Conclusion

This chapter concludes the book by summarizes the key findings. There are three types of religious fraud regulation in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Specific legislation: Article 300 of Criminal Law in China to target evil cults and superstitions; Supervision of Temples Act in Taiwan to target Buddhism and Taoism; Chinese Temples Ordinance in Hong Kong to target Chinese religions. Sexual offences (i.e., rape, forcible sex, procurement by false pretence offence) and property offences (i.e., swindling, fraud) are also employed in all three jurisdictions. China’s religious fraud regulations are constitutional given China’s illiberal constitution. Taiwan’s religious sexual fraud criminalization and some of its religious property fraud criminalization is unconstitutional. Hong Kong’s religious sexual fraud criminalization and Chinese Temples Ordinance is unconstitutional. All three jurisdictions have similar approaches to religious freedom: the conception of false religions to prop up a religious hierarchy. Rational choice analysis of political dynamics reveals societal distaste and lack of numerical numbers can overcome legal and democratic checks. Implications: illiberal policies have a long-lasting impact, and complicity of liberal democratic advocates vis-à-vis democratic backsliding is devastating.