Religions of the World

Thanks for that.

I note with mild interest that "atheists" appear to be running second to muslims ! Perhaps with a better PR department they could top the league !

0 Replies

Neat! Thanks for showing us this. Smile

0 Replies

fresco wrote:

Thanks for that.

I note with mild interest that "atheists" appear to be running second to muslims ! Perhaps with a better PR department they could top the league !

Nah, third. Damn Christians are beating us too. But I think the positive is that this must be our highest chart position so far....and still climbing?

0 Replies

fresco wrote:

Thanks for that.

I note with mild interest that "atheists" appear to be running second to muslims ! Perhaps with a better PR department they could top the league !

Most of these appear to be in Communist China, in which you are atheist, or else.

They've already got a huge PR department as you know, but I guess bigger isn't necessarily better.

0 Replies

I don't think so real life. It seems that there was a category for chinese religion, with approx. 350 million followers.

Personally I think it is wrong that children are taught religions from birth. They should all be raised as atheist, or perhaps agnostics, until they wanted to chose for themselves.

0 Replies

Cyracuz wrote:

I don't think so real life. It seems that there was a category for chinese religion, with approx. 350 million followers.

There's a lot more than 350 million folks in China, Cyracuz. China is officially an atheist country and most folks there toe the party line.

No doubt some do not, but also all the followers of Chinese religion are not necessarily living in China.

There are many Chinese who live in other countries, as well as devotees of Chinese religions that are not native Chinese.

Cyracuz wrote:

Personally I think it is wrong that children are taught religions from birth. They should all be raised as atheist, or perhaps agnostics, until they wanted to chose for themselves.

In China, you would fit right in.

The Communists think it's wrong to teach religion to children also.

Have you ever considered moving there?

They do it your way.

0 Replies

Yeah they do. But they're harsh on other things. Like art and music. They don't let you do what you want in those areas from what I know of the country. So I wouldn't like living there.

But we could sure learn a thing or two from our brothers in the east. Just not how to make cars...

0 Replies

From Wiki:

The People's Republic of China is officially secular and atheist, but does allow personal religion or supervised religious organization

0 Replies

Wiki.

Now THERE'S a reliable source. Rolling Eyes

0 Replies

Happy to see more credible sources posted when you get around to it, real life.

0 Replies

Actually, wikipedia is quite reliable. Just see here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4530930.stm

0 Replies

As far as I know, whether China is "officially" atheist or not does not change the fact that Chinese people have followed Confucianism, Laoism and Buddhism for thousands and thousands of years. These three philosophies/ways of life are in the conscious and subconscious of the Chinese people and form their identity. All three do not have a god, so one can safely say that almost all Chinese people are atheists, except for a minority of them who are Christians or of other minor religions. This also applies to people of Chinese descent who live outside of China.

Christianity is allowed back now, but only in registered churches, and there are more people who get to know it and become Christians. I would like to note that whether Christianity is allowed or forbidden does not matter to a great extent because it is so different from the Chinese "identity". Imagine if you grow up and live all your life without the concept of a God, then suddenly a Christian priest comes at your door and tells you if you don't believe in the Christian God, you will go to hell. Well, just imagine that and you will understand why Christianity cannot work in China, forbidden or not.

Personally, I would be interested to know what the members think about raising children without officially "giving" them a religion, letting them free to choose the religion they want, if any, when they reach, for example, 18 years old. We do that for voting, why not do that for religion? After all, if you are not mature enough to vote, would you be mature enough to decide whether the religion of your parents is what you want for yourself? So what do you think could be the pros and cons?

0 Replies

cello wrote:

Personally, I would be interested to know what the members think about raising children without officially "giving" them a religion, letting them free to choose the religion they want, if any, when they reach, for example, 18 years old. We do that for voting, why not do that for religion? After all, if you are not mature enough to vote, would you be mature enough to decide whether the religion of your parents is what you want for yourself? So what do you think could be the pros and cons?

Did that times 2 so I obviously think it's a great idea Smile

. We raised the girls with a strong push to search for truth and meaning while giving them an understanding of the tenets of all the major (and some not so major) faith traditions. Our hope is that they never settle for one religion over another and continue the search, but that would be up to them.

The cons? Its easier for a child to be handed a belief system than to be pushed to search for one. The pros? They don't ever have to worry about rejecting the religion of their parents.

0 Replies

Ditto JPB.

0 Replies

cello wrote:

Personally, I would be interested to know what the members think about raising children without officially "giving" them a religion, letting them free to choose the religion they want, if any, when they reach, for example, 18 years old. So what do you think could be the pros and cons?

Not officially "giving" my children a religion meant two things. One, they actually have no religion. Two, they did inherit several traits of the Catholic culture from their parents.
Pro: They never shivered a night thinking of hell.
Con: They lack enough Bible culture, like you tell them about Lot or Jericho or turning water into wine, and they have only a faint idea of what you're talking about.

cello wrote:

We do that for voting, why not do that for religion? After all, if you are not mature enough to vote, would you be mature enough to decide whether the religion of your parents is what you want for yourself?

Do we? I never told my older sons who to vote for, but they have heard enough informed political talk at home... they both have voted, freely and secretly, the same split vote their father has.
As for the younger one, she is even more into politics, and -I guess- even more influenced by her mother and father.

As for the religion site, it lacks several religions.
Good lord, it has Maya, and not Santería!

0 Replies

fbaezer wrote:

Not officially "giving" my children a goofiness meant two things. One, they actually have no goofiness.

tee-hee.

0 Replies

Religions of the World

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know