Black and White Cat

I’m outraged. Adam Minter of Shanghai Scrap has plagiarized my post about Beijing’s non-ban on Bibles before I even thought of writing it. So, since he’s written almost exactly what I was going to write, you may as well stop reading this and go to his blog instead. While you’re at it you could also pop over to Shanghaiist for more.

But despite the futility of repetition, I will proceed anyway. To sum up, we are told that Beijing has banned all Bibles from entering the Olympic Village. Representative Thaddeus McCotter (what a splendid name) has protested against this Godlessness in the US Congress:

This terrible news was brought to the English speaking world last week by the Catholic News Agency:

Religious Censorship
The Bible among objects prohibited at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Beijing, Nov 2, 2007 / 02:18 pm (CNA).- Organizers of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing have published a list of “prohibited objects” in the Olympic village where athletes will stay. To the surprise of many, Bibles are among the objects that will not be allowed.

According to the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, organizers have cited “security reasons” and have prohibited athletes from bearing any kind of religious symbol at Olympic facilities.

Other objects on the list include video cameras and cups.

The Spanish daily La Razon said the rule was one of a number of “signs of censure and intolerance” towards religious objects, particularly those used by Christians in China. Currently in China five bishops and fifteen priests are in prison for opposing the official Church.

At this point I must point out one glaring omission in Adam’s otherwise very thorough round-up of the story. He forgot to mention the ban on cups. What does this mean? Are all cups banned? Or just certain kinds of cups? Like Adam, I could not find BOCOG’s infamous list of prohibited items.

I will also part company with Adam in his policy of not linking to blogs of a rather rightward persuasion. On this occasion I will because they’re funny, in a dangerous sort of way. Pajamas Media, those proud purveyors of “All the news the MSM forgot,” has a collection of reactions to the story as it didn’t happen:

The Colossus: “So much for our friendly, panda-loving friends, who are so happy, happy, happy to share the globe with us. The mask slips, and we see what they really are: a brutal, corrupt regime intent on stamping out human freedom wherever they can.”

Dancing From Genesis: “In allowing the Koran, but not the Bible, the Chinese government is smiling on Islam while slapping Christianity and Judaism in the face.”

Moonbattery: “To think just a few weeks ago ChiCom bureauweenies were purring that they would offer religious services for foreigners at the Olympics. Services may have to be conducted without benefit of Bibles. Not that you need a Bible to worship the only god recognized by the Chinese regime or our media: Government Power.”

The Fort Wayne Sentinel: “Still another reason to boycott the upcoming 2008 Olympics and why those deciding on this location should be taken behind the shed and force fed tainted Tortino Pizzas.”

Andy in Nanching [sic], China: “I wonder if the Koran will be banned too? Or how about Mao’s Little Red Book (OK I know no one reads that anymore!)?”

Note the evil nexus between the communists, Muslims and America’s media - they all hate our freedom.

As Adam has pointed out, the Catholic News Agency has now updated its story:

CNA has learned that a contradictory set of policies has been put in place regarding the possession of the Bible at the international sporting event.

Making a slight change to its total ban on religious items, the Chinese Olympic Committee has decided, “devotional objects” will be allowed in compliance with Chinese “freedom of religion” laws, but “religious objects meant to propagate a cult” will not be permitted.

The source? A one-paragraph report in La Gazzetta dello Sport published a full three weeks before the Catholic News Agency’s first dramatic disclosure of the ban which was attributed to an even earlier article in La Gazzetta. I have not been able to open that world exclusive, hence no link.

Thus, the CNA leaves us with the impression that the ban has been partially lifted, possibly due to worldwide protests, when in fact it never existed except in that twilight zone of international communication in a language that neither the speaker nor the listener fully understands.

There never was a ban on Bibles - just a long-standing Customs recommendation that visitors to China bring only one copy of the book into the country.

But none of this helps us with the cups. Have they been banned or not?

(Postscript: None of the above should be interpreted as an endorsement of the imprisonment of bishops, priests or anyone else unless they have committed genuine crimes.)