The other day when I had dinner with my friends, a sensitive topic popped up - religion. My friend didn't want to have a grand birthday dinner and there were no gifts or anything because to him, he was mourning for his grandma who just passed away. He didnt want to celebrate at this time of the year. So some of my christian friends asked him what religion he was and he said he didnt have one, but his grandma was actually a catholic. Then my friend asked if he shouldn't mourn because she was going home to a better place but he just replied that it's too confusing but he just doesn't feel like celebrating anyway.
So i don't think there is really any lines that differentiate what is actually culture and what is religion even though they are both very different things. For me, i embraced buddhism when I was young and of course I had joss stick moments because we can't take away culture from religion but I went to a buddhist sunday school and i know what true buddhism is. It's not about praying or about chanting. But like any other religion, it teaches the way of life, which is something I find very practical about. I learnt to respect other people's religion too.
I definitely think humans need religion - not because we're curious about the afterlife, but because it teaches us to be good, it guides us and it gives us hope. Yet, some people I know does not even celebrate chinese new year because to them cny is praying to gods and giving food to gods but it is never the case. Because chinese new year is an occasion/celebration to meet up with friends and relative - to reunite and have fun! It is culture and who says religion cannot be mixed with culture? Just because you are not a taoist/budhist doesnt make you less chinese!
I guess there's always the extremist and the ones who are neither here neither there or everywhere. But for me culture is still tradition and it is who you are born as and to deny that part of you is just very shameful.
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Ah, indeed religion is the most sensitive of issues, even among friends.
ReplyDeleteYou are right to say that religion is not all about worshippin god/gods, but it also teaches you the way of life. How & why one should be good.
But fundamentally, we still need to believe that there is a god, coz, if we don't, we fear nothing (hence, there is no point in doing what's good - as there is no "punishment" for doing something bad)
For me as a Christian, it’s a lil bit more personal, as I have a relationship with God (just like being in a relationship with someone). So I can talk to Him , ask Him questions, etc. And I know that no matter what happens in life, I have Him guiding me throughout - the good times and especially more so the difficult times.
But being a Christian doesn’t make me any less Chinese. I still instil the Chinese culture - like respecting the ancestors, celebrating CNY, etc. Afterall, religions does not mean stripping away one's culture, as you so rightfully pointed out :)