“religion matters”(the case of Taiwan)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said:

“People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. Acts 17:22-23

10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11"I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;…” Matthew 8:10 -11

Taipei, Taiwan

We stayed here

Looking out the window

Looking down the street to Taipei 101

Taoism 8 Million and 18,274 TemplesBuddhism 8 Million and 4006 Templesmixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%

Taiwanese are very Religious

Taiwanese are very Religious

Taiwanese are very Religious

Taiwanese are very Religious

Longshan Temple, mixture of Taoism and Buddhism

Taiwanese are very Religious

Longshan Temple

Taiwanese are very Religious

Longshan Temple

Zhinan Temple

Zhinan Temple

Zhinan Temple

Zhinan Temple

Baoan Temple, Taoist

Baoan Temple

Baoan Temple

Confucius Temple

Confucius Temple

Taiwanese religions are syncretic - the people see no conflict being

- - Taoist, - Confucian, - Buddhist at the same time,

- & practicing ancestor veneration and divination

What do these religions in Taiwan teach?

What are the ethical teachings that have such an impact on peoples

positive behavior in Taiwan

Li --> Rules, ritual decorum Ren --> humaneness, benevolence,

humanity Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy

Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.

Yi --> Righteousness Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your

elders!) Learning

Buddhism is based on the Four Noble

Truths.

3. The way to eliminate suffering is to eliminate desire.4. Following the Eightfold path will help people to overcome desire.

1. All life is suffering.2. Suffering is caused by desire for things that are illusions.

Eightfold Path

Seek harmony and unity between complimentary opposites Yin- passive and Yang =ctive

Humility and noncompetition

Naturalness

Nonaggression and passive rule

Lao Tzu

Daoism–Taoism

Outside the National Theater in Taipei

Falun Gong

http://www.faluninfo.net/gallery/8/

A blend of Taoism, Buddhism, popular religions

Beliefs: the cultivation of vital energies through truthfulness, compassion, tolerance, and physical exercises

Falun Gong

Researchers in the United States have shown that the religious believes held by a large number of the population

reduce corruption increases respect for law boost overall economic growth

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/11/15/the_curious_economic_effects_of_religion/

promote social stability promote ethical behavior lower crime

“religion (any) matters”

Religions shape Societies and the Behaviors

Respect for Elders, dark blue seats for seniors

Orderly behavior

Little theft and respect for the property of others

No cheating (by taxi drivers etc)

Diverse views coexisting relatively peaceful

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/foreign-affairs/2010/09/14/272459/14-Chinese.htm

Helpfulness to strangers

No one gets angry if someone is moved at the

head of the line

Respect for naturalness OR training

ConfuciusLao-Tzu

Always Safe

Safety Index(100 is very safe)

United States

49.84

Taiwan

78.56 http://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp

Crime Index

United States

50.16

Taiwanhttp://www.numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp

21.44

Very Little Crime

Fourth Grade, 20114th in Mathematics and Science9th in Reading

https://rankingamerica.wordpress.com/category/education/

The ranking they give Taiwan’s education is 4th

British think-tank, Legatum Institute

“Students graduating from the Taiwanese education system do

so with some of the highest scores in the world on comparative international tests, especially in more technical fields such as mathematics and science. “ Drawing inspiration from Confucianism.

http://wenr.wes.org/2010/05/wenr-may-2010-feature/

Trends in International Mathematics and Science

Study 2007

Learning

Peaceful coexistence of Daoism and Confucianism

“Recent studies of Chinese in …Taiwan,……… indicate that most drink in moderation, many choose not to drink and very few experience any drinking problem”

David J. Hanson, Preventing Alcohol Abuse: Alcohol, Culture, and Control, p. 44

Moderate Drinking, very little alcohol abuse

“…religious practices not only function for supernatural meaning, for acquiring blessing and protection from the deities or the dead, they also help maintain family stability and harmony” p. 5Jiexia Zhai , Religion, Gender, and Family Relations in Taiwan, p.5

Experts estimate that about 25 percent to 30 percent of marriages in Taiwan end in divorce.

http://www.international-divorce.com/Taiwan:-Divorce-Rate-Rises

40 to 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce

http://www.apa.org/topics/divorce/

Family Stability and Divorce

Taiwan, not yet fully living up to its beliefs, but closer to it then most countries

“religion (DOES) matters”Religious believes held by a large number of the population does

reduce corruption increases respect for law boost overall economic growth

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/11/15/the_curious_economic_effects_of_religion/

promote social stability promote ethical behavior encourage learning lower crime

and may lead non-Christians into God’s Kingdom

Matthew 8:10 -11