My parents led me to believe in God since I was eight years old.
While I was in school,
a lot of my classmates were addicted to the internet and other evil trends,
always getting more depraved and decadent.
As for me, I believe in God.
I read God's word and gather for fellowship with my brothers and sisters.
I understand some truth and keep away from sin.
Under God's care, I grew up healthy and happy.
I'm very proud and happy that I believe in God.
When I turned seventeen,
I started to preach the gospel with my brothers and sisters.
I brought the testimonies of God's work in the last days
to those who yearned for God's appearance.
Here. (Thank God.)
Thank you.
Thank God.
But my parents always reminded me:
China is ruled by the atheist CCP. There's no freedom of religion.
They told me I had to be careful preaching the gospel.
I was naive. I'm just a kid.
I figured it was no big deal.
Even if I got caught by the police, they wouldn't do anything to me.
I didn't know just how wrong I was.
Uncle Liu,
today you talked about the cause of worldly darkness
and the truth of man's corruption by Satan.
And you talked about
how God does judgment work in the last days to cleanse and save man.
It's really helpful.
My classmate and his family wanted to listen too.
I see knowing the truth is really good.
It takes away the confusion and difficulties that we have.
Yes. Understanding truth can fix all man's problems.
Liang, even though you're young,
you have a good caliber.
You understand truth.
Just keep pursuing the truth.
In a few years, you'll know even more than me. (Thank God.)
Uncle, while I practiced preaching the gospel with you,
I feel I gained a lot.
Without knowing, I started to know truths.
It seems we can know more by reading more of God's word,
communicating, and witnessing.
Uncle, I'll preach the gospel with you next weekend.
Sounds good.
I have two other classmates who are really good people.
Target in sight.
Okay. Go!
Police! Don't move!
What's going on?
Don't get cute!
What are we under arrest for? What is our crime? (Cut the nonsense.)
Chief.
That's all the evidence I need.
Take them away. (Move!)
Believing in God's not illegal! Why are you arresting us?
I'm seventeen. I have to go to school.
Seventeen? The hell you are!
You punk, why aren't you in school?
Only 17, think you know everything.
Believing in God and preaching, why?
But you are quite old.
Instead of hanging out at home,
you run around believing in God.
An old fool and a young punk, looking for trouble.
Nothing better to do.
Tell me, where did this come from? This book.
Who have you been preaching to?
Who are your church leaders?
Your church's money, where's it kept?
The constitution gives us freedom of belief.
It's legal to believe in God and preach the gospel.
So why are you arresting us and treating us like criminals?
Why do you need information on our church?
Is that even legal?
We committed no crime, never broke the law—(Is that so?)
Belief in God is illegal in China.
You believe in God, and you preach.
That's a crime, a serious crime.
So what do we do?
We are the police.
We have the authority to arrest and interrogate you.
If you don't answer my questions, you both will suffer.
I'll ask one more time.
Who are your church leaders?
Where do they keep the church's money?
Damn it!
Uncle! Uncle!
Why are you beating him?
Aren't you supposed to enforce the law, serve the people?
Why are you breaking the law and beating people?
And you say you're the people's police?
Bastard, listen here.
You better tell me everything you know.
Or else, you'll learn how the people's police really serve the people.
Don't think that 'cause you're young, you'll get off easy.
Damn!
Why do you keep asking who our leaders are and where the church money is?
What are you really after?
Dammit, that's the last straw. Get him!
Talk, now!
Man, you wanna be a tough guy?
Don't hit him!
He's just a kid!
How can you act this way to a child?
Have you no human decency?
You old fool, you think you can talk like that?
If you don't tell us what we need, I will skin you both alive.
Dammit. Get him!
I didn't expect the CCP government to hate God so much
and persecute Christians like this.
They didn't even spare a minor like me.
How can government officials and the people's police do such inhumane things?
The world is so dark and evil.
Damn! The whole night.
I'm so tired of this, but they haven't spoken a word.
People who believe in God are tough.
Yeah, you're right.
What's wrong? You tired?
No, Chief Zhao.
Chief, I think, they're just an old guy and a kid.
I don't think they're key figures.
Maybe they really don't know where the money is kept.
I don't think we'll be able to get money out of them.
This might just be a wasted effort.
Qin, you're being naive.
This time when I met with the bureau,
they issued another secret document.
They want us to step up our efforts and crack down on house churches.
They also issued a mandate,
saying we should get rid of key figures in house churches as soon as we can.
These two that we have can be our ticket in.
If we extract all the clues we need,
it'll lead us to where we want: the church's leaders.
Maybe we can take the church's money as well.
Two birds, one stone.
He has a point.
To get what we want, we have to get every single clue.
I think the kid is easier to crack than the old guy.
We should work on him more.
He'll tell us everything we need.
How is it? (Okay.)
So kid, you understand?
I know you're still young.
I really don't want to be rough.
Just tell us what we want to know about the church,
and you can leave.
Tell us.
I have nothing to say.
Our faith is about being a good person.
What's wrong with that?
Why do you keep persecuting us all?
Listen!
Don't you know the Communist Party is atheist and against belief?
In China, what God is there?
Where is your God?
What do the textbooks say?
There simply is no God, and people evolved from apes.
Isn't that great?
You wasted all those years studying atheism and evolution.
Now you believe in God, and you preach.
You act against the Communist Party.
The Communist Party has always suppressed and cracked down on Christianity.
If you believe, the government has to crack down on you.
Understand?
But I don't get it.
Why is the CCP afraid of it so much?
You won't even let a student like me believe in God.
No matter how good God is, you still just forbid us.
It forces atheism and evolutionism.
That's misleading us.
Genesis says,
When God made all things,
He arranged everything according to type.
There is no evolution at all.
Tell me, from creation to today,
which animal has evolved into another animal?
Evolution is just man's form of reasoning.
It's been overturned by most scientists, and denied and discarded.
But still, it's found in textbooks.
Isn't this deceiving and poisoning students?
I have read the Bible and the word of God.
I know God created all in heaven and earth and mankind.
Otherwise, I'd still be in the dark.
Chief—
Let him talk.
Since God created man,
man should believe in God, worship God.
My belief is justified. The path I take is right.
My classmates who don't believe in God
are addicted to online games, fighting, that stuff,
following evil trends.
Their parents can't do anything; the government can't help.
After believing in God and reading the word of God,
I can discern these negative things.
Following God's words, I stay away from evil trends.
Those who read the word of God understand the truth.
They stay away from sin, and they live in God's care and blessing.
Believing in God is good.
The government should support its citizens to believe,
but the Communist Party just restricts people's belief and arrests Christians.
That's an attack on justice.
All right, kid. You understand a lot.
I see, you've been reading the book, The Word Appears in the Flesh.
I will say this.
The Communist Party cannot tolerate believers in God
who spread the Bible as well as The Word Appears in the Flesh.
You let people listen to God and follow God.
When you preach the gospel and witness,
how can we not arrest you?
You should work with us and tell us everything you know.
Tell us all about your church's affairs.
Not talking will only lead to suffering.
Tell us, who are the church leaders?
And where do they live?
You punk, you don't wanna say?
I'll make you wish you told me everything.
Come on. Get up!
How dare you keep your mouth shut!
Come here.
God, please give me confidence and strength.
I don't like doing this, you know.
You better confess now.
Or else, you can't blame us.
Come on, little bastard. I'll get you to talk!
Tell us. Who are the leaders?
Liang,
how bad does it hurt?
Does … does your heart feel weak?
I never thought
the police would … be so brutal … to a student like me.
When I think of how they're going to torture us tomorrow,
I feel so frightened.
I don't know … if I can take it.
Suffering like this, I feel pain and weakness too.
But if we pray and think of God's words,
we can find strength inside us.
Do you remember the passage of God's word I read last time?
This persecution by the government
is definitely a trial for us.
It's normal for us to feel pain and weakness.
But no matter what, we cannot deny or betray God.
We can't be like Judas who betrayed the Lord.
That's an offense to God's disposition.
The Lord Jesus had said,
In times like these, we just have to pray more
and understand God's will.
That way, we'll have strength.
We've realized, in these past two days here,
when the police brutally tortured us,
that God was with us whenever we called upon Him.
The word of God enlightened and guided us through it all.
We had the faith and the will to be willing to suffer for God.
This allowed us to experience the authority and power of God's word,
as well as God's care and protection.
What's more,
we are now better able to see the CCP's true evil and demonic nature
that is hostile to God.
We hate Satan even more.
The more the CCP beats and persecutes us,
the more we'll refuse to give in,
the more we'll stand witness for God to utterly reject and shame them.
If not for being arrested and persecuted and enduring all that we have,
could we have achieved these gains?
No.
Our suffering was not in vain!
Xiaoliang,
amid affliction, God expects us to have faith in Him,
to pray and rely on Him,
and to bear testimony of overcoming Satan.
We must never let God down!
Thank you.
What you've said helps me to understand God's will.
Our arrest and persecution is actually a trial.
When the time comes for me to bear witness to God,
I can't desert Him.
Not even if the CCP brutally tortures me,
or tries to kill me.
I will never give in to Satan.
I'll stand firm and bear witness to God!
What's going on? No talking!
Sir, the bureau's asking for the interrogation results for this case.
At first, I thought dealing with the kid would be easy.
Damn it all! He's real tough.
I do my worst, and still he doesn't talk.
The kid's not as naive as I first thought!
And now, what follows depends on you.
Clearly, he's thoroughly read Almighty God's words.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so tough.
Torture doesn't affect him.
We have to use some other means.
Pardon me, he's here.
We'll speak in private.
Is it true?
I've heard you haven't received anything to eat.
No one's given you water.
What they've done is uncalled for.
I've been away on assignment, but once I heard what they did, I reprimanded them.
Please sit.
Here, I made this for you myself. Eat while it's hot.
Don't be afraid, you're not here for questioning.
I am the head instructor here.
I'm also the one who is in charge.
As long as I am here, no harm will come to you.
Here, you're hungry. It's okay.
Eat. You need to eat.
Eat it.
Regrettably, no matter how good the food is,
it's not as good as Mom and Dad's!
Have you missed them these past few days?
Your parents must be worried sick,
not knowing where you are.
They must be looking everywhere, not sleeping and not eating.
If they knew that you have been arrested and beaten so badly,
they would surely be overcome with grief and distress.
I have kids, I know how your parents would feel.
I can see you're a wise and caring son.
You want to spare your parents from worry.
To be honest, I'd like to spare all of you from suffering.
But if you don't say anything,
there's nothing I can do, even though I'd like to.
My belief is the right path of life. It's not a crime.
You never should have taken me here to begin with.
I am a student. I should be in school.
You are a student, and you should be in school.
Had it not been for your belief,
we wouldn't have brought you here.
The state has long stipulated that
teachers and students cannot believe in or preach about religion.
If you insist on believing, how could you attend school?
It only takes one phone call from the police,
and your school would expel you.
After that, no other school would dare to admit you.
You know what?
Believing isn't bad.
However, if your future will be ruined by it,
it's not worth it.
As people say,
"To be a scholar is to be the top of society,"
doing well in school and getting a degree is the only way to get a job,
and to stand out from the crowd.
If you believe in God,
then you'll be expelled from school.
It will be hard for you to find a job later on in life.
You'll have no means to support yourself.
Have you thought about the consequences?
Listen, you need to do as I say:
Tell me who the leaders are, tell me where they live.
I'll make sure you're released.
I can guarantee secrecy.
You'll still be able to attend a good university.
What do you say?
You're only 17.
You've so much ahead of you.
You have to think about your future.
The reason I'm telling you all of this is for your own good.
Think about it carefully!
You're saying this to get me to betray my faith and my church's leaders.
My belief is not a crime.
There is no provision requiring me to report such matters.
I've nothing to say.
What's more, I've not broken any school rules.
What right do you have to force them
to deprive me of my right to an education?
Democratic countries have freedom of belief.
No one prevents students from believing.
The state government even supports it.
Chinese students abroad have also started believing.
What of our country?
Freedom of belief is granted in the constitution,
yet the government doesn't allow it.
If the government knows a student believes,
he'll be expelled from school and unable to apply to college.
Why is it so different than abroad?
The rules that you all enforce go against China's constitution.
You deceive the people.
Well, aren't you quite the hardheaded, kid?
You know a great deal for someone your age.
You must have picked it all up
from reading The Word Appears in the Flesh and listening to sermons.
No wonder you can preach the gospel at your age.
However, even if you were more convincing,
what good would it do you?
Is a police station a place where you think that you should preach?
Do you think you can convince police?
Give me the leaders' names, their real names and where they live.
If you do this,
I'll let you leave now.
If you do not tell us anything,
we'll also lock your parents up.
Your whole family will be sent to jail. Do you doubt me?
On what grounds will you arrest them?
You're using my parents to coerce me into betraying God.
You are despicable!
Little punk, I'm just wasting my time with you!
Pardon.
Sounds like you want it the hard way.
You old fool!
Think anyone here will treat you like a human being?
Killing you is just like killing a dog.
God, these CCP demons are unbelievably cruel and vicious!
Faster!
Get in!
These two are Christians. So take "good care" of them!
Okay, I'll be sure to!
We've two Christians?
Hey, this is a young one.
Tell me kid, why do you believe in God? (Get back.)
Here, the boss will watch over you.
Little brother, don't be scared.
Quick, say hi to the boss.
Say hi!
Say hi to boss! (Quick!)
Say it!
Hey, he doesn't seem to get the rules!
Look at his face.
Look at him. His legs are bouncing like a breakdancer!
Can you give the quilt back to us? He has an awful fever.
You're way too demanding. No way!
The boy needs it. His fever's really bad.
Quit your whining!
You're keeping me from sleeping!
Behave yourself, or you're going to be sorry tomorrow!
Dammit!
The police incite the prisoners to torment us,
in order to destroy our wills and force us to renounce our belief in God.
We must rely upon God to stand firmly!
We can't fall for Satan's tricks and schemes.
Hey kid, stop acting!
Dammit!
Don't finish your work, and I'll make you stand guard all night.
What are you looking at?
Eat it!
Don't want it? Don't eat anything then!
Uncle Liu! Uncle Liu!
What's happening?
Uncle Liu!
Help him! Please help! (Shut up!)
Uncle Liu! (Looks like the old fool went down!)
Uncle Liu!
It's nothing. He won't die!
Please help! Help him!
Uncle Liu!
Uncle Liu, wake up!
Uncle Liu!
Someone help! Please help! …
You old crank, move faster!
Every day they bring in more.
Hey, look at that idiot. He thought it was his uncle.
He's not coming back.
You know that for sure?
From what I heard, the other night, his uncle had a heart attack.
It almost killed him.
The police were afraid of taking the heat,
so they let his family pay 50,000,
and they let him out on bail pending a trial.
Faster!
Yes, boss.
Guys, get to work!
Gao Liang!
Wake up, they're calling you!
Yes. (Come here!)
Move it!
For believing in God, your sentence is one year of hard labor!
Hear that?
Even though you refused to talk, you still get this sentence!
The Communist Party is in power. It has final say on all.
It can punish you however it wants.
There's nothing you can do.
Take him away!
Go!
God! I feel so alone.
I feel so weak.
I miss my family.
I miss Uncle Liu.
God! A year is so long.
I don't know how to cope …
I don't know how to cope with this place.
Please enlighten me and guide me.
The word of God comforted and encouraged me.
I understand now.
This has all happened to me due to God's good intentions.
God does not want me to become discouraged and weak in difficulties and hardships,
but rather, to rely on my faith, to rely on Him.
He wants me to learn to live independently and to grow in life.
This makes me recall the story of Joseph in the Bible.
Joseph was sold to Egypt at the age of seventeen.
He was all by himself, and he suffered so deeply in Egypt.
He was framed and went to prison,
but he did not blame God.
He was resolute in believing in and worshiping God,
and in time, received God's protection and blessing.
I am also seventeen. I want to learn from Joseph.
I want to learn to pray to God and rely on God for everything.
No matter how bad things get,
I will remain strong in my faith and follow God.
Although Uncle Liu and my parents are not here with me now,
because I have the company of God as well as the guidance and comfort of God's word,
I am not alone.
After I was released from prison,
I was told that
shortly after my arrest, the police went to my house to arrest my parents.
Fortunately, they were not there, and they escaped arrest.
To avoid being arrested,
my parents left our hometown and rented a house.
They found work,
and they also fulfilled their duties in the church.
I want to see my parents again as soon as possible.
I want to tell them what I went through in prison.
This past year,
I personally experienced and witnessed the atrocities of the CCP police.
I saw the CCP's God-resisting demonic essence.
It was abundantly clear
that everything they did was to deceive, corrupt, and harm man.
I was able to rebel against this old demon, the CCP.
Over this year of hardship,
I was able to grow up thanks to God's guidance.
Deep in my heart,
I have realized that in this world, God alone loves mankind the most.
Only God can save man from the dark influence of the satanic CCP regime
and help man to live a real life.
In man's trials and suffering,
it is the word of God that gives man faith and strength.
Under any circumstances,
it can help man to weather the storm and stand firm in bearing witness to God.
These trials and tribulations that I have endured have helped me to grow up.
It was a special gift that God brought to me at the age of seventeen.
I've tasted the love of God,
and I want to follow God for the rest of my life!