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Originally Posted by Curious
So in the scenario that it’s a person high up. Is it so simple that they could just acknowledge these matters addressed for them here and elsewhere, and start to seek out how they could correct things and face the wrongs? Publicly and abruptly?
I see some big problems in the logistics of it.
This movement is indeed under the cloak of Chinese culture, confessed by themselves even, when convenient for self-justification. However, a very strong element of Chinese culture is a fear of ‘losing face’. ‘Saving face’ is an extremely important social rule in China. To lose face has an association of shame attached to it much greater than in the West, and it is understood that everyone scrambles away from such a possibility in any way they can. Lying usually the most available option. We're asking them to face their wrongs from within our cultural framework that's valued humility and honesty for centuries, due to the historical application of the knowledge of the bible and its influence on our whole culture.
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I read an interesting story recently about the flu virus pandemic that has hit China. The doctor who discovered the virus was an Ophthalmologist by training, not an epidemiologist. When he realized what was happening, he tried to communicate with his colleagues what the risk was. Someone promptly reported him to the government for spreading destabilizing rumours. He was denounced for being "unpatriotic" and so forth. There is a reason this society of over a billion people is so averse to the truth. It creates instability. I mean, look at the chaos the USA goes through every 4 years with elections! Accusations, recriminations, etc.
So one can understand their strong aversion to this style of exposing communication. Yet, there are advantages to the truth. Look at the Bible, with King David's failures, Moses' failures, the various kings who didn't match God's requirements, and this continued unabated into the NT. Nobody, including Paul, is infallible. This is Christianity 101, and should be read out in the first week's catechism. Being exposed to the truth allows one to reset, to change, to learn and grow.
Chinese culture has got to, at some point, take a back seat to the Bible, in the Christian church.
But doesn't have to be effaced. There is still "every tribe, and tongue, and nation" glorifying God (Rev 5:9; 7:9). The Chinese are welcome at the banquet feast! It's okay! There is no shame!