (a Christian only entity) was being threatened because they don’t hire non-Christians. As a result, Teach Nepal shut down altogether and remain aloof.

Current Sentiment

The last paragraph of this article represents much the current sentiment in Nepal.

Here’s a new update coming out of China. and an update from India. and one on Christmas in Nepal.

Here’s an important ongoing story to help one understand where the persecution is trending amid the swirling powers of Nepal. A school in a remote district was closed and several Christians arrested. Afterward, the update on their “triumphant” release.

Not Looking Good for Christians

The Christians here see through the Hindus more influenced by the current Hindu party in power in India which is very opposed to Christians. The effect of a recent election in India shifted the thinking of the Hindus here is a case in point.

Either way, for Christians in Asia, it is not looking good. From what I am seeing on the ground Hindus respond more to Hindus in India than the communist in China presently while both factors do play significant roles.

God’s Hand on Elections!

Thus, on the very day, the contentions in Nepal swelled as many were hoping to take advantage and act, the news of the results in India’s provisional elections in three nearby states caused them to cool their jets and think more carefully.

With so many facets of political intrigue in competition for their piece of the pie, it is often tough to know where things may turn at any given moment. Many agendas get set aside as new interests prevail.

With Nepal so small in the world nestled between two of the largest people groups in the world, only God knows where things may end up.

This reminds me of the peripeties in the book of Esther! We just trust the Lord to lead and guide despite what “in the world” may transpire.

There is still more to the story as the General elections have yet to take place due in April, but if these recent state elections are any indication, things at least are being held in check at the moment. All sides look cautiously as the largest democracy in the world is set to vote.