December 21, 2010
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China’s Diocletian
This is David Aikman for Townhall.com.
About a decade before the Roman Empire finally made Christianity legal, a vicious Roman Emperor, Diocletian, unleashed the cruelest persecution of Christians since Christianity first made it to Rome in the first century A.D.
Now a new ruler of another era, China’s Communist Party leader Hu Jintao, seems to be trying to emulate Diocletian’s dubious claim to fame.
His Politburo decided in early December to launch a campaign to label every house church community in China a cult. Dubbed “Operation Deterrence,” it is an attempt to suppress China’s Christians, now estimated by some to number scores of millions, before—it is feared—they take over the country.
The campaign is cruel and looks likely to be brutal. But, as was the case with Diocletian, Hu Jintao’s “Operation Deterrence” is surely doomed to failure.
I’m David Aikman.
(Suggested Air Date: 12-22-2010)
Townhall.com® Commentary is a daily radio, Internet and e-mail commentary produced by the Salem Radio Network®.
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