The Chinese government recently removed Pray.com from the Apple app store in mainland China as part of its restrictions on faith-based content.
according to face wirethe app’s removal comes as part of China’s internet religious information service management measures that came into effect in March 2022.
of Congressional Executive Committee on ChinaThe independent U.S. government body that monitors human rights in China said these restrictions, which will be imposed in 2022, will require a government-issued permit to ban the posting of religious content and the online broadcasting of religious ceremonies, events, and worship. he pointed out.
pray.comis the world’s #1 app for daily devotions, released in 2017, with daily Bible reading plans and spiritual formation programs. The removal comes months before the National Day of Prayer on May 2.
“Since launching Pray.com, we have grown accustomed to a positive relationship with China,” said co-founder Michael Lin. “President Xi [Jinping] Approximately 150 million Bibles can now be printed each year. [former] president [Donald] Trump guaranteed that the Bible would be exempt from Chinese tariffs. ”
Steve Gatena, Founder and CEO of Pray.com, said: press release“In response to these restrictions, our team is exploring alternative ways to deliver content and services to people in mainland China.As we work on solutions, I personally We would like to invite you to join us for this year’s event: “National Day of Prayer Event in Washington, DC.”
For many years, the Chinese Communist Party has cracked down on Christianity. rewrite The Bible and Jesus are called “sinners.”
In 2019, the Chinese Communist Party announced it would begin an “update.”[ing] The Bible is meant to “keep up with the times.” ”
Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian persecution monitoring group, said, “Revisions include adding “core socialist values” and deleting sentences that do not reflect communist beliefs.” . “The authors published the following passage in a textbook for high school students released in September 2020. john 8, which has been revised in the new version. ”
as CBN News Reports last year said Chinese authorities were testing an app that would require citizens to pre-register to attend religious events.
“This spring, Henan province introduced an app that allows people to participate in all kinds of religious services,” VOM’s Todd Nettleton explained. “That means you need an app on your phone.”
“To go to a religious gathering, you have to pre-register, and you have to give all your information to the Chinese government, telling them who you are, where you live, your ID, etc.,” he said. added.
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Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributor to Christian Headlines and host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast dedicated to sound doctrine and Biblical truth. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Alliance Theological Seminary.
