Not Christ but President Xi will save you, China tells Christians

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ Christians in south east China have reportedly been asked to replace images of Jesus Christ with those of President Xi Jinping if they want to receive government benefits to alleviate poverty.

Thousands of Christians in Yugan county in rural south-east China have been told by local officials that Jesus Christ wouldn’t drag them out of poverty or cure their illnesses, but the Chinese Communist Party will. Hence, they should take down those pictures of Christ and put up a nice photograph of President Xi Jinping.

Located on the edge of Poyang, China’s largest freshwater lake, the impoverished county in the Jiangxi province is known equally for its poverty and its large Christian community.

More than 11 per cent of its one million residents live below the country’s official poverty line, while nearly 10 per cent is Christian, report said, citing official data. According to reports, a social media account in Yugan county said villagers had “willingly” removed 624 posters showing Christian religious sayings and images, and replaced them with 453 images of President Xi.