The "R" word...???

While I’m still working on a good title for my dating series and engaging in some “research,” I’m going to switch it up because this is a blog topic I’m excited about. Religion. I’ve been alarmed at the number of people, Chinese and foreigners, asking me about my religion. In the few weeks I’ve been in Nanjing, I’ve had more people ask me about my religion than I did in four years of college.

Growing up in the “bible belt,” religion has pretty much just been a way of life... And by religion, I mean Christianity (with a splash of Jew). One of the most memorable effects of reverse culture shock from when I came home from China the last time was the number of churches I saw driving around. To be honest, religion was pretty nonexistent in Shanghai. Sure there was a foreign church, but you had to have a foreign passport in order to attend. Not to mention there was a mission trip group on their way to China on the same flight as me who kept very quiet about the fact that they were a church group on a mission trip to China.

Now, it seems the mood has changed. According to coworkers and friends, in order to promote membership in the Communist party, the party claims that members are able to have their own religion. I wouldn't quite call it "religious freedom" as we like to call it in the US, but that's kind of the idea. In words that fit so well with the Chinese government, they want those of different religions to have "peaceful and harmonious" relationships. On top of that, there are actually legitimate churches in Nanjing that don’t require a foreign passport; they are for both Chinese and foreigners. The flip side is that most Chinese don’t really know they have this “freedom,” or where to begin when choosing what religion they want to be a part of. So this point is relatively useless because, I guess, most people don’t really even know where to begin with “religion.”

My roommate asked me just the other night if I had a religion, and I told her “yes.” “The one with Jesus?” she asked. Again, I said “yes.” Trying to be careful and not wanting to shove my religion down her throat (as many Christians are often times perceived), I told her it was something important to me and something that had been a part of my life since I was a little girl. Her response kind of shocked me. “I wish I had a religion. It seems really nice to have a religion.” Wow. I had never thought of that. My entire life I have been involved (some years more active than others) in the church, and, more importantly, my religion. On top if being able to have a “religion,” I feel somewhat knowledgeable about other religions. The thought of not knowing these important aspects of other cultures and never having a religion, period, really shocked me.

And to top all this off, I was even given a Chinese Bible. The story of how I attained this Bible is a little too.. “brave” (in the words of those involved)...to share on my blog, but, nonetheless, I have one. While I don’t think I’ll use this as my main source of learning to read Chinese characters, I am glad I have it. And even though Chinese people can apparently go to church and check out an English version of the Bible at the library, Chinese Bibles are not for sale in your average bookstore. Honestly, I’m still a little confused about how far you can and can’t go with the “religion” word in China. At least I’m allowed to have my Bible and there are Chinese Bibles available in the country (and not through the black market). When my Chinese gets really good, maybe I’ll be able to tell what exactly is printed in this Chinese Bible...

Religion in China may be a far cry from what I’m used to with a church on every street corner and the TV preachers with terrible hair (no offense). But the communist party seems warming to the idea of “harmonious” relationships between people of different religions. Sorry preacher man shouting in Turlington and every other college campus in the South, you can’t come to China. But religion, and Christianity, are the not the underground institutions they once were. Progress is a process.