ID :
11883
Tue, 07/08/2008 - 15:18
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/11883
The shortlink copeid
China to provide free Bibles during Olympic Games
Beijing, July 8 (PTI) - China has said free copies of the Bible would be provided to athletes, officials, spectatorstourists and anyone else who wants it during Olympic Games.
Tens of thousands of copies of the Bible, the New Testament and booklets with just four Gospels have been printed, China's Christian Society officials said, seeking to put at rest reports emanating in some quarters that the Biblewould not be available at the Games.
Nearly 50,000 bilingual (Chinese and English) editions of the Gospel booklets had already been printed by June, Rev Xu Xiao-hong, an official of the Shanghai-based China Christian Council in-charge of publishing, was quoted assaying by the state-run China Daily.
These would be available in six Olympic host cities, he said. But no free copies of the Bible would be provided inhotels.
The cover of the Gospel booklet would bear the Beijing Olympics logo, Xu said. "This is especially significant because this is the first time an Olympics logo will be usedon a religious text".
"The Olympic spirit and the spirit of living a purpose driven life that Christians believe in come together incombination," Xu was quoted as saying.
In line with earlier Olympic practices, the Gospel booklets would be available mainly in churches and the Olympic village in Beijing and in Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjinand Qinhuangdao, Xu said.
The Nanjing-based Amity Printing Co, the country'smajor printer of the Bible, has printed the Gospel booklets.
It is a joint venture of China's Amity Foundation and theinternational United Bible Society.
Churches in Beijing have been asked to provide people to man the Olympic village chapel and hold services and prayers, said Liu Bainian, vice-president of the ChinaPatriotic Catholic Association.
Places of worship for people of other religions too have been provided in the Olympic village, the IslamicAssociation of China President Chen Guangyuan said.
Months back, China, an atheist nation, had dismissedsome reports that Bibles would be banned during Olympics.
Olympic organisers had reacted angrily to the reports and denied any such move while the Foreign Ministry had said such false reports were being spread by those wanting to sabotagethe Games.
Tens of thousands of copies of the Bible, the New Testament and booklets with just four Gospels have been printed, China's Christian Society officials said, seeking to put at rest reports emanating in some quarters that the Biblewould not be available at the Games.
Nearly 50,000 bilingual (Chinese and English) editions of the Gospel booklets had already been printed by June, Rev Xu Xiao-hong, an official of the Shanghai-based China Christian Council in-charge of publishing, was quoted assaying by the state-run China Daily.
These would be available in six Olympic host cities, he said. But no free copies of the Bible would be provided inhotels.
The cover of the Gospel booklet would bear the Beijing Olympics logo, Xu said. "This is especially significant because this is the first time an Olympics logo will be usedon a religious text".
"The Olympic spirit and the spirit of living a purpose driven life that Christians believe in come together incombination," Xu was quoted as saying.
In line with earlier Olympic practices, the Gospel booklets would be available mainly in churches and the Olympic village in Beijing and in Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Tianjinand Qinhuangdao, Xu said.
The Nanjing-based Amity Printing Co, the country'smajor printer of the Bible, has printed the Gospel booklets.
It is a joint venture of China's Amity Foundation and theinternational United Bible Society.
Churches in Beijing have been asked to provide people to man the Olympic village chapel and hold services and prayers, said Liu Bainian, vice-president of the ChinaPatriotic Catholic Association.
Places of worship for people of other religions too have been provided in the Olympic village, the IslamicAssociation of China President Chen Guangyuan said.
Months back, China, an atheist nation, had dismissedsome reports that Bibles would be banned during Olympics.
Olympic organisers had reacted angrily to the reports and denied any such move while the Foreign Ministry had said such false reports were being spread by those wanting to sabotagethe Games.
