China bartering with souls

[dArKeR]

Blackmail is often the currency of dictatorship and tyranny. So it is with Beijing. The prevailing rate on relations with Beijing is measured in political distance from Taiwan. The more willing a nation is to distance itself from Taiwan, and adopt the "one China" mantra, the better its odds in economic relations with Beijing, as well as the prospects of making money in China. No mantra, no business.

However, the currency used in Beijing's dealings with the Vatican is different, because, frankly, the money isn't as important to the Vatican. It doesn't need a new "trading partner," it is not interested in importing cheap Chinese goods, or establishing a line of new factories there for producing cheap products, or selling Bibles to a billion Chinese (the Vatican would probably donate those). The traditional blackmail doesn't work for Beijing.

Therefore, Beijing has moved to Plan B, blackmail involving the souls of Chinese Catholics, the lure of more than 1 billion unconverted. Hong Kong officials were reporting before the Pope's funeral that the Vatican was willing to cut ties with Taiwan in order to make progress with Beijing on the plight of millions of Catholics in China. The comments were profoundly disturbing, as though the concept of throwing away 23 million Taiwanese for the sake of Chinese Catholics was blackmail worthy of consideration.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2005/04/15/2003250637

[Igel]

1. This vaguely confuses me. I thought the problem with

Catholicism in China was the pope: totalitarian governments are jealous gods, and require allegiance to them above all; the tradition Catholic view places the pope in supreme moral (religious?) authority.

The Catholic church in China is bifurcated: those allied with the Vatican are banned, and suppressed; those that reject the Vatican are permitted (literally, given a permit).

I don't see the Vatican saying allegiance to the pope is meaningless; nor do I see the PRC government abdicating its authority, real or imagined.

In any event, "official relations" with the Vatican could only be important to a country that officially doesn't exist for most of the world, and therefore which cannot be considered as existing under international law.

[daydreamer]

2. Catholicism and Communism have a lot in common

The goal of Catholicism is Utopian society after death, the goal of Communism is Utopian society before death. One tries to ask people to do good through fear of hell, one tries to ask people to do good through moral persuasion.

One believes all are sinners, the other believes there could be a New Person through indoctrination.

Sinners stay sinners. That's why Communism doesn't work.

There is more Capitalism than Communism now in China.