If you’re in a hurry for 2 points, scroll down and read the questions in all caps. If not, please read on. China, whose main religions include: Buddhism, Taoism, and Islam, has traditionally and historically valued men over women. When the communist regime installed the “one child per household” law, the results were drastic. In the rural villages, female babies were left in the woods to die of exposure, thirst, or wild animals. In urban areas today, many Chinese women will get an ultrasound done and if the child is female, they will abort the baby and try again for a male.
Orphanages in China are predominately overrun with female children, many who have birth defects that cause fatalities if not medically treated.
China is the largest importer of Russia Mail-Order brides in the WORLD. Many Chinese men have reported to have chosen, (yes, I said chosen) homosexuality as a means to gain sexual satisfaction because they cannot afford a bride or there are simply not enough women.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CHANGE THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN CHINA?
HOW CAN WE STOP THE INFANTICIDE OF FEMALE BABIES?
WHAT CAN AMERICANS DO TO HELP?
HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY?
I spelled infanticide wrong in my title question, my bad, sorry.
GRITS – yes, I agree, most females in orphanages are there just because they are female, sorry if I didn’t make that clear.
Bad Squirrel – I never said anything about “forced” or mandatory abortions, just stating facts and looking for hopeful answers…
Americans should better look at their own problems, problems like, “kids running around using shot-guns in schools”.
Comment by Someone you don't know — January 5, 2005 @ 12:41 am
The best thing for china is for it to move from a communist society into a democracy. In a democracy would allow women to demand and get their equal rights.
Infanticide well nobody wants that, it would help if people had a say in the government, or at least if the chinese government listened to its people.
Comment by javo j — January 6, 2005 @ 10:03 am
Goes to show that we are on the wrong path with our Abortion and culture of death societies.
We all need to respect life.
Peace!
Comment by NewCatholic — January 8, 2005 @ 5:02 pm
China is well on its way to figuring out how under-valued women are. There are more boys approaching an age now where they’ll start looking for wives, and there aren’t enough women to go around.
Most of the girls in orphanages in China were abandoned because they’re female, NOT because they have anything wrong with them.
Comment by ►GRITS◄ — January 8, 2005 @ 8:08 pm
They no longer have mandatory abortions, actually. What they can do is strengthen their social security system — it’s very weak. Men are valued over women in their society because of their model: man is the breadwinner and woman is the housewife.
In Chinese society, with the man being the breadwinner, parents want to have male children who will support them in their old age.
So China needs to provide better care for their aging population. China needs to look to Japan, where gender equality is very good.
Why is this in the religion and spirituality section? Probably because you think China needs a religious solution, even though Japan is doing quite well as an atheistic state with a similar history.
Comment by Bad Squirrel, Bad — January 11, 2005 @ 7:13 pm
Women in America weren’t handed their equality to men, just because the men felt like it.
What did American women do? They fought for their rights.
So, many Chinese women need to band together and stop this.
Realize that it’s ok to have female children and that we need both female and male children to continue the human population.
I have heard that they actually have a shortage of females for the male to marry.
It is up for the citizens of that country to change their way of life.
Comment by Briar Rose — January 11, 2005 @ 11:35 pm
Import more Chinese women for my harem.
Comment by Sage Advice — January 12, 2005 @ 4:55 pm
i do not know that america can help. it is difficult for a country to impose on cultural and societal viewpoint. granted this viewpoint is enhanced by government policy, even created by it. china is a conundrum to us. the red curtain is still there as big as ever and behind it are a lot of things we turn a blind eye to in order to maintain a modicum of diplomatic civility. we cannot afford to have china as an enemy, that is really it. and we must be very careful to criticize their human rights violations within that economic, foreign policy scope.
we value our relationship with china more than we value the human rights of their citizens. whether that is “ok” is another discussion.
as an individual, do what you can to live an exemplary life.
Comment by bluebear — January 14, 2005 @ 1:39 am
Maybe they could repeal the law about having only one child. It was well-intentioned (sort of) but obviously hasn’t worked at all. Maybe just leave them their own devices for the next few generations and they can die out naturally. Westerners can adopt all the unwanted girl babies and they can raise only boys in China.
Comment by Peri — January 15, 2005 @ 11:32 pm
You’re right there’s got to be a radical change in Chinese mentality.
But consider this:
– Wouldn’t China benefit desperately from Catholic morals? (especially the devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Holy Family).
– But also, in order to lead a billion desparate people, the Catholic Church would need priests – men who have nothing to loose. How many can you find in China?
Isn’t the obvious answer to the problem you talk about a Roman Empire- style conversion?
Right now it’s compex because there are two Catholic Chuches in he country; one appointed by the government, the other loyal to the Vatican, that’s undergound and persecuted by the “patriatic church” itself. The vatican is in negotiations with the government and doing all it can to support them, but so far there is no real agreement. I think it’s just a matter of time before things will change.
How can Americans help? by at least paying attention.
Comment by Tomas — January 19, 2005 @ 5:34 am
The first time I visited Beijing, I was shocked to see so many Americans in the hotel with their newly adopted baby girls.
Christianity is forced underground in China; Yahoo is monitored by the government…no I’m not paranoid, it is an admitted (reluctantly) by the Chinese government. Population had been a huge issue for the Chinese, hence the one child decree (unless you can afford the ‘luxury’ tax in having more than one). It has been a personal pleasure to assist young Chinese students to US education institutions, both male and female.
These thoughts came to mind above, and to answer your question: It has everything to do with religion/spirituality; man cannot keep the Word of God from being heard, no matter how culturally bound or governmentally controlled. As citizens of the USA, we can lead by example. In no way am I suggesting the US today is doing a positive role modelling for anyone, but we can and as the most influential, powerful, I think richest, democratic country we should be providing a very positive role model to the world.
Do I have a neat one Answer answer, unfortunately no, but by putting this topic on the table, at least it is being discussed by those who are reading your question, and add our prayers to those who are persecuted for the beliefs in China, pray that more find God, and pray for the leaders of China, that they may have the Holy Spirit open their hearts and minds. It is too bad, (here I go, being a self-willed human) that our current president is much more interested in war than peace, that he has no time/inclination to want to look at Darfur, female genital mutilation in Africa, or male preference problems in China. He is worried about how to generate more billions to kill more people. We need to pray for our own government while we are on our knees praying for the rest of the world.
Comment by lifeonlifesterms — January 21, 2005 @ 9:51 am
Infanticide has been practised for reasons of poverty in China for centuries. The Communist government made it illegal in the 1960s and as far as I know, there have been no confirmed cases since the 1980s.
Abortions and abandonments are another matter. But India as well as China has a huge shortage of women for the same reason, so I don’t think you should necessarily blame the one child policy.
In any case this policy was only ever enforced in the cities, and has now been relaxed so that a couple who are themselves both single children can have two children without penalty. The penalty was only financial.
I don’t know what can be done about it except prayer.
Comment by brianinchina2003 — January 22, 2005 @ 9:59 am
Communism means no religion! Religion based on moral concepts. The only way to stop it is to fight for freedom of religion in China, or human rights – if not, the elimination of communism must be considered!
Comment by holyfire — January 23, 2005 @ 12:59 pm