China’s religious explosion

Has the lure of money had its day in China? And could that explain the country’s growing religiosity?

Xi Jin Ping may be the most powerful leader since Mao Tse Tung.

But it seems there’s one force does frighten him– religious faith.

In his three-and-a-half-hour speech, Xi said religion needed to become “Chinese-oriented”.

About 3 to 4 hundred million Chinese worship regularly, according to a new book by China scholar Ian Johnson

He estimates about 70 million are Christian, 20 million Muslim, and the rest a mixture of Taoist, Buddhist, Confucian and followers of folk religion.

They represent a challenge that the communist government tries to contain, so it downplays the numbers.

Source: China’s religious explosion