Chengdu Pastor Sentenced to Prison

      A noted Chinese pastor of a church group in the Southwest city of Chengdu, China, was sentenced by a Chinese court to a prison term of 12 years.  His crime, passing out Bibles to local groups and preaching the benefits of religious studies.  It's common knowledge that the Communist government in Beijing has been cracking down on all religious groups, at home and abroad(see Falun Gong).   The pastor Wong, had been arrested by the government office of internal control.  It's leader personally supervised the raids on the pastor's central offices where they confiscated books and materials whoile setting fires that essentially destroyed the building.  Not easy to practice religion in China-just ask the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan followers, or any Christian for that matter.
      It has been reported that the office leader of this anti-religion arm of the Party recently made an attempt to get a visa to visit the U.S.A. with his family under the guise thaty he wanted to take the family for a vacation to Disneyland.   Hmmmm.  I guess he didn't like the East Asian versions close at hand.  The visa office of the embassy where he applied decided that his actions came under very specific rules if the Dept. of State regarding those directly involved in the suppression of religious practitioners in the hose country.  His application was denied for the present and was sent to Foggy Bottom for administrative review as a matter of course.  This review will take a year or more.  In the meantime, the Chinese visa applicant will have to cool his heels at home until he hears from the embassy which will tell him;   DENIED-do not reapply.