BEIJING: Worried about the rise in people's interest in spiritualism six decades after the early Communists declared it to be evil, China's atheist government is calling for use of religion as a patriotic tool to rejuvenate the nation. It is also persuading religious leaders to condemn self-immolations among Tibetans.

"Among our people, it remains secondary whether they choose to believe or not to believe in religion, or which religion they choose to believe in. The common goal of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is primary," said Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the powerful standing committee of the political bureau of the Communist Party of China.

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