American Thought Leaders Inside Communist China’s War on Religion: Marco Respinti
Mar 12, 2025
Marco Respinti, director-in-charge of Bitter Winter magazine and journalist on religious freedom in China. He discusses how the Chinese regime classifies and crushes religions, transnational repression including secret police abroad, and the human costs of detention and disappearance. He also talks about global advocacy wins and the moral duty to defend freedom of conscience.
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Religious Freedom As A Core Human Right
- Freedom of conscience ranks immediately after the right to life as a foundational human right shaping private and public life.
- Marco Respinti ties religious freedom to how people organize families, communities, and public institutions, noting America's First Amendment reflects this priority.
China's Three Market Model For Controlling Religion
- The Chinese Communist Party segments religion into red, gray, and black markets to control, tolerate, or repress groups.
- Respinti explains the red market involves infiltration via patriotic associations while the gray market is shrinking as the state pushes groups to be either controlled or outlawed.
Xie Jiao Label Triggers Severe Repression
- Groups labeled xie jiao (translated as cults) face the harshest repression, including torture, rape, and suspicious deaths in custody.
- Respinti cites Falun Gong and the Church of the Almighty God as prominent examples targeted for prison abuse and alleged organ harvesting.