CONFUCIANISM--JUST ONE OF MANY NONTHEISTIC RELIGIONS

A GOOD PERSON CAN BE RELIGIOUS AND NONTHEISTIC TOO.

Nontheism is a term that covers a range of both religious and nonreligious attitudes characterized by the absence of belief in anything supernatural. In this sense, religion may be sensibly defined as a set of beliefs, values, and practices; or, a cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion. Thus a person can be nontheistic and nonsuperstitious and still be religious. For me, the most important aspect of religion is to promote humaneness. 

Confucius was a great teacher of humaneness. You know the Golden Rule, don’t you? It says, “DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.” Confucius was the first person we know of to teach the Golden Rule, although he put it this way: “WHAT YOU DO NOT WISH FOR YOURSELF, DO NOT DO TO OTHERS.”

Many people began to listen to his teachings, which became known as “Confucianism.” Confucianism is not a religion, like Islam or Christianity, because Confucius did not have anything to say about God or the gods. Confucianism is a way of thinking about how to live a good life and how to humanely treat others.