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十月三日，逾五十位來自美國的牧師、基督教領袖、信徒等，聯署發表了一封名為〈給香港基督徒和香港渴望自由人士的團結聲明〉（A Statement of Solidarity to Hong Kong’s Christians and to all those in Hong Kong who long for freedom）公開信。在信中，他們稱對港人爭取自由和民主深受感動，指會為香港和中國的基督徒祈禱，求神賜下自由並保護信徒；又表示會促請美國政府為香港人發聲。

不少美國的機構和教會負責人均有參與聯署，包括對華援助協會（China Aid）的創辦人傅希秋牧師、美國敞開的門（Open Doors USA）負責人Ellen Grigsby、北美聖公會（Anglican Church in North America）總主教Dr. Foley Beach、美南浸信會（Southern Baptist Convention）牧師Rebecca Reynolds等；民運人士、六四學運領袖周鋒鎖亦有參與是次聯署。

信中提及美國的信徒願意支援香港的信徒，「當你們受壓迫和迫害，我們會與你們站在一起，也會竭盡所能支持你們的自由」。他們稱會以禱告記念那些追求自由的港人和中國人，包括贊成民主的異見人士、法輪功、維吾爾族人、西藏人。他們求主不讓人因捍衛宗教自由和基督教而受壓迫，並會力勸美國政府以強硬立場為香港人發聲。

對於近日香港的反修例事件，他們在信中直言，擔心共產黨妨礙本港的自由，並以引渡條例打壓宗教。同時，他們因港人在抗爭中的一些行為深受感動，如面對警察攻擊時唱Sing Hallelujah to the Lord、痛悔的向受影響的旅客道歉、示威時讓車和行人經過，他們認為這些行為都是向世界作見證。

此外，香港人為紀念美國九一一事件而暫停在港示威活動，令他們感受到聖經所說的：「與喜樂的人要同樂；與哀哭的人要同哭。」（羅十二15）

本報翻譯的公開信全文如下：

〈給香港基督徒和香港渴望自由人士的團結聲明〉

來自美國的弟兄姊妹
二〇一九年十月三日

數月至今，我們，及你們的支持者與社會各界人士，也看見你們為了支持自由和公義站到香港的街頭。

當你們尋求方法，防止中國共產黨領袖透過控制香港人來摧毀香港脆弱的半獨立狀態，我們記念你們和禱告。我們尤其擔心，中國共產黨要求引渡香港巿民和外國人到中國大陸，知悉共產政權無疑會用這個方法來打壓基督徒和其他宗教信徒。

當我們聽到你們在面對警察和中國特工的妖魔化攻擊時，仍唱Sing Hallelujah to the Lord，我們深深被感動，並提醒我們在基督中是同一個身體。你們向世界展示了對自由的渴望，因造物主把自由放在人類的靈魂中。主亦把一首簡單的讚美詩放在其中，加上你們所相信的，正是美國文化中最好的部份——民主、熱愛自由、國歌和我們的美國國旗。

我們對你們不斷的深思熟慮、尊重港人和來港的旅客感對欽佩，例如你們在爭取自由時，向受影響的旅客道歉表現出痛悔。儘管街上有成千上萬的示威者，你們也會盡力地讓車和行人走動。你們受苦時所擁有的自尊和高尚品德，向世界作出見證，亦與西方國家視自由為理作當然，成了鮮明的對比。

我們亦深受感動，是因你們對美國的尊重，你們停止示威而與我們一起紀念九一一事件。我們感謝你們的行動，如經文所說：「與喜樂的人要同樂；與哀哭的人要同哭。」

如今，我們要付出禱告、支持、團結和擁護。我們祈禱，並堅決勇敢地發言以擁護中國的基督徒和所有在中國的人，包括贊成民主的異見人士、法輪功、維吾爾族人、西藏人，他們都在共產政權下被壓迫、迫害和關押；我們亦會對在香港的朋友和自由愛好者作同樣的事，求神保護你們脆弱的自由，也求神不讓捍衛宗教自由和基督教的人受損害和壓迫。我們也力勸美國政府的立場更為強硬及為香港人發聲，直至你們完全的自由是安全，民主得到保證。

耶穌應許那一日將要來到，「從東、從西、從南、從北將有人來，在神的國裡坐席。」當那天臨到，我們希望可以與香港的弟兄姊妹在神的國裏坐席，當你們受壓迫和迫害，我們會與你們站在一起，也會竭盡所能的支持你們的自由。

在主內，主賜完全的自由

原文如下：

A Statement of Solidarity to Hong Kong’s Christians and to all those in Hong Kong who long for freedom

By Your Christian brothers and sisters in the United States
October 3, 2019

For months now, we, your supporters from all walks of life, have watched your courageous stand for freedom and justice on the streets of Hong Kong.

You have been in our thoughts and prayers as you seek to keep the People’s Republic of China’s Communist leaders from violating Hong Kong’s fragile semi-independence with measures designed to bring the people of Hong Kong under their control. We have been particularly concerned, along with you, about the PRC’s desire to extradite Hong Kong citizens, as well as foreigners, to mainland China, knowing that this technique would certainly be used by the Communist regime against Christians and other religious believers.

When we heard you sing, “Sing Alleluia to the Lord” as Hong Kong police and Chinese agents attacked you and demonized you, our hearts were deeply touched, and we were reminded that we are one Body in Christ together. You have shown the world that the hunger for freedom springs from something in the human spirit that the Creator, God, has put there with that simple praise song, along with your love for what you believe is the best part of American culture – our democracy, our love of freedom, our National Anthem, and our American flag.

We are impressed by your continued thoughtfulness and respect for your fellow Hong Kongers and all those who travel through Hong Kong such as you have shown in your poignant signs of apology for any inconvenience caused to travelers by your own fight for freedom, and by your recent efforts to enable both autos and pedestrians to continue moving on Hong Kong’s streets in spite of the thousands and thousands of protesters lining those streets. Your dignity and nobility as you suffer for a just cause is a witness to the whole world, and is in stark contrast to those in the West who take their freedom for granted.

We were also deeply moved when, out of respect for America, you halted your protests to commemorate 9/11 with us. We thank you that, as Scripture says, you have “wept, when we are weeping, and mourn, when we are mourning.”

In turn, we pledge to you our prayers and our support, our solidarity and our advocacy. We pray and raise our voices in advocacy for Chinese Christians and for all of those in China, including pro-democracy dissidents, Falun Gong, Uyghurs, and the people of Tibet that are oppressed, persecuted, and imprisoned by the Communist regime. And we pledge to do the same for our friends and fellow freedom lovers in Hong Kong. We ask God to protect your fragile freedom and not allow this small bastion of religious liberty for Christians to be compromised and oppressed. We also urge the United States government to stand more strongly and more vocally with the people of Hong Kong until your full freedoms are safe and democracy is guaranteed.

Jesus promised that a Day is coming when “they will come from the East and the West, from the North and the South, and they will sit down in the Kingdom of God.” When that day comes, we want to be able to SIT at God’s table with our brothers and sisters from Hong Kong, knowing that we have STOOD with you in the time of oppression and persecution, and have done all that we could to support your freedom.

Yours in Him, who gives Perfect Freedom

（綜合報道）