Tens of thousands of Christians gather to pray for peace TW

[dArKeR]

About 50,000 Christians from around the country filled the Ketagelan Boulevard yesterday to pray, sing songs and perform Aboriginal dances, joining the annual Global Day of Prayer, which takes place on Pentecost Sunday in praying for the "healing of the nations and the glory of the Lord."

Gathered under the theme "Praying for Taiwan," Christians from various denominations shrugged off the rain, waved palms and flags in the air as they sang prayers with priests on center stage.

"This is the first time Christians in Taiwan walked out of churches and called on God to have mercy upon Taiwan and renew this nation through peace and reconciliation," said Xia Chong-jian (???), executive director of the National Prayer Network and an organizer of the event. "It's also a chance for us to connect with other Christians from 160 participating countries this year."

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/05/16/2003254866

Does this happen in Communist Bastard China?

[onager]

1. I don't know about CB China...

...but Taiwan had its own indigenous, animist religion before the Xians showed up. In fact, the Xians mostly came over from mainland China with Chiang Kai Shek, after he was booted off the mainland in 1949. Before that, Taiwan was ruled/occupied by Japan for decades.

You can still see the native Taiwanese performing rituals of their indigenous religion, like carrying the offerings down to the Sea-Goddess. The native temples are incredibly bright and colorful, decorated with all manner of strange deities.

(Standard Disclaimer: I'm an atheist. I don't have a god in this fight.)

There are still mistrust and hatred between the original Taiwanese and the later arrivals (even though the "late arrivals" have been there for over 50 years now). There were several bloody repressions of the natives after Chiang moved in, and they have not been forgotten.

I was on a business trip to Taiwan once when the government put up a plaque of Chiang Kai-Shek in a public park.

Some native Taiwanese showed their opinion of Chiang by ripping down the plaque and throwing it into a fish pond.