Is China Really an Atheistic Country?

[MineralMan]

3. Yes, it is. And, as westerners, we often think that

unless theism is involved, there is no religion. That's why someone might think that China is trying to wipe out religion. It's not, really, but it is skeptical, with good reason, about western religions. Culturally, they are not really a good match for Eastern cultures, and China is certainly one of those.

Theistic religions tend to promote authoritarianism, and lend to it a deity that has the last word. In China, the last word is given by the government. Once, that was a chieftain or emperor. Today, it is a tyrannical regime. There is little difference, except that an over-riding deity makes tyranny more difficult in some ways.

Some claim that China is intolerant of religion. In reality, China is intolerant of monotheistic, rule-based religions. It's fine with it's own ancient folk religions, as is shown by the fact that 80% of its population still maintains some relationship with those folk religions.

Some of us think we're smart. We're not that smart, really, when it comes to cultures that aren't the same as our own.