One of my favorite external groups is the Acton Institute, which explores the intersection of faith and free markets. The faith part is broadly ecumenical, and intentionally international, so it has an interesting set of fellow travelers. I like (and occasionally publish) in their Journal of Markets and Morality. Each summer they host Acton University, a conference with amazing speakers and activities. I try to go every other year (always the 3rd week in June), and last year I was able to attend, and learned the story of Jimmy Lai, a billionaire entrepreneur from Hong Kong who the Chinese communists had imprisoned for his standing up for freedom for Hong Kong. You should watch this documentary that we screened last summer here,

and you can listen to the Acton University panel discussion of this story here. I brought this movie back to Cedarville to show students (where almost two hundred watched a long documentary), because I am concerned that the younger generation does not understand how fragile liberty really is–historical totalitarian regimes are so “back then” and “that would never happen now” and “our socialist dreams aren’t like that at all.” As if we aren’t seeing that manifest in Russia’s attack on Ukraine right now. But for those of us with longer perspectives, we know that this isn’t true based on a vast array of historical experiences. Further, we know that demagoguery and power seeking are inherent in fallen mankind, as each of us in our flesh desires not to serve others, but to be served. As the Acton Institute’s namesake says, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

And that gets us to the latest brouhaha. As the WSJ relates today in an op-ed:

On April 18 the Acton Institute released to the public its powerful documentary about Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong newspaperman who’s been in prison for the past 29 months. On Tuesday the Acton Institute’s TikTok account—which was set up the same day “The Hong Konger” premiered—was suspended. Coincidence, tongzhi?

This was not the message that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew sent when he testified before Congress in March. Mr. Chew presented TikTok as any another American social-media company and discounted influence over content decisions from his Beijing-based parent company, Bytedance.

He denied that TikTok, with global headquarters in Singapore and Los Angeles, would ever censor on behalf of China’s Communist Party. “I want to be unequivocal on this,” Mr. Chew said. “We do not remove or promote content on behalf of the Chinese government.”

After the op-ed was posted in the WSJ, TikTok finally responded that the account had been delisted “in error” and was now back up. That’s a good thing, but I’m very skeptical about the error. Prior to the influential WSJ weighing in, the Acton Institute had no way to even contact TikTok due to the suspension of their account, as this report on National Review outlines. Regardless, Jimmy Lai is still in prison, Hong Kong is increasingly under the under Xi Jinping’s dictatorial thumb, and taking the freedom in Taiwan away is still the regime’s #2 priority (#1 is always staying in power).

Your action: Pray for freedom for Hong Kong and Jimmy Lai, pray for the Christian church in China, and watch this video! Then share with others–these stories must not be silenced. Maybe we’ll talk about what to think about TikTok later, but that is for another day.