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Phrases like "such and such happened because of ingrained Confucian values" show up time and again in Western reporting about Asian countries, not least South Korea. But is it true, or is it just lazy journalism?

In World Religions 101, we learn that Charles Galton Darwin presents 3 options to create a sizable impact on the world: Politics, Creed, or Genetics. Political alteration is typically a weak and short-lived choice, Genetics is difficult to change, but influencing Creed is the best practical control of human fate. Confucius was the most important individual in China’s history, and his decision to go “public with his creed impacts politics and public policy throughout China.” Unlike many other religious leaders such as Jesus and Lao Tzu, Confucius was very political, and his goal was to be a great political leader.

This article explains how Confucianism, and the impacts it caused were very different throughout Asia. As a finance major, the article’s hypophora, “Confucianism: the Holy Grail of Capitalism?” captured my attention. The article explains how Confucianism is blamed for holding back development in Asian countries. In Confucianism, the “Doctrine of the Mean” promotes negotiation and mediation, and failure to resolve conflict is viewed as disgraceful. In China, there is one lawyer for every 24 lawyers in the United States. Confucianism was formed in a time of warring states and differing ideology. The Realists (Fajia) believed that people are only responsive to harsh laws, while the Legalists (Mohists) believed that one should “share and share alike.” Confucianism split these ideologies, and promoted Jen: kindness and compassion. Although the influence of Confucianism on Asia is enormous, it cannot be used to explain everything politically, socially, and fiscally. Although many Asian countries are multicultural and include many different religions, Confucianism is a cornerstone of many governments, so the emphasis of Confucius ideas in government policy is prevalent.

The article states that, “late Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew (who served as prime minister from 1959 to 1990), repeatedly emphasized Confucian ideas, dubbing them “Asian values,” as the city state’s unique characteristics.” Although Confucianism is an essential aspect in many Asian nations, it is not the only influence that these countries used as a base for their government and policies.

#the economist #confucianism

In the wake of Communist Party's quest for complete eradication of religious belief, the Chinese authorities are attacking the country's ancient Taoist religion.

After reading this article, and learning that a statue of Lao Tzu was demolished earlier this year, I began to wonder, “how many people are Taoist anyway?” After a quick google search for China’s religious demographics, I found this:

Strict Atheist, 61%

Taoist or Confucian philosophies, 26%

Buddhist, 6%

Christianity, 2%

Other Folk Religion, 2%

Islam, 2%

Other, 1%

This was shocking to me, because I have learned how much religion has influenced Asian culture. My neighbors are Chinese, and have a large statue of the Buddha in their backyard, a symbol of their faith. The high percentage of atheists in China is surprising and lends explanation to the decision to demolish the statue of Lao Tzu. The article explains that, “Taoism has been recognized by the Communist Party as one of the five authorized religions in China and has been governed by the state-controlled China Taoist Association since 1957. However, after the new regulation on Religious Affairs came into force in February this year, the Communist regime is suppressing the liberty of even the long-time traditional Chinese religions of Buddhism and Taoism.” Because the statue was illegally constructed and the communist regime has an unfavorable view of organized religion, China’s Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee ordered the statue to be demolished.

Despite the lack of religious affiliation of Chinese citizens, the cultures of Taoism and Confucianism are still central. Although the regulation on religious affairs came into force earlier this year, the long time traditional Chinese religions will never be forgotten or ignored completely. Taoism is difficult to suppress because it is very unorganized and unstructured, more focused on guiding the inner self rather than guiding groups of people in response to government. The major teachings and practices of Taoism such as the three meanings of Tao and the story of Lao Tze do not need to be recognized by the government to be followed by Chinese citizens.

#taoism

‘Thank you, God, for the weed.’

Because cannabis is illegal nationally in the United States, it is against the law to smoke it for religious or personal reasons. Even though the indigenous religion of Rastafarianism has a spiritual view of the use of cannabis (ganga), it is not a legal substance in many parts of the world. Although mainly an indigenous religion, some practice Rastafarianism in the United states, and many of these individuals are not exempt from the current cannabis laws.

The headline of this article is shocking: “Churches that offer weed as a sacrament are proliferating, competing with medical marijuana dispensaries and even pot shops.” This grabs the reader’s attention because of its unlikeliness. In California, marijuana is legal, and the Coachella Valley Church in southern California describes itself as a Rastafarian church harnessing the political and religious movement that originated in Jamaica. Combining elements of Christianity and traditional Rastafarian values, the church uses marijuana in their rituals.

In Jamaica, Rastafarianism promotes ethnic pride in one’s culture, and members of the religion view the previous emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, as the return of Christ, a divine person. In traditional Rastafari culture, Jamaicans will grow out dreadlocks and let their facial hair grow, to show power and natural beauty. Rastafarianism promotes nonviolent activity and smoking ganga.

The article discusses the legal issues with “pot churches,” in the United States and how many of these churches are labeling themselves as Rastafarian churches to avoid taxes from dispensing weed. The article explains how members of the church purchase cannabis. To ensure it is classified as a church, a membership card is required, and then “customers” visit the “back room where marijuana products were sold to members as the church’s “gift shop,””(VOX) Many of the people who attend service at the Coachella Valley Church are true believers in ganga, although they may not be true believers in Haile Selassie.

#rastafarianism

Calling oneself and atheist in America is often received with hatred, and will alienate many friends or followers. The famous astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson, does not take a strong religious stance and calls himself agnostic. Although he does not believe in there being a God, he takes a less controversial stance by refraining from openly labeling himself an atheist. Because of the negative connotations with atheism, he does not want to be judged based on these connotations. On the Joe Rogan Show, Neil deGrasse Tyson defines Atheism as however people are using the word. Therefore, since there are negative connotations and negative proponents who are tainting the word, he does not want to associate himself with that word.

Tyson states that the dictionary definition of Atheist does in fact describe him, but in practice, the atheism is defined by what leading atheists do and say. He states that, “Most of their conduct I either don’t agree with, or don’t engage in. I don’t debate religious people and tell them they’re idiots.” Unlike many popular atheists, Tyson does not purge himself of words or phrases with religion in them. Tyson gives a story where he said “godspeed” to a friend who was going into space to repair the Hubble telescope. People attacked him because they thought he was an atheist, when he was only trying to say goodluck to a friend with the same phrase that Nasa used in an effort to respect the tradition.

Because many members of the atheist community do not use words or phrases that involve God, Tyson is ostracized for his use of “godspeed.” Tyson discusses the ubiquity of religious teachings throughout science and society. In his writings, Tyson continues to use A.D. and B.C. because of its understandability. Although the modern calendar was invented by the Catholic Church in 1580, it is still used today, and should not be thrown out by atheists simply because of its religious origins.

As discussed in World Religions class, two main classes of atheism are the positive atheist, who is not an anti-theist but rather lacking belief in a higher being. A negative atheist has the absence of belief, and is also known as Agnostic. Surprisingly enough, everyone is born an atheist, and everyone is an atheist in some sense because everyone does not believe in some Gods. For example, if you are a Catholic, you will not believe in the God of Desire, Mara, in Buddhism. Reversely, if you are a Buddhist, one would not believe in Jesus or the Catholic God.

#nieldegrasstyson #atheism

This article is written by an atheist Buddhist, and discusses the benefits of Buddhism even if you are an atheist or agnostic. The author discusses how Buddhism helps teach mindfulness through one’s thoughts and emotions. Buddhism can also help lay out a code of ethics for non-believers, and aid in living a more wholesome life. The author of this article, Dana, explains that “unethical actions create inner turmoil and outer unrest.” Buddhism provides guidance to ethics, and because the religion does not revolve around belief in a god, atheists are able to be Buddhist, and learn from the teachings. In an introductory World Religions course taught by professor Whitaker, we discussed the Middle Way, Buddha’s answer to how to live a wholesome life. The Buddha came to the conclusion that neither complete indulgence nor punishment is the answer to living a healthy life. Also, Buddhism, unlike Hinduism, allows one to reach enlightenment regardless of the caste you are born into.

Many of the teachings of the Buddha are universal, and helpful for anyone, even people who are non-religious or believe in a different religion. The story of the Buddha is fascinating, and shows how indulgence or abstinence alone cannot fulfill a person. The four passing sights in Buddhism, suggest that all life is suffering (dukkha). Although the Buddha grew up in a rich family, and was given anything he wished for, he did not feel complete, and became an Ascetic. The Buddha fasted by eating only one grain of rice per day, but this practice did not fulfill him either, and only made him sick.

These stories of the Buddha are applicable to everyone’s daily life and support the article about Secular Buddhism. Buddha himself never said that he was a god or any type of otherworldly being; his famous response is, “I’m not a god, I am awake.” Buddhism lays out guidelines to overcome suffering and promote wisdom and ethical conduct through the eightfold path, a guide available for anyone. The article reminds us that Buddhism is one of a few religions that does not require the belief in a God or other spiritual being, and can be used by anyone as a guide to live a fulfilling life.

#secularbuddhism

REACTION VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIqDQYkftUY I did an interview/debate with a preacher for a show called "The Fallen State". They asked me to ...

This YouTube video is one of the most popular youtube videos on atheism, and it reveals some of the common misconceptions with atheism among religious individuals. The preacher who is interviewing Jaclyn Glenn is obviously not aware of what the basic atheist views are, and he asks if she believes in satin. Because atheists lack the belief in God, any holy texts, or religious practices, they do not believe in hell or Satin in the Christian faith either. Throughout the interview, the Preacher probes at Jaclyn, trying to understand her motives for being atheist. The preacher tries to pidgin-hole the atheism toward a possible rough childhood, or un-godly parents. Jaclyn calmly states the reasons why she lacks a Christian faith. Because of her observations of child molestations in churches, and the pressure and harm caused to her gay friend by her catholic school, she does not side with the beliefs of the church.

Another common misconception that comes up in this interview that atheists have a lack of moral values, or they are generally angry, unhappy people. Many atheists however, live by the golden rule, “treat others the way you want to be treated,” and are very fulfilled individuals. The comedian Ricky Gervais states that “death is the end of something glorious, so I have to pack it all in… but I’m not depressed about it.” Ricky states that it is a strange myth that atheists have nothing to live for. He says that in fact, “atheists have nothing to die for.” The thoughts about religion by Jaclyn Glenn and Ricky Gervais are very impressive, and help debunk many of the myths about atheism. Ricky Gervais explains the difference between spirituality and religion. Spirituality, he says, is a personal journey, feeling, or hope, and Religion is an organized body that often is corrupt and abuses their power. Both Ricky and Jaclyn are both very accepting and understanding of those who are religious, providing a fantastic model of accepting atheists.

I personally have not been raised religiously, but none of my family identifies as atheist because of some of the misconceptions shown by the preacher in this video. My mom's reaction to atheism is distasteful because her only first hand knowledge with atheism was from a very abrasive (atheist) family who actively sought to get teachers fired for sharing any spiritual ideology or holiday cultures with their classes.

#atheism

Written by Lance Steinhibel How many times have you been driving down the road, and seen something on a car that makes you wonder? I know that I have many times; whether it’s a band sticker, political party, or something religious. It’s interesting what people proclaim about their feelings to

Before researching about the sticker, I was a bit confused about what I was seeing on the bumpers of trucks, VW buses, and camper vans. I would often see a sticker with the word “coexist” on hippie vans, or on the surfboards of “free spirit” individuals, but I would also notice it on normal family sedans occasionally. I never really payed attention to the religious symbols that made up the word, and was unaware of the deeper meaning that the word provides--I simply thought it was a cool looking design of the word coexist, meaning to live in harmony together. Contrary to my knowledge, there is lots of controversy surrounding the logo, and there have been many legal battles over who owns the logo. Although the legal battle over the sticker is fascinating, even more interesting is the social debate. The article from enochmagazine.com explains how the response from some religious individuals is disgust. (https://www.vox.com/2016/6/8/11867438/coexist-logo-bumper-sticker) Although many religions (especially Christianity in the United States) suggests loving others equally, they will judge those who sport the “coexist” sticker, because they believe the cross should not be assimilated with other religious symbols.

The article explains the real meaning behind the Coexist sticker, and how this differs from the response of many. They state that, “COEXIST is a way to demonstrate your support of religious freedom, tolerance and understanding.” and is meant “to encourage others in a greater religious understanding of other’s distinctive faiths, beliefs and practices. To promote friendship, goodwill and mutual trust among them.” (enochmagazine.com) These definitions of the word coexist seem natural and positive, and seem to contradict the responses from many religious individuals. Although the writer of this article, Lance Steinhibel, is Christian in faith, he makes an effort to understand the meaning behind the word before disowning it. The writer makes an attempt to merge the religious culture of hostility toward the “coexist” sticker with the hippie and free spirit ideology that we should all live in harmony.

#coexist worldreligious liveinharmony

For the last several years, “religious liberty” has been one of the primary talking points of the U.S. Catholic bishops.

As an avid motorcycle rider and enthusiast, I am fascinated and curious about the culture of riding, and the similarities motorcyclists share. Many people are aware that a large percentage of American motorcycle riders are Christian. The nonprofit organization, Christian Motorcyclist Association, is the largest religion-affiliated motorcycle group in the United States, and has been gaining members since its inception in 1975. The organization has over 125,000 members and over 1200 chapters in all 50 U.S. with chapters in 31 foreign countries. Other religious motorcycle riders who are not Christian also unite to present their beliefs to the public. The article posted explains a conflict between religion and the law. The Sikhs have spoken out in an effort to legalize motorcycling riding without a helmet so they can wear their religious headwear legally.

Through reading about religious groups involved in the sport of motorcycling, I learned about Sikhism, one of the youngest major religions in the world. I was shocked to learn that there are over 20 million Sikhs in the world, with many residing in India. (BBC) Some of the Sikh beliefs are that there is one god, which is universal for all religions, and everyone is equal before God (unlike the caste system in Hinduism, where people are divided into different categories - the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and the Shudras). In Sikhism, God is without form or gender, which allows the god to apply to any of the main religions.

Although Sikhism is a very large religion globally, this article shows how sometimes the law can step on religion’s toes. Although the United States is very accepting nation that allows the practice and belief in any religion, laws set forth sometimes cause difficulty in religious practices, such as wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle instead of a Dastaar, their religious headwear.

#religiousmotorcycling Sikhism dastaarnohelmet

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