Le Shen
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Born n' raised in Shanghai, China. Live in US since 2011.Nov 12
What will be China’s future dominant religion?
Atheism.

Religion is, not surprisingly, dying amongst younger generations of Chinese. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Go to a temple, or a church, or a mosque, or even just a street fortune teller’s stand.

You’re gonna see no one but grandpas and grandmas.

While statistically speaking, a not-insignificant portion (up to 80% depending on who you ask) of the Chinese population follows the “Chinese popular/folk religion”, we don’t really see it as a true “religion.”

For example, whenever I go visit my maternal grandfather and my uncle’s resting place, I will burn incense and paper money, bow before the headstone, as well as offer some food and beer the two gentlemen used to enjoy:


Something like this, the picture came from the Internet --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So technically, by doing these things, I am a believer of “Chinese popular ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
religion.”
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But do I really believe that, somewhere, somehow, grandad and uncle suddenly get a fat wad of cash and a homemade meal out of thin air because of what I did?

No, not one bit.

I do these things because it’s a part of our culture, it’s how we pay our respect, it’s how we remember those who have passed, and it’s how we learn to cherish the time we spend with those who are still here.

My maternal grandfather and my uncle have passed away, they’re gone, there’s no afterlife as far as I’m concerned.
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Yet they still live, the great memories they shared with us will always remain, memories which we will pass onto our children and grandchildren.

And we keep those memories fresh by paying such respects at their resting place.

There’re no gods, no heaven, no hell; just the actions of the living and the ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
memories with the deceased.
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This form of “atheism” is what dominates China, and I think that’s just fine.
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