The Chinese Communist Party is rewriting the Bible by changing portions of the Holy Text. It is believed that the project aims to be completed in 10 years.
Christians in China are spreading information about the Chinese government’s continued control of Bible-related content:
A school book of indoctrination, published by the University of Electronic Science and Technology Press, was denounced, which brings a passage from the biblical book of John, chapter 8, from verse 3 to 11, in which the adulterous woman is led to be stoned, but the Lord Jesus forgives her. However, in the textbook version, it says: “The crowd wanted to stone the woman to death, according to the law. But Jesus said: ‘Let him who has never sinned cast the first stone’. Hearing this, they escaped one by one. When the crowd disappeared, Jesus stoned the sinner to death, saying, ‘I too am a sinner. But if the law could only be carried out by men without blemish, the law would be dead’”. The information is from the Christian Post news portal.
It was also reported that in Henan province, churches received local officials who distributed a text change on the 10 commandments.
The action comes as an attempt not to let the population be influenced by ideologies different from those defended by the government. It’s a way for the authorities to control people’s beliefs, in the style of classic dystopias.
It is worth noting that it is not only in China. Earlier this year, activists from the NGO People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) used ChatGPT to rewrite Genesis. In this version, for example, Abraham does not sacrifice the lamb on Mount Moriah, but makes “friends” with the lamb “to show reverence and respect for creation” (referring to the passage in Genesis 22). Anyone who understands the gospel knows that the lamb sacrificed by Abraham symbolised the Lord Jesus himself who would be crucified by God times later to rescue us from eternal death. It was as if God was saying to Abraham: “His son, Isaac, was spared, but Mine will not be”. And, today, people despise the sacrifice that was made by God the Father and God the Son. Changing passages such as this is to distorts the central message of the gospel.
There are several archaeological evidences that point to the veracity of the biblical accounts. Likewise, when copies of the Holy Text are compared over the centuries, it is possible to note the accuracy of the unchanging Text.
The Lord Jesus himself said that at the end of time the message would be distorted: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it (Matthew 24:23).
It is important that we have the printed version of the Bible at home (so that the words are not adulterated by an algorithm or an ideology) and keep its contents in our mind so that we can correctly practice what is written.
In 2017, the Universal Church completed 40 years and to celebrate this special date, the Holy Bible with Notes of Faith by Bishop Macedo was produced. With a luxurious and differentiated finish, it stands out for the quality of the materials used and for the care taken with every aesthetic detail. This product exclusively has Bishop Macedo’s comments present on all pages, making reading even richer.
You can purchase a Bible at your local Universal Church bookshop, or for more information, you can contact our 24-hour helpline: 020 7686 6000 or WhatsApp us.
