So why is Confucianism a relgion?

[Bei1052]

Because it has the same role in the countries it's present as Islam does in the Middle East or Christianity in the West.

 

[Dida]

i am chinese and i have never seen or heard of anyone worship confucianism.

You must be a very ignorant Chinese. Emperors offered sacrifice to heaven and earth for a good harvest, was that not a Confucian ritual? Ordinary Chinese offer sacrifice to ancestors, is that not Confucian? Worshiping of gods like Guan Yu, Ma Zu and many others are also Confucian.

 

[astrodog]

Geez.... I can now see why they didn't make the religions different in the game - imagine the fighting!! (would be funny to watch - but imagine it!)
It's easier being an atheist!

 

[Mencelus]

I'll just add that I have BEEN to the Confucian temple in Japan they mentioned in Ochanomizu. As the wiki article says, many students go there to pray for success in examinations. When I was doing my master's there, people told me to go there and I did, but I didn't know why! Now I know - Confucian.

Question is who cares for it now? Didn't see in the article.

 

[Xellos-_^]

You must be a very ignorant Chinese. Emperors offered sacrifice to heaven and earth for a good harvest, was that not a Confucian ritual? Ordinary Chinese offer sacrifice to ancestors, is that not Confucian? Worshiping of gods like Guan Yu, Ma Zu and many others are also Confucian.

that is not confucianism

Emperors were doing that before confucianism

and you are a jackass poster

 

[Fei Kelei]

Emperors offered sacrifice to heaven and earth for a good harvest, was that not a Confucian ritual? Ordinary Chinese offer sacrifice to ancestors, is that not Confucian? Worshiping of gods like Guan Yu, Ma Zu and many others are also Confucian.

Not really. Wikipedia says it well:

"Although Confucianism may include ancestor worship, sacrifice to ancestral spirits and an abstract celestial deity, and the deification of ancient kings and even Confucius himself, all these features can be traced back to non-Confucian Chinese beliefs established long before Confucius."

Those things you listed are more closely associated with Daoism, though of course Daoism and Confucianism (and Buddhism) existed together for so many centuries that it's difficult to separate them. Confucianism isn't about belief in God or gods or the supernatural in general, so in that sense it's not a religion. But it is certainly a system of beliefs having to do with morality and proper ethical relationships, so in that sense it is. Whatever you classify it as, it was certainly important enough in history to merit inclusion in the game, since Confucian teachings formed the basis of Chinese government for more than two millennia.

 

[devilhunterred]

Not really. Wikipedia says it well:

"Although Confucianism may include ancestor worship, sacrifice to ancestral spirits and an abstract celestial deity, and the deification of ancient kings and even Confucius himself, all these features can be traced back to non-Confucian Chinese beliefs established long before Confucius."

Those things you listed are more closely associated with Daoism, though of course Daoism and Confucianism (and Buddhism) existed together for so many centuries that it's difficult to separate them. Confucianism isn't about belief in God or gods or the supernatural in general, so in that sense it's not a religion. But it is certainly a system of beliefs having to do with morality and proper ethical relationships, so in that sense it is. Whatever you classify it as, it was certainly important enough in history to merit inclusion in the game, since Confucian teachings formed the basis of Chinese government for more than two millennia.

Not just Chinese, but it also had a great impact on Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. In fact Confucian temples scattered all accross Asia.

 

[dzog]

To me religion has a church. If it doesn't have a church it's not a religion.

Don't know about Confucianism, but Buddhism is not a religion it's a philosophy and it has shrines, not churches and I really don't care what the all proud american online dictionaries says.

I had to reply to this one.

 

[Fei Kelei]

What's your definition of church? Are synagogues churches? Mosques? "Religion" is a broad term, and you're trying to narrow it down too much. The people I see here in China bowing down and leaving offerings to various Buddhas at temples and monasteries are clearly practicing a religion, not philosophizing.

 

[dworkin]

i will go built a shrine to algebra on my off days

A mate of mine built a shrine to the great caffiene gods (composed of coke cans) during his Math thesis work.

Any good?

 

[Xellos-_^]

A mate of mine built a shrine to the great caffiene gods (composed of coke cans) during his Math thesis work.

Any good?

shouldn't i be out of coffe cans?

 

[Lemon Merchant]

To me religion has a church. If it doesn't have a church it's not a religion.

A "church" is simply a place where people of a like mind go to worship the deity they choose to believe in. It doesn't have to be a grand building, though it often is. It's just a location to gather. It's the people worshiping the same thing that make the religion. If you have religious faith, you can worship God (or whomever) in your underwear, in the middle of a subway tunnel for all the location matters. If you believe, it means the very same thing.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Geez.... I can now see why they didn't make the religions different in the game - imagine the fighting!! (would be funny to watch - but imagine it!)
It's easier being an atheist!

Indeed it is .

shouldn't i be out of coffe cans?

You'd be surprised how much caffeine is in some kinds of soda. It can surpass coffee.

The multiple definitions of religion I found that describe Confucianism fairly well are ignored or unchallenged. Interesting.

 

[Supr49er]

Welcome to the Forums Mencelus.

 

[devilhunterred]

To me religion has a church. If it doesn't have a church it's not a religion.

Don't know about Confucianism, but Buddhism is not a religion it's a philosophy and it has shrines, not churches and I really don't care what the all proud american online dictionaries says.

I had to reply to this one.

I must say this is a highly ignorant and foolish comment.

You obviously know nothing whatsoever about religions and philosophies.

Next time maybe you should have just kept embarassing replies like this to yourself.

 

[Tee Kay]

To me religion has a church. If it doesn't have a church it's not a religion.

Don't know about Confucianism, but Buddhism is not a religion it's a philosophy and it has shrines, not churches and I really don't care what the all proud american online dictionaries says.

I had to reply to this one.

There are Buddhist temples.

And that is a very crappy and lazy definition of a religion.

Those things you listed are more closely associated with Daoism, though of course Daoism and Confucianism (and Buddhism) existed together for so many centuries that it's difficult to separate them. Confucianism isn't about belief in God or gods or the supernatural in general, so in that sense it's not a religion. But it is certainly a system of beliefs having to do with morality and proper ethical relationships, so in that sense it is. Whatever you classify it as, it was certainly important enough in history to merit inclusion in the game, since Confucian teachings formed the basis of Chinese government for more than two millennia.

This. Confucian philosophy and related beliefs are very important in Chinese history and East Asian history in general. That justifies its inclusion in the game, even though it might not strictly be called a "religion" in the traditional Western sense.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Algebra can also be a religion if a group of followers believe in the concept, idea, follow with the principles and worship mathematicians.

lol. There is no way algebra can be described as a religion.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

lol. There is no way algebra can be described as a religion.

Why not? People practice black magic and worship the "Dark Side" all the time.

 

[Xellos-_^]

lol. There is no way algebra can be described as a religion.

how about advance calculus then

 

[TheMeInTeam]

Why not? People practice black magic and worship the "Dark Side" all the time.

Shhhhhhhh. This isn't something our cabal wants us leaking to just anyone. Only the truly worthy.