Is Confucianism a religion?

[ahsingjai]

I had a argument with some people about this. Confucius did not intend to create a religion with his Analects but isn't Confucius ideals different from Confucianism? Isn't Confucianism mix with ancestry worship where there is heaven and gods? Won't this mean it should be a religion and not a philosophy compare to people who are just strictly following the philosphy instead?

[yoMAMA]

it's more like a way of life.

[soapzen]

I don't think confucianism was ever considered a 'religion'... it's more a moral and political code that is very very specific. I wouldn't even call it a philosophy, because again, it's very specific and not conceptual.

In China, it was taken so seriously that Emperors considered Confucius's line the only lineage higher than himself.

To this day, and we're talking about thru Communism and the Cultural Revolution in China, Confucius's home in Qufu is still kept up, unchanged and the geneology recorded with great care. Well, mostly unchanged since 478 BC, when his house was rebuilt as an entire temple complex with a few additional buildings added thruout the Han Dynasty. Considering that Confucius lived in 551 BCE, that's quite a feat, and shows the reverence he was held in, even til today.

I haven't seen it, but my mom has stayed there, a portion is still maintained as the hereditary residence of Confucius's direct line (most of whom return for the annual celebrations for his birthday), whom are the only ones allowed to sleep in the private quarters reserved for descendants.

To this day, despite Communism, the male descendants are still titled "Lord of Learning". It's remarkable that even during the darkest days of Communism, that this enclave has never been damaged, when even the Forbidden City was sacked. They are on the 78th, maybe 79th direct lineal descendant now, the descendants all live in the US I believe.

Confucianism is where the concept of Filial Piety comes from, which led to the 'ancestor worship' idea. What westerners don't grasp is that it's not worship... it's paying respect the ancient way. Respecting your heritage, your family, your culture. That elders have wisdom and should thus be treated with reverence (because someday, when you are elderly, you too will be accorded the same respect).

When you see the little 'temple' boxes with the 3 figures inside with the incense in front, and a photo of a relative behind ...that's a display of Confucianism, which is often confused with worship.

It is very strict hierarchy leaves no room for doubt when it comes to loyalty, duty and honor. It's a beautiful system, and if you are East Asian, Chinese in particular, it's part of who you are.

There's a lot of sites online that describe it, here's a few links:
http://www.crystalinks.com/confucianism.html
http://www.connect.net/ron/confucianism.html
http://www.religioustolerance.org/confuciu.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism

[Chu Chi]

If you define "religion" as: A strong belief backed up by action.


then Yes, Confucianism is a religion.

but it is not the most powerful one.


CC

[SunWuKong]

To this day, despite Communism, the male descendants are still titled "Lord of Learning". It's remarkable that even during the darkest days of Communism, that this enclave has never been damaged, when even the Forbidden City was sacked.

i'm almost certain that it was damaged and trashed during the Cultural Revolution. i'm too lazy to look up any articles or webpages about that right now though.

i want to note that Confucianism has been used by the royal courts in Ancient and Imperial China as a way to justify their rule and to maintain order throughout the population. and most famously, it was used by Wang Mang to justify his radical reforms in the middle of the Han Dynasty.

[Player 0]

Confucianism was used the same way that European dynasties used Christianity, to justify their rule of the country in the name of the religion's founder.

[AltimaGTR]

Well, I recently played Civilization IV and it was listed in there as a religion. OMG IF SID MEIER SEZ CONFUCIANISM IS A RELIGION THEN IT IS! heheheh. There should be a poll.

[Broomer]

Confucianism isn't a religion however, fact doesn't matter as much as what people believes.

Catholicism is a religion, but it's also a way of life and a philosophy.

The line isn't always so clear cut.

[SunWuKong]

Confucianism isn't a religion however, fact doesn't matter as much as what people believes.

Catholicism is a religion, but it's also a way of life and a philosophy.

The line isn't always so clear cut.

no, it's a pretty clear line. you don't worship anything in Confucianism. but, for example, Buddhism is both a religion and a philosophy, because there is Buddhism in practice and worship, and there's also Buddhism in philosophy.

plus, the other thing is, Confucianism is so ingrained into Chinese culture and society that you can't really talk about it seperately as an entity outside of Chinese culture.

[ahsingjai]

Well, I recently played Civilization IV and it was listed in there as a religion. OMG IF SID MEIER SEZ CONFUCIANISM IS A RELIGION THEN IT IS! heheheh. There should be a poll.

Aww shit, I'll pwn you biatch. I havent played it since december cuz it doesn't work on my laptop and I rather not subject myself sitting there playing on my PC for hours.

[AltimaGTR]

Aww shit, I'll pwn you biatch. I havent played it since december cuz it doesn't work on my laptop and I rather not subject myself sitting there playing on my PC for hours.
I haven't tried playing against other players, I need to try it out.

[Seamus]

.

[Seamus]

Confucianism is an irrelevant bauble from the oppressive, feudalistic, past and should thrown into the trashheap of history while humankind builds a better, brighter future under the shining star of scientific socialism. All such counterrevolutionary, self-contradictory thought must be strongly criticized. What the world needs now is more tractors and more steel for the workers, not more effete intellectuals who worship their ancestors and their bourgeois oppressors.