How Christianity Is Helping Keep Hong Kong’s Stunning Protests A Peaceful Beacon To The World By Helen Raleigh for The Federalist
What’s more impressive than 2 million people walking down central Hong Kong demanding freedom? How about the scene where the human wave moved to the side in an orderly fashion to let an ambulance pass without anyone directing them?
How about before going home for the night, the young protesters stayed to ensure there was no litter left on the streets that 2 million people walked? How about that there was nothing, not a trash can, nor a car, nor a building, burned down, despite protesters’ emotions running high?
Anyone who has paid close attention to Hong Kong recently can’t help being in awe at how well-behaved the Hong Kong protesters, especially the youth, have been throughout the anti-extradition bill protests, which have gone on for two weeks now.
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Journalists tweeted grateful messages to those who helped them:
Hong Kong’s youth protestors are kind. I post this clip to say thanks. @CBSrandy was rolling when the police fired tear gas at the group we were in. An umbrella and helmet were forced on me. I’ll prob never know who they are but I’m so grateful for their care. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/NNAsFjpXOP
— Ramy Inocencio 英若明 (@RamyInocencio) June 13, 2019
Melissa Chan, an American journalist, tweeted:
The people of Hong Kong should be up for the Nobel Peace Prize. Two million protesters — orderly, recycling, giving way to ambulances as massive crowds part, giving safety hat and gear to visiting foreign correspondents — what better example of peaceful resistance in 2019?
— Melissa Chan (@melissakchan) June 16, 2019
What contributed to Hong Kongers, especially the youth’s, orderly, thoughtful, and dignified behavior? The outspoken Cardinal Joseph Zen credits the city’s prevalent Catholic school education. He is not exaggerating.
In an article titled, “Church, State and Education: Catholic Education in Hong Kong during the Political Transition,” John Kang Tan notes that “many schools subsidized by the Hong Kong Government have religious bodies.” More than 50 percent of secondary schools in Hong Kong are faith-based. Although only an estimated 10 percent of Hong Kongers identify as Christian, many more Hong Kongers receive a faith-based education, despite the city’s outward appearance of an overly commercial and secular society. Most of these schools are run by Protestant or Catholic religious bodies.
