Is it ok for Catholics to follow Confucianism?

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=Skadi;11774679]Indeed, but he was not talking about Christ, but the Greek gods. So how is this different from Confucius? If you believe the philosophy of Aplogy and Crito, you probably beleave them in a Christian rather than pagan way.
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:)I didn’t say I believed it; only that I had read it and was aware of it.

You’re playing with fire and hoping NOT to get burned my friend.:o

God Bless you,
Patick,
 
I am a Chinese, brought up with Confucianist ideals without knowing the word. Much of what I heard on this thread is by people who evidently know the word but not the ideals.

The Church in Asia teaches that Confucianism is not a religion. It is a code (I wouldn’t call it a philosophy) by which society is to be ordered and have held the Chinese civilisation together for two thousand years (bar the odd communist revolution here and there). The Chinese civilisation is not religious-based and religion tends to be very much a personal thing as long as civic duty (via Confucianism) is mantained.

For instance, Confucianism sees filial piety as fundamental and no society can survive if the family unit is not strong. Hence, Chinese children books are filled with stories of children warming up a cold winter bed for their grandparents, etc, etc. Part of filial peity is ingrained through Chinese rituals on how one’s elders are to be addressed, how conversation can take pleace, etc, etc. The same principle then extends all the way up to the emperor as the father of the nation.

As Confucianism is religion-agnostic, however, some (but not many) of the rituals may be imported from other religions without distinguishing between what is secular ritual and what is religious ritual. For most non-Christian/Muslim Chinese, it doesn’t make a difference as most Chinese follow a syncretised Buddist-Taoist-folk religion as the religious supplement to Confucianism. But it does make a difference to Chinese Christians.

As a result of inculturation following Vatican 2, we are allowed to accept the rituals of the Chinese as long as they are deemed cultural and not religious. We learn to differentiate between the two. For instance, Chinese traditionally keep name-plates of their ancestors in the family altar - that is allowed but not on the Catholic altar & so the names are often kept on a scroll on the side walls. Chinese pray to their ancestors with joss-sticks. Catholics are allowed to pray for and commemorate their ancestors with joss-sticks (outward action may seem the same but the inner reflections are different). Chinese makes offerings to their ancestors and to the Kitchen God - that Catholics are not allowed to do.

You may want to raise the actual tenet of Confucianism that you are interested in and your Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean/etc parish priest can advise the appropriate Catholic stance on it.
 
=jimkhong;11777011]I am a Chinese, brought up with Confucianist ideals without knowing the word. Much of what I heard on this thread is by people who evidently know the word but not the ideals.
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The Church in Asia teaches that Confucianism is not a religion. It is a code (I wouldn’t call it a philosophy) by which society is to be ordered and have held the Chinese civilisation together for two thousand years (bar the odd communist revolution here and there). The Chinese civilisation is not religious-based and religion tends to be very much a personal thing as long as civic duty (via Confucianism) is mantained.
Click to expand...
For instance, Confucianism sees filial piety as fundamental and no society can survive if the family unit is not strong. Hence, Chinese children books are filled with stories of children warming up a cold winter bed for their grandparents, etc, etc. Part of filial peity is ingrained through Chinese rituals on how one’s elders are to be addressed, how conversation can take pleace, etc, etc. The same principle then extends all the way up to the emperor as the father of the nation.
Click to expand...
As Confucianism is religion-agnostic, however, some (but not many) of the rituals may be imported from other religions without distinguishing between what is secular ritual and what is religious ritual. For most non-Christian/Muslim Chinese, it doesn’t make a difference as most Chinese follow a syncretised Buddist-Taoist-folk religion as the religious supplement to Confucianism. But it does make a difference to Chinese Christians.
Click to expand...
As a result of inculturation following Vatican 2, we are allowed to accept the rituals of the Chinese as long as they are deemed cultural and not religious. We learn to differentiate between the two. For instance, Chinese traditionally keep name-plates of their ancestors in the family altar - that is allowed but not on the Catholic altar & so the names are often kept on a scroll on the side walls. Chinese pray to their ancestors with joss-sticks. Catholics are allowed to pray for and commemorate their ancestors with joss-sticks (outward action may seem the same but the inner reflections are different). Chinese makes offerings to their ancestors and to the Kitchen God - that Catholics are not allowed to do.
Click to expand...
You may want to raise the actual tenet of Confucianism that you are interested in and your Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean/etc parish priest can advise the appropriate Catholic stance on it.
Click to expand...
Thank YOU so much; VERY informative.

God Bless you my friend,
Patrick
 
jimkhong said:
I am a Chinese, brought up with Confucianist ideals without knowing the word. Much of what I heard on this thread is by people who evidently know the word but not the ideals.

The Church in Asia teaches that Confucianism is not a religion. It is a code (I wouldn’t call it a philosophy) by which society is to be ordered and have held the Chinese civilisation together for two thousand years (bar the odd communist revolution here and there). The Chinese civilisation is not religious-based and religion tends to be very much a personal thing as long as civic duty (via Confucianism) is mantained.

For instance, Confucianism sees filial piety as fundamental and no society can survive if the family unit is not strong. Hence, Chinese children books are filled with stories of children warming up a cold winter bed for their grandparents, etc, etc. Part of filial peity is ingrained through Chinese rituals on how one’s elders are to be addressed, how conversation can take pleace, etc, etc. The same principle then extends all the way up to the emperor as the father of the nation.

As Confucianism is religion-agnostic, however, some (but not many) of the rituals may be imported from other religions without distinguishing between what is secular ritual and what is religious ritual. For most non-Christian/Muslim Chinese, it doesn’t make a difference as most Chinese follow a syncretised Buddist-Taoist-folk religion as the religious supplement to Confucianism. But it does make a difference to Chinese Christians.

As a result of inculturation following Vatican 2, we are allowed to accept the rituals of the Chinese as long as they are deemed cultural and not religious. We learn to differentiate between the two. For instance, Chinese traditionally keep name-plates of their ancestors in the family altar - that is allowed but not on the Catholic altar & so the names are often kept on a scroll on the side walls. Chinese pray to their ancestors with joss-sticks. Catholics are allowed to pray for and commemorate their ancestors with joss-sticks (outward action may seem the same but the inner reflections are different). Chinese makes offerings to their ancestors and to the Kitchen God - that Catholics are not allowed to do.

You may want to raise the actual tenet of Confucianism that you are interested in and your Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean/etc parish priest can advise the appropriate Catholic stance on it.
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Thank you very much for your info.
 
Darryl_B said:
Pope Francis, attached or detached?
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I have no idea…I don’t know enough about the man.

I really wish you would just explain what you mean when you say that Christianity is about attachment.
I am truly curious to hear your views.

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
I have no idea…I don’t know enough about the man.

I really wish you would just explain what you mean when you say that Christianity is about attachment.
I am truly curious to hear your views.

Peace
James
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I just don’t want to side track this thread subject. Maybe another thread?
 
JimKhong is right. And you’ll see many of those Confucius’ practices during Chinese/Tet new year or feast of Asian Martyr Saints. I think it’s beautiful.
 
It’s always good to be educated, but actually following something is a different matter entirely.
 
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