China has freed an American pastor after 15 years in jail for fundraising on behalf of a Christian church in Beijing.
David Lin, who the US Â claims was wrongfully detained, will be reunited with his family in Texas after nearly two decades apart.
Mr Lin, 68, was given a life sentence in 2009 for contract fraud after entering [China](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/) in 2006. His sentence was later reduced and he was scheduled for release in December 2029.
The Californian pastor tried to open a Christian church in Beijing in 2006, according to local media.
Under Chinese law, all recognised faiths must be registered and approved by the government and are closely monitored.
According to the Dui Hua Foundation, a human rights foundation with a focus in China, contract fraud is a crime frequently used against small church leaders, who raise funds to support their work.
Imagine doing insane stuff like this when you have a family to take care of. Religion is a hell of a drug.
bapirey191 on
Imagine if there was no religion, how advanced the world would be by now.
Edit: Perfect example of the inability of reasonable thought in the comments below, easier to downvote than to think for yourself right? 👇
cone10 on
Let’s do this to all megachurch pastors.
A person can dream, no?
FriendShapedRMT on
He was not wrongfully detained. He really did try to do what he was charged with. China gave him leniency but he will probably go back to Texas and say God was watching him.
ToranjaNuclear on
What the fuck is wrong with the comments here, jfc
RaccoonCannon on
Turns out, reddit hates Christians more than communist dictatorships.
I for one, am shocked.
Freydo-_- on
Christians being persecuted and people making fun of them for it? Wow… I was almost surprised
dicemaze on
reddit: it’s awful what China is doing to the Uyghurs! imprisoning and oppressing a whole people just for trying to practice their religion, can you believe the hatred?
also Reddit: he tried to start a church? in China? fuck ‘em, he shoulda died in Chinese prison!
9 Comments
***The Telegraph reports:***
China has freed an American pastor after 15 years in jail for fundraising on behalf of a Christian church in Beijing.
David Lin, who the US Â claims was wrongfully detained, will be reunited with his family in Texas after nearly two decades apart.
Mr Lin, 68, was given a life sentence in 2009 for contract fraud after entering [China](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/china/) in 2006. His sentence was later reduced and he was scheduled for release in December 2029.
The Californian pastor tried to open a Christian church in Beijing in 2006, according to local media.
Under Chinese law, all recognised faiths must be registered and approved by the government and are closely monitored.
According to the Dui Hua Foundation, a human rights foundation with a focus in China, contract fraud is a crime frequently used against small church leaders, who raise funds to support their work.
**Read more:** [**https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/09/16/china-frees-us-pastor-after-15-years-christian-fundraising/**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/09/16/china-frees-us-pastor-after-15-years-christian-fundraising/)
Imagine doing insane stuff like this when you have a family to take care of. Religion is a hell of a drug.
Imagine if there was no religion, how advanced the world would be by now.
Edit: Perfect example of the inability of reasonable thought in the comments below, easier to downvote than to think for yourself right? 👇
Let’s do this to all megachurch pastors.
A person can dream, no?
He was not wrongfully detained. He really did try to do what he was charged with. China gave him leniency but he will probably go back to Texas and say God was watching him.
What the fuck is wrong with the comments here, jfc
Turns out, reddit hates Christians more than communist dictatorships.
I for one, am shocked.
Christians being persecuted and people making fun of them for it? Wow… I was almost surprised
reddit: it’s awful what China is doing to the Uyghurs! imprisoning and oppressing a whole people just for trying to practice their religion, can you believe the hatred?
also Reddit: he tried to start a church? in China? fuck ‘em, he shoulda died in Chinese prison!