In China, Christians are Persecuted Even after Death’. The communist country now bans Christian Funerals
Communist officials throughout China are using regulations that restrict religious freedom to also prohibit religious-themed funerals, even going so far as to arresting family members and stopping ceremonies mid-service.
An elder of a government-sanctioned Three-Self church told Bitter Winter, “The situation is quite adverse, and some believers don’t even dare to accompany the deceased to the graveyard.” Bitter winter is a religious watchdog group.
For example, in one city in the province of Henan, government officials passed regulations prohibiting “visiting groups, choirs, orchestras, and other groups” from holding religious services anywhere except in a church. Such regulations are used to ban religious-themed funerals.
Similar stories of persecution have been related throughout China.
In another village in the same province, officials passed regulations that say ministers and other religious personnel should be “stopped from using religion to intervene in citizens’ weddings and funerals or other activities in their lives.”
The funeral of a preacher in yet another location in Henan was stopped when policemen stormed the event and accused family members and friends of spreading “religious propaganda.”
Churches within China must register either with the state. Because such congregations face extreme regulations, millions of Christians in the country worship in underground congregations.