Chinese Church Voices

Christian Netizens React to the Boston Bombing

Chinese Church Voices is an occasional column of the ChinaSource Blog providing translations of original writing by Christians in China. The views represented are entirely those of the original author; inclusion in Chinese Church Voices does not imply or equal an endorsement by ChinaSource.


As news that a Chinese student had been killed in the Boston Marathon bombing broke in China, netizens took to Weibo to react and comment, and Christians joined the conversation. Some of the comments reference other tragic events in the news this week, such as the earthquake in Pakistan, the poisoning of a university student in Shanghai, and the spread of the H7N9 flu virus.

One noted that both the student who died in Shanghai and the one who died in Boston had either attended seeker Bible studies or attended church. They all either call for prayer for the victims families, or urge people to put their trust in Christ.

Here are translations of 8 posts from Weibo this week:

@-TumenChurch (@Pastor Zhang-TumenChurch)

The Boston Marathon bombing was a horrible and sorrowful sight. Many have died in the 7.8 magnitude quake near border of Iran and Pakistan. A graduate student at Fudan Univeristy was poisoned to death by his roommate. All of these sad news reports remind us of our sacred responsibilityFirst of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. (1 Tim. 2:1-2)

(@ (@ Feng Changyi)

I have been following the news reports on the Fudan University poisoning and the Boston bombings over the past two days and am greatly grieved. Dear Lord, it looks like Satans power is everywhere. We are so small, we dont even know whether well die drinking water or being bombed on the side of a road while watching a race. The only thing we can do is to give ourselves fully to you and obtain peace in the Lord Jesus. Amen. Pray for the victims and those who have lost their loved ones.

@ (@LonelyDragon)

"If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." (1 Cor. 12:26-27) Pray for the people who lost their loved ones and pray for those who survived the Boston bombing. May the Lord comfort us.

@United-B (@United-Ka B)

I Just woke up and continue to follow the news from Boston. This tragedy is saddening. So many people are still living in the abyss of suffering; so many souls are seeking comfort. But still, many good people out of their good conscience produce good. Let us preserve the goodness thats in us. Let us pray with hope. A hope that what we cannot achieve by our hands, prayer can achieve. #In the name of Lord Jesus Christ#

@ (@PastorFengwei)

The student at Fudan University who was poisoned and the Chinese girl who was killed in the Boston bombing both attended Christian fellowships. Huang Yang attended a seekers Bible study group, but the people in the fellowship are not sure if he had come to Christ. A sister from our church who is also studying in Boston told us that the Chinese girl was also a seeker and had many Christian friends, but that she had not yet come to the Lord. Life is short, do not miss it, come quickly to Christ!

@ (@LoveinChina)

Terrible things have happened over the past two days. A student was poisoned at Fudan University. The Boston Marathon was bombed. A Hong Kong singer was in a car accident. H7N9 is spreading. This world is getting darker and darker. But I am not afraid because I have Jesus. Though I don't know what will happen in the next second, I have Jesus and I have a hope. It is so good to know God!

@ (@FragrantOfferingInResurrection)

In Isaiah 40:1, the Lord says, Comfort, O comfort my people. Today, in the midst of the Boston bombing, we not only need to pray for peace for those who are victims in this attack, and their relatives and friends; we also need to pray for the people of that land, pray that they will know that the Lord Jesus is the one they should turn to in such a generation. Besides him, there is no salvation. May the Lord give peace to Boston, Amen.

@ (@Elder Sun Yuchun)

We should pray for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. Christians should be doing something. We should preach the Gospel. Now war and terrorism are getting closer and closer to us. The world has never been peaceful. Christians should strive to practice the great mission Jesus gave to us. We should pray for our neighbors, learn to love our neighbors, and share with them the Gospel that brings people out of death. Let us be more alert and work harder!

For more information on the Chinese student who was killed:

Chinese student killed at Boston Marathon attended elite high school in gritty Chinese city (April 17, Washington Post

Grad student with eye on career in finance is mourned in China (April 17, 2013, The New York Times)

Chinese student killed in bombings had followed her passion to Boston (April 18, 2013, CNN)

Chinese pour out grief for student (April 19, The Wall Street Journal)Image source: CNN

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