Chinese Christians Cling to Crosses Despite Crackdown

In China, believers are fighting back after officials in Zhejiang Province tore down more than 1,500 crosses from church buildings.

You can hear Christians praying and weeping as they watch their cross being removed.

Now, some believers are practicing civil disobedience by strapping themselves to crosses to protect them from being taken away.

Others are building hundreds of wooden crosses, painting them red, and putting them on top of homes along the roadways.

This takes place as China carries out a nationwide crackdown on human rights attorneys and advocates. More than 200 people have been arrested since July 9.

In the United States, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., says the Obama administration should make these issues a priority when China's president visits in September.

"The issue of religious freedom must addressed by the administration during a planned summit in September," Smith said.

"But we must ask whether this summit should take place," he continued. "There are many issues in the U.S.-China relationship that need attention, but does President Xi Jinping, given his bold disregard for human rights and his brutal suppression of dissent, does he deserve to get the red carpet treatment in Washington?"

You can learn more about this ongoing story at CBN Chief International Reporter Gary Lane's blog, The Global Lane.