美國議員急促洪博培大使關注家庭教會現況

 2009年9月8日 ，美國國會議員弗蘭克.沃爾夫 (Frank R. Wolf) 和克里斯.史密斯 (Chris Smith) 緊急致函美國新任駐華大使 洪博培（Jon. M. Huntsman, Jr.），就中國政府密令拆除北京六大家庭教會以及國慶60 週年逼迫行動表示關注。兩位議員敦促洪博培大使重申美國堅持宗教自由的立場，並公開陳述宗教自由對當代社會的重要性，對國家統一持續穩定發展所扮演的角色，及宗教人士迫切渴望的在政府監管外的敬拜自由。

（議員信函全文如下）

美國國務院轉美國駐華大使館
中國 北京
郵編100600

尊敬的洪博培大使，

您好！

祝賀您任選為美國駐華特命全權大使。我們期待與您就共同利益方面的合作。

近期一則報導引起我們極大關注。據報導中國政府下達秘密令，拆除位於北京的六大家庭教會。2008年6月，我們曾拜訪其中一間，名叫守望家庭教會。該教會的教友超過1000人，知識份子居多，且對我們款待熱情。

有人擔心，這次秘密令意在迎合今年十一共產黨建國六十週年，是打擊北京眾家庭教會的開始。然而，這些教會於社會無害，更不可能威脅到即將到來的國慶節。此舉侵犯了憲法所保護的公民宗教信仰自由。

時下是您在京初任的重要時刻，國慶的日子即將來臨，我們敦促您重申美國堅持宗教自由的立場，並公開陳述宗教自由對當代社會的重要性，對國家統一持續穩定發展所扮演的角色，及宗教人士迫切渴望的在政府監管外的敬拜自由。

情急請關注。祝安. 不勝感激。

國會議員弗蘭克.沃爾夫; 國會議員克里斯.史密斯
Frank R. Wolf (Members of Congress) Chris Smith (Members of Congress)

2009年9月8日

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September 8, 2009

The Honorable Jon. M. Huntsman, Jr.
U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
C/O Department of State
Beijing, China 100600

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

Congratulations on your new appointment as U.S. Ambassador to China. We look forward to working with you on areas of common interest.

We are deeply concerned over a recent report that a secret directive has been issued by the Chinese government to dismantle six leading house churches in Beijing. We visited one of these churches in June 2008, the Shouwang house church; the church has over 1,000 members, many of whom are intellectuals, and we were greeted warmly.

Some have raised concerns that this secret directive is the first step in a crackdown on house churches in Beijing in the lead-up to the observance of the 60th anniversary of the Communist Party rule in China on October 1, 2009. These churches pose no threat to social order, nor should a pending national event be cause or justification for violating the constitutional right of Chinese citizens to fundamental religious freedom.

In this key time at the beginning of your appointment in Beijing and in the lead-up to a major national anniversary, we urge you to affirm the U.S. position prioritizing religious freedom, and to publicly state the vital importance of religious freedom to a modern nation, the role of religious freedom to holistic stability and development, and the imperative for people of faith to be allowed to freely worship outside of government establishments.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Best wishes,
Sincerely,

Frank Wolf (Members of Congress) Chris Smith (Members of Congress)

對華援助協會 2009年9月9日發布
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