The Chinese government's persecution of Christians continues to intensify and reports now say that children are being encouraged to turn on their own family members. 

A publication that watches religious liberty and persecution in China, Bitter Winter, reports that children are being groomed in school at a young age to oppose all religion.

“If your mom goes to church and believes in God, she doesn’t want you as her child anymore,” a teacher at a school in Xinzheng city in the central province of Henan allegedly told students. 

"Another primary school teacher in Xinzheng showed students an animated anti-religion propaganda film, in which believers are depicted as monsters. The teacher also told students that religious people might hex them and that they should report to the police any believers they encounter," parents told the publication.

Children forced to renounce faith

In 2018 the Chinese government passed legislation banning children from all church services. Since then schools have been teaching children that religion is "abnormal."

Open Doors USA says that children from two schools in Zhejiang Province were asked to fill out a form stating they did not follow a religion. When 200 children filled out the forms stating they were Christians the teachers spoke with the group and instructed them to fill out the forms again, this time writing 'no religion.' Still, 100 children declared themselves to be Christians, and again the children were pressured. In the end, reportedly, only one child continued to declare themselves a Christian.

“I’m not surprised about this,” said the student (name unknown). “All the schools in Zhejiang are using this not-so-subtle tactic to frighten and coerce students. If you say you are a Christian, the teacher will basically threaten you by saying you should deny your faith or there will be trouble.”