Is Confucianism a religion? Well, to answer that, one needs to define religion. One definition given by dictionary.com is "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs." Basically, religion is trying to explain why the Earth exists, why things happen, and why humans exist. It gives people a "moral code" to live by. Based on that definition, I do not think Confucianism is a religion because it is not trying to explain the world and other things. It does not have "devotional and ritual observances." Confucianism is basically a belief system. The book basically states things that a man has says and what he believes. It is pretty close to a code of conduct. It tells people how they should live and what they should do and what is right.
The reading supports the idea that people are born naturally bad. One example is in book, chapter four, "I daily examine myself on three points:--whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;--whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;--whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher." In this quote, the speaker is explaining that they judge themselves based on these three criteria. They check themselves for being faithful to people, sincere and whether or not they listened to their teacher. The first two are qualities that everyone wants people to have. The last one, "mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher" sounds like being obedient. Since the speaker is trying to make sure that they are faithful, sincere and obedient, it shows that they know they are prone to ignoring those three qualities. Since they know they are prone to forgetting about being faithful, sincere and obedient, it proves people are more likely to be bad.
Another example is in book one, chapter six, "The Master said, "A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies."" The Master is talking about how a youth should behave. Just to point this out, young people are more mischievous than older people and they are stereo-typically portrayed as bad, but that can be disregarded. Ignoring, "a youth", this quote is about how person should be "filial" and "respectful to his elders", he should also be earnest and truthful. A person should also be loving and polite. This is basically a laundry list of qualities a person should possess. This is telling a person how they should behave and if people were thought to be born good, they would not need to be told to behave like this. Since the Master must tell people they should behave a certain way, it supports that people are born bad. Another part of this quote that stands out is "cultivate the friendship of the good." A person should make friends with good people and good intentions is basically what I am getting out of that statement. This makes me think that the Master thinks people are more likely to befriend bad people or make friends for bad reasons rather than good. This quote shows that he believes that people have the tendency to do bad things.
A final example is also in book one, chapter eight, line two, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles." This quote is really short , but it also supports the idea that people are born bad. As mentioned before, if people are born good, they do not need to be told to be good or behave properly. Here, faithfulness and sincerity are told to be important principles that a person must follow. A person born good would not need to be told that these are important principles. Another point is that nowadays, most laws are made because someone, somewhere decided to do something and it caused a problem. In order to avoid this problem, a law was made. Like in some states, people cannot chew gum in certain areas. Well, since this is a law, even if it is a ridiculous law, it clearly must have caused some problem. Likewise, unfaithful and insincere people are the reason why Confucius has decided that these principles need to be instilled in people. In other words, since there are unfaithful and insincere people, this statement was made because people need to be told to be faithful and sincere.
Overall, this book's reading supports the idea that people are born bad by instructing people how they should behave and what their ideals and principles should be.
The reading supports the idea that people are born naturally bad. One example is in book, chapter four, "I daily examine myself on three points:--whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;--whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;--whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher." In this quote, the speaker is explaining that they judge themselves based on these three criteria. They check themselves for being faithful to people, sincere and whether or not they listened to their teacher. The first two are qualities that everyone wants people to have. The last one, "mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher" sounds like being obedient. Since the speaker is trying to make sure that they are faithful, sincere and obedient, it shows that they know they are prone to ignoring those three qualities. Since they know they are prone to forgetting about being faithful, sincere and obedient, it proves people are more likely to be bad.
Another example is in book one, chapter six, "The Master said, "A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies."" The Master is talking about how a youth should behave. Just to point this out, young people are more mischievous than older people and they are stereo-typically portrayed as bad, but that can be disregarded. Ignoring, "a youth", this quote is about how person should be "filial" and "respectful to his elders", he should also be earnest and truthful. A person should also be loving and polite. This is basically a laundry list of qualities a person should possess. This is telling a person how they should behave and if people were thought to be born good, they would not need to be told to behave like this. Since the Master must tell people they should behave a certain way, it supports that people are born bad. Another part of this quote that stands out is "cultivate the friendship of the good." A person should make friends with good people and good intentions is basically what I am getting out of that statement. This makes me think that the Master thinks people are more likely to befriend bad people or make friends for bad reasons rather than good. This quote shows that he believes that people have the tendency to do bad things.
A final example is also in book one, chapter eight, line two, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles." This quote is really short , but it also supports the idea that people are born bad. As mentioned before, if people are born good, they do not need to be told to be good or behave properly. Here, faithfulness and sincerity are told to be important principles that a person must follow. A person born good would not need to be told that these are important principles. Another point is that nowadays, most laws are made because someone, somewhere decided to do something and it caused a problem. In order to avoid this problem, a law was made. Like in some states, people cannot chew gum in certain areas. Well, since this is a law, even if it is a ridiculous law, it clearly must have caused some problem. Likewise, unfaithful and insincere people are the reason why Confucius has decided that these principles need to be instilled in people. In other words, since there are unfaithful and insincere people, this statement was made because people need to be told to be faithful and sincere.
Overall, this book's reading supports the idea that people are born bad by instructing people how they should behave and what their ideals and principles should be.
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