Background of China
By DF
Technically, China in the last 15 years practices a religious policy of tolerance up to the point the central government thinks it acceptable. This is to be distinguished from the religious freedom in the West. So in China, it is perfectly legal to be a Christian and join government recognised churches called 3-self churches - self propagate, self-govern and self-sustain. It was a strategy and concept initiated by foreign missionaries before China turn Communist. They, together with local Chinese church leaders, recognised Chinese churches needed to be on its own feet and it should aim to achieve the 3-self aims in the long run.
Since the Communist took over, the government made the best out of such concept - kicking out foreign missionaries, cutting all contacts, particularly financial and cultural ties with churches from abroad. The government asserts control over church leadership and maintains that religious belief is a positive force only if it does not go out of control. And the control comes from the state, for which they set up a Bureau of Religious Affairs or similar name that ensures all churches follow the same line. Those who refuse to co-operate will be fined, locked away and church property confiscated. But still, especially in rural area, underground house churches were fast replacing the formal, government controlled churches.
During the 60s and 70s, when extreme leftist ideaology became the norm, the perception of religions changed from a positive force if under state control to a totally destructive and negative force. It is like opinion and drugs. It makes people weak (dream about future in heaven rather than facing up hard realities in real life). Hence all religions had to be eradicated. As a result, churches, mosques and temples were pulled down or turn to be warehouses. Clergy were sent to factories. Religious texts burnt. This hard line policy makes Chinese Christians turn inward in their religious expression (this also encourage people to meet in houses and set up even more underground churches). Without the support from churches outside China, they develop its own form of Christianity - focus on prayers, bible reading and endurance in hardship.
Since early 80's the central government recognises the hard-line attitude towards religions, particularly Christianity, only make Christians more subversive. So they re-started the religious policy based on tolerance and harmony. It is therefore no major risk to say you are a Christian on application form (against the predominate Communist and atheistic ideaology). On the other hand, the 'tolerance' is only a mask. Ultimately the state (or the Communist party) will rule supreme.
Wikipedia
Freedom of religion in the People's Republic of China is provided for by the country's constitution; however, the Government, possibly because freedom of religion demands freedom of assembly,[original research?] restricts religious practice to government-sanctioned organizations and registered places of worship. The constitution forbids religious practices that cause "disruption" or "harm" to society.
Christianity has been a growing minority religion for over 400 years. Growth has been more significant since the loosening of restrictions on religion after the 1970s within the People's Republic. Religious practices are still often tightly controlled by government authorities. Chinese over age 18 in Mainland China are permitted to be involved with officially sanctioned Christian meetings through the Three-Self Patriotic Movement or the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Associations.
Background of Malaysia
Wikipedia
Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution. First, Article 11 provides that every person has the right to profess and to practice his or her religion and (subject to applicable laws restricting the propagation of other religions to Muslims) to propagate it. Second, the Constitution also provides that Islam is the religion of the country but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony (Article 3).
Malaysia: Youth Struggle to Follow Jesus
Source: http://www.kidsofcourage.com/spotlight/35-spotlights/173-malaysia-youth-struggle-to-follow-jesus
1) Salmiah, a Malay Christian said:
"I never met a Christian when I was growing up. I only heard rumors about Christians from my father and my Muslim friends. They told me lies. They said, ‘Christians are bad people. They will kidnap you.’
I got a Bible from a friend. But my parents ripped it away from me and burned it. They kept food from me and would not allow me to talk to anyone. I ran away, and now I am a Christian. I still must hide from my family."
2) Maria
Maria, a teenage Malay Muslim, began studying different religions. At 18 she became a Christian. She did not even tell her family about her new life in Christ.
Maria secretly talked to a news reporter from a cell phone in her car. The reporter was from the BBC News in Great Britain. Maria told the reporter about her struggles.
Maria’s church is scared that they might get in trouble for allowing her to come to church. They asked her to sign a statement. The statement said that the church had nothing to do with Maria’s decision to become a Christian. “If the authorities come, they are not going to stand up for me,” Maria said of her church. “I have to stand up for myself.”
Maria wants to marry her Christian boyfriend. But her identity card says she is a Muslim. A Muslim woman in Malaysia cannot marry a Christian man. The only way she could marry her boyfriend is if he became a Muslim. But he doesn’t want to do that, and Maria doesn’t want him to either.
Bible verses
Matthew 6
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Luke 16
13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Romans 10
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Matthew 10
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Philippians 1
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,
Matthew 10
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Opinions from different people
Christian from Hong Kong – DF
It really depends on the context. If one takes a more creative approach, one can argue Christianity is not straightly a religion. Therefore we can fill in the box saying 'none'. It is because we are Christians which means followers of Christ, not membership of the Christian religion.
Christian in China – HR
In that case, I would still fill in Christian/Christianity. The law says that we have religion freedom in China. Filling a form would not affect us in any way. Although the government encourages communists NOT to have any religious belief, some are religious Buddhists. I am still figuring out the impression of Christianity/Christians in China. But I would encourage Christians in China to be genuine, which is something we really lack in China now. My family hopes I could join the governmental departments, which I feel quite against and scary. Please pray for me that God will lead me well.
Christian in China – WW
Mandarin: Ted的问题在国内很严肃，因为人只能服从一个“主”，但是我相信真有信仰的人也会填，就像穆斯林一样。如果是受洗的基督徒，不填，岂不是不认主？
English: Ted’s question is a very serious matter in China because one can only serve one master, but I believe those who have true belief/conviction will also fill in, just like what Muslims will do. If a baptised Christian not filling in, then is he/she not acknowledging the Lord?
Christian in Malaysia (studying/studied in China)– JH
Mandarin: 对于你的问题，我个人觉得，中国基督徒填写自己的宗教是[基督教]并不是什么大问题，主要在于写/看的人，他们的心态是什么罢了。而且又不是什么犯法的事情，因为中国是多宗教的国家。
English: Regarding your question, personally I think “filling in your religion” (Christian) is not a big issue. The main point only lies at the one’s attitude/mind. In addition, this is not against the law as China is a multi-religious country.
3 Principles (by ML)
1) Courage (Philippians 1:27-28)
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
2) Wisdom (Matthew 10:16)
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
3) Love (Romans 14:15)
If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.
My thoughts
I tried to answer the question directly but I cannot draw any straight conclusion. This is because neither stating your Christian identity nor not stating it shows that you are a real Christian. In addition there is no clear statement in the Bible that commands Christians to declare its religious identity when filling in a form.
However to a certain extent and for some Christians this might affect their relationship with God and with the people around them. One may fell guilty as if committed an act of betraying/denying Jesus after leaving the religion column blank. Also, how will the people around us may be affected when we fill/not fill in our religion status?
Therefore, it seems to me that it involves the struggle between self-conscience and self-intellectual. Intellectually, I am convinced that it is not wrong/’sin’ if I left the column blank. On the other hand, I may feel guilty or feel causing bad impressions to others if I did not fill in the blank. May God grant me wisdom to weight these struggles carefully in order to make an appropriate decision!
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