European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes religion saturday february 12.1994 China bans foreigners from spreading religion ,. A Beijing a China has announced new rules on religion that forbid foreigners from converting chinese and setting up schools or other religious organizations. The new regulations which took effect Jan. 31, were promulgated by the state Council China s Cabinet. The official Xinhua news Agency said the rules carry penalties but did t say what they Are. In the past for Eigners who were found proselytizing were expelled from the country. Many Christian missionaries come to China As teach ers and some have been expelled for holding Bible study groups or otherwise trying to convert chinese tibetan buddhists and muslims in Western China also Are having More contacts with fellow believers from outside China. The outsiders sometimes tie religious teachings with political goals such As Independence for Tibet or founding an Independent Eastern turkestan Republic. China s Constitution Grants Freedom of religion. But proselytizing even by chinese is prohibited. The government keeps a tight rein on its state approved roman Catholic protestant Buddhist taoist and Muslim groups. It also has cracked Down on All unofficial religious activities. The 13-article regulation said foreigners May not set up religious offices or run religious places of worship and schools. They also Are forbidden to cultivate religious disciples among chinese citizens and appoint religious clergy Xinhua said. That appeared to refer to the Vatican which has secretly appointed Bishops in China. Beijing does t recognize the authority of the Pope. Devotee say to Praise the King May be turning Elvis into religion by David i Riggs the associated press men and women wave their hands in the air ecstatically first spelling then calling out the name of the Man they have come together to Praise. A Pente costal revival no an Elvis festival. A father pacing before his son undergoes a serious operation feels someone touch his shoulder gets a Lovely warm feeling in Side and knows everything is going to be All right. Did he think it was an Angel upon his shoulder no Elvis Presley. More than 16 years after the entertainer s death hundreds of thousands of de voted Elvis fans still Revere the King holding festivals in his name decorating their Homes with his pictures even Pray ing to him. Now a British television documentary raises the question of whether Elvis worship has become a religion. The King and me was produced by Tull Star productions. How Well the late Rock v Roll superstar has stayed alive in the popular imagination is indicated in the alleged sightings of Elvis regularly reported in supermarket tabloids. The two Kings a new Book from Bantam books satirizes the phenomenon by com paring Elvis to Jesus. Depending on How the question is worded several National polls in recent years have found from 6 percent to 16 percent of americans believe Elvis still May be alive. Producers of the King and me Esti mate that up to a million people world wide Are devoted followers of Elvis. Those interviewed make it Clear they do not consider Elvis to be god and some note that Elvis himself would discourage such speculation. But several of the trappings of religion Are evident in the Way Elvis fans express their Devotion. On the anniversaries of his aug. 16, 1977, death thousands of Elvis pilgrims walk single file at his Graceland mansion in Memphis tenn., touching candles to torches fired from an eternal flame at the grave. One woman wearing a Bright coloured Bowling shirt with the initials he in Large script said that sometimes Elvis could look at people and make them feel special. He could also look at you Flash his eyes at you and you know you d done wrong she said. He s been my life since i was 10 years old. Nothing else Ever mattered said another woman interviewed in the documentary. Wayne Rollins of Assumption College in Worcester mass., said it is not unusual for people to Transfer their own Center a bloated Elvis Presley belts out a number in 1977 shortly before he died. The now York times visitors to Graceland pay tribute to the King at his grave. To another prominent figure who can make up for their perceived deficiencies. But Rollins head of the psychology and biblical studies group of the society of biblical Litera Ture said it is difficult to under stand Given Elvis lifestyle Why religious values would be attributed to the Singer. Elvis died at age 42 of heart disease but it has Long been speculated that he died of a drug overdose. Also reports of numerous sex Ual partners and drug abuse fail to deter Elvis fans in their Adora Tion. Mother 4 children ordered to attend Church services from wire reports fort Worth Texas a senior Federal judge has ordered an unmarried woman and her four children to attend Church services each sunday for a year As part of a probation agreement in a drug Case. I know there Are All sorts of constitutional questions about this judge David Belew or. Said in an interview thursday. But i just thought if i put her on probation and made it a condition that she go to Church and get those kids into Church it would do a whole lot More Good than making her go to the Penitentiary and sending those kids to Foster  the judge said he believed that his order issued monday would hold up against any Appeal because the defendant voluntarily agreed to  services. The defendant Emma Jean Oliver had been facing a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment and a $250,000 Fine. Further the judge noted that nothing in the agreement requires that she attend Christian services. He said he would have no objection if she were to switch to the services of another religion. Oliver 29, plans to attend a Baptist Church in her Hometown Wichita Falls. Belew said that he had told Oliver Don t go around anymore having kids without a husband and that she had agreed with his advice. Belew 73, was appointed to the Federal Bench in 1979 by president Carter. Group prays for homeless Salt Lake City More than 200 Utah Christian and jewish congregations have joined in prayer for the homeless and for state legislators who Are being asked to help the interfaith group s members prayed in their own houses of worship recently that lawmakers will support gov. Mike Leavitt s $3 million affordable housing Bond proposal and a $2 million appropriation for housing of the disabled and mentally ill. A housing shortage has sent rents soaring the past two years forcing Many people into the streets said the Rev. Susan Armer of St. Mark s Episcopa Cathedral. Nearly 6,400 Salt Lake county families Are on housing waiting lists that Are As Long As four years. Statewide there Are at least 16,000 families waiting while the poor in resort communities such As Park City and Moab Are living in tents and cars. Church s closing lamented Daisytown a. Helen Blizman knows Why her Church had to close. But the facts of shifting populations increasing costs and a declining number of priests were difficult to Square with her memories As the final mass approached last sunday at Assumption roman Catholic Church in Washington county. My husband s parents built this Church she said. My husband went Here since he was a Little boy. My children were baptized Here. And my daughters were All married  Assumption and four other churches in the Pittsburgh Catholic diocese closed last sunday apart of a reorganization. Proposal on Gays rejected Greensboro . North Carolina episcopalians have turned Down a proposal to ask the National Church to create a ceremony for Gay and lesbian  clergy recently voted 73-57 against the Resolution. To be approved the Resolution needed a majority of both the clergy and Lay Delegate groups at the 178th annual convention of the episcopal diocese of North Carolina. When the Resolution failed among the clergy the Lay members did not vote. While the decision generated applause from opponents of the proposal Many delegates expected the Issue would not go away. Whichever Side i came Down on i Felt i would be alienated from some of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ said the Rev. Robert Cook of Greensboro who voted against the Resolution