Christian minors in China told to quit house churches or be barred from college entrance exam, military academy

China would bar minors from college entrance exams and military academy unless they quit Christian house churches as the state steps up its religious clampdown on churches in Guizhou province.

According to China Aid, a watchdog for Christian persecution in China, authorities in Guizhou province announced June 23 the state's new strategy to tighten its grip on house churches that refuse to join the state-backed Protestant church, Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM).

In addition to the ban, the state also threatens to take legal action against violators.

"This notice was sent to all of the schools in Huaqiu," Mou, overseer of Huaqiu Church, told China Aid. "They (public security) intend to cleanse us and ask us to join the Three-Self Church."

Mou said that authorities then instigated the regulation by taking on their house church and forcing members to agree with it by signing a document.

"Yesterday morning, I questioned a government official in our township, saying, 'We do not accept the way you handled our church's public meetings ... What regulations does the central government have prohibiting [church] meetings? Let us see them,'" recounted Mou. "He said, 'The higher level leadership ordered us to do this; we are just doing [as they say].'"

TSPM follows the atheist state's legislation that forbids indoctrination to those less than 18 years of age. It considers the act of imparting religious beliefs with minors as "brainwashing."

"Huaqiu is in a dark place," declared Mou, whose church lost against officials who blocked their Sunday services on June 28 and July 5.

Several house churches in Guangdong province may also find themselves in dark places as authorities have also forced them to join TSPM or face continued harassment.

The Vineyard Church in Foshan reported that authorities had stolen their religious supplies and even cut off the church's access to water and electricity.

Zhongfu Canaan Church had also refused to join TSPM and was subsequently forced to move out of their church building.