Changes

*Froese, Paul (March 2004). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/jssr/2004/00000043/00000001/art00003?crawler=true "Forced secularization in Soviet Russia:  why an atheistic monopoly failed" [abstract&#93;].  ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', vol. 43, 1, pp. 35-50.  Abstract: Ingentaconnect</ref>

*Froese, Paul (March 2004). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/jssr/2004/00000043/00000001/art00003?crawler=true "Forced secularization in Soviet Russia:  why an atheistic monopoly failed" [abstract&#93;].  ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', vol. 43, 1, pp. 35-50.  Abstract: Ingentaconnect</ref>

[[File:China location.png|thumbnail|left|250px|With its large population, China has the largest population of atheists with 8 - 14% of Chinese being atheists.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "The largest atheist/agnostic populations"].  Chris & Terri Chapman. Countries with the largest atheist populations.</ref> The religious landscape of China is quickly changing, however, due to the rapid growth of Christianity. See also: [[Global atheism]] ]]

[[File:China location.png|thumbnail|left|250px|With its large population, China has the largest population of atheists with 8 - 14% of Chinese being atheists.<ref>[http://www.thechapmans.nl/news/Atheist.pdf "The largest atheist/agnostic populations"].  Chris & Terri Chapman. Countries with the largest atheist populations.</ref> The religious landscape of China is quickly changing, however, due to the rapid growth of Christianity. See also: [[Global atheism]] ]]

China is a communist country. In 1999, the publication [[Christian Century]] reported that "China has persecuted religious believers by means of harassment, prolonged detention, and incarceration in prison or 'reform-through-labor' camps and police closure of places of worship." In 2003, owners of [[Bible]]s in China were sent to prison camps and 125 Chinese churches were closed.<ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 "China sends Bible owners to labor camp"] (November 26, 2003). ''WorldNetDaily''.</ref>  China continues to practice religious oppression today.<ref>[http://theworldnow.wordpress.com/tag/around-the-world/asia/china/ "China: Christians tortured while under arrest"] (September 27, 2006). ''The World Now''. </ref>

China is a communist country. In 1999, the publication [[Christian Century]] reported that "China has persecuted religious believers by means of harassment, prolonged detention, and incarceration in prison or 'reform-through-labor' camps and police closure of places of worship." In 2003, owners of [[Bible]]s in China were sent to prison camps and 125 Chinese churches were closed.<ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35818 "China sends Bible owners to labor camp"] (November 26, 2003). ''WorldNetDaily''.</ref>  China continues to practice religious oppression today.<ref> [http://www.epm.org/resources/2003/Jun/12/chinese-police-proudly-record-their-torture-christ/ Chinese Police Proudly Record Their Torture of Christians], By Voice of the Martyrs|June 12, 2003</ref>

The efforts of China's atheist leaders in promoting atheism, however, is increasingly losing its effectiveness and the number of Christians in China is rapidly growing (see: [[Growth of Christianity in China]]).  China's state sponsored atheism and atheistic indoctrination has been a failure and a 2007 religious survey in China indicated that only 15% of Chinese identified themselves as atheists.<ref>Briggs, David (January 23, 2011).  [http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/01/23/huffington-post-chinas-state-sponsored-atheism-a-failure/ "Huffington Post: China’s state-sponsored atheism a failure" [excerpt&#93;].  National Post website. </ref>

The efforts of China's atheist leaders in promoting atheism, however, is increasingly losing its effectiveness and the number of Christians in China is rapidly growing (see: [[Growth of Christianity in China]]).  China's state sponsored atheism and atheistic indoctrination has been a failure and a 2007 religious survey in China indicated that only 15% of Chinese identified themselves as atheists.<ref>Briggs, David (January 23, 2011).  [http://life.nationalpost.com/2011/01/23/huffington-post-chinas-state-sponsored-atheism-a-failure/ "Huffington Post: China’s state-sponsored atheism a failure" [excerpt&#93;].  National Post website. </ref>