wfn.org | Taiwan Church Receives Anonymous Death Threat Letter

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

Taiwan Church News, 2577 (22nd July 2001)
Reported by Uidy Kao, Written By David Alexander

Former President Threatened with Death if He Speaks Again at Church

    On June 29th an anonymous letter threatening the life of Taiwan's
former president Lee Teng-hui was received at Tai-khe (Ta-Chi)
Presbyterian Church in Taoyuan, where Mr. Lee occasionally attends
worship services.  The letter was signed in the name of the "Self
Strengthening Vigilante Group, and warned the church that if Dr. Lee
should ever again preach there, he will be killed.  Church officials
immediately passed the letter and its covering to the police for
investigation.
   Rev. Tan To-hiong (Chen Tao-hsiung), pastor of Tai-khe Church, said,
"The church recognizes that this letter comes from some radical faction,
and probably only represents the opinion of an individual person.  The
letter itself is a manifestation of one aspect of the underworld culture
here in Taiwan.  We need not make too much of it.  It is now in the
hands of the police."
   Mr. Lee had spoken from the pulpit of the church, but not in the role
of a pastor or an evangelist.  He gave a personal faith testimony, as
any church member is welcome to do.  According to Rev. Tan, the former
president shared about his belief, and did not use the church to spread
any of his political positions or ideas.  The church trusts in the
protection of the Almighty, and will not allow a person or persons with
radical ideology to deter her from her mission to share the gospel.

For more information: Tai-khe (Ta-chi) Presbyterian Church +886 3
3888995
                                                  FAX  3880013