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Q: Does chinese people have a god? do they pray?
Since chinese have lost their culture.. I've noticed that they pray money.. is that true?
Yeah. Money. Who doesn't pray for money? Especially when you don't have enough of it? Sorry to burst your little bubble, but money worship is not a Chinese trait. Everyone prays for money.
You must be Chinese troll (or a disgruntled foreign troll) to even suggest the Chinese have lost their culture. It's not lost. Only misplaced. The next generation or two will restore it.
What do you pray for?
Red_Fox:
Mike - A generation is about 30 years. Two generations - 60 years. I'm seeing change in attitude and behaviour among young people here all the time. They are curious, champing at the bit for change, developing critical thinking skills, studying abroad, getting better educations than their antecedents. I think it'll happen sooner than later, given China's dizzying economic growth of the past 30-odd years. Such economic growth also spurs sociopolitical growth. It has to. Marxist theory in practice. Communism gives way to capitalism, free market and free thinking.
Time to call it a day.
Samsara:
Ah, excuse me. I don't pray for money. I spend none of my time thinking about money, and if I was religious, still wouldn't.
Red_Fox:
@samsara: Clearly you have no need to pray for money. That's good. You have enough money to put your daily bread on the table. But consider this: a lot of people in this world are not as fortunate as you (or me). Perish the thought, but should you ever end up on the street without a penny or mao to your name, would you pray to have money to feed yourself?
Samsara:
I'm entirely aware that people in difficult financial situations (or ultra-materialistic societies) care about money.
Red_Fox:
@samasara: You and I think alike. I don't pray for money, either. I have better things to pray for: peace of mind, for starters. Followed by a myriad of feel-good, basic, human needs that need to be fulfilled. Biological, social, psychological. However, if I am hungry and don't have a pot to piss in, I will beg and pray for money to feed myself. Now. What is the diff btwn begging and praying?
Red_Fox:
Begging is demeaning. Praying elevates you. The former humiliates. The latter exalts and provides hope.
Red_Fox:
Yeah, okay. Begging, praying. It's all the same crutch, right? So, if you're ever in a position where you need to beg or pray, march your ass on down to the employment office and get a job. False hope? Hardly. Some people would argue that a false hope is better than no hope at all.
Samsara:
"False hope? Hardly."
Praying does not actually result in money.
If praying actually did result in money, the world's economy would be quite strange. To begin with, inflation would be a serious problem, what with all the religious people getting free money. The hope that God will give you money if you ask for it is very, very false.
Begging, however, (along with other forms of interaction with the real world) can get you money. In other words, can provide realistic hope.
Red_Fox:
@sam: Your sophomoric dialectics are unconvincing. Try developing some empathy for those in the world who pray or beg. Clearly you haven't a clue of either since you neither beg nor pray.
And please refrain from "quoting" snippets of one's reply in retort. Most annoying, juvenile and schoolmarmish. [Yawn]
Samsara:
Excuse me? What makes you think I don't have empathy for people who pray or beg? Do Christians have the monopoly on empathy now? Is belief in prayer a requisite for caring about other people?
I am fully aware, as I already mentioned, that people who don't have enough money care about money more than I do. Of course I would spend time worrying about money if I didn't have enough (or lived in a society where status is derived almost solely from wealth).
My series of responses were about the ineffectiveness of prayer in comparison to begging. Prayer does not improve one's financial situation. Begging (and other activities relating to the real world) actually might.
All of which you seem to have interpreted as "Samsara is not Christian, and therefore doesn't care about people."
Samsara:
Hi Red Fox
Sorry for being cantankerous. I agree with most of the things you say on this site.
I just don't believe in the "power of prayer", or that hope without reason is a good thing.
Red_Fox:
@samsara: Cool to be cantankerous: spinning an argument, well, I suppose that's a cool exercise in a socratic sort of way. In any case, no harm intended, right? But the whole Christianity thing seems to bug you. I'm not a "believer" and I don't "have Jesus in my heart". (Just aortas, veins and shit.) But some folk do and they believe they are better off that way. Security blanket? Maybe. Prayer is a powerful force for some people that helps them get through the hardest of times. Begging? Well, that will pay for the Mad Dog 2020 or the jug of cheap Gallo wine. Money doesn't fall from heaven, true. Only from passersby who take the time to drop a coin in a tin cup. (Ask Hulk about that. He used to be a begger and made a mint.) 
Ha ha. So, you got issues with Christians in your village? Bible thumpers? Holy rollers? Man, I'd move, if I were you! All the best and... amen!
I accidentally at some point wandered into a Bible group and participated in some bible discussion. The group had been at it for a year, their priest, an American was MIA that day. The topic for discussion was personal prayer before bedtime. A girl said she prayed for her boss giving her a raise and being more kind. No one in the group prayed for anything just remotely unselfish. The closets was health of parents, but I count that as selfishness as it came from someone so young that I doubt she would survive wihtout her parents. They also were not aware of what flavor of Christianity their church belongs to.
You better watch out,
You better not cry,
Better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town
You must be referring to the fake money they burn at the altars on certain holidays. Yes, it seems most of Chinese life is centered on money and material things. They, like all cultures, have belief in gods. Belief in gods or spirits are the source of their numerous superstitions and holiday traditions. Now, again like all cultures, they have forgotten why they do what they do so while not believing in the gods, they carry on the traditions.
They lost their culture? Huh?
Poor people everywhere pray for money. Can't say that I blame them. Believe me, if you're poor, all you think about is how to pay your bills and make or save money. It's universal.
Scandinavian:
Sadly a lot of people in China are so poor they can't even get bills.
you pray like "oh god please give me money bla bla bla " that i agree with.. but what i'm referring to is while doing some shopping, in most of the shop i entered, there were pictures of money( Euros, dollars , etc ) and they were worshipping that. there were fruits near the pictures, praying stuff.. I don't know if you have seen this in big cities( Beinjing, shanghai.. etc) but was weird :(
bill8899:
All I see are Buddhas. Maybe they worship greenbacks or Euros, but to be honest, the British pound has a higher comparative value. I think it's a matter of misdirection. They should worship pounds. Oh wait. You think they should worship an invisible man in the sky?
TedDBayer:
I like the dollar, it buys what one pound will at home, which is half the money.
My GF goes to Church. I'm really surprised at how full the service is. But it's old school church. It needs modernization. The sermons put me to sleep, just like they are supposed to. I think they need to bring in pyrotechnics to add atmosphere and the Chinese do that well. Disco music to get the people moving and food vendors working the crowd. The Church can use the money. I know there is a God. He sends me messages every day on my phone, telling me where I can buy things or get a job. Who else but the Almighty could do this? I pray that I can please the harem that I know he will send me..
i've seen church in Nanjing.. where my friends go every Sunday. But in small county no Church..
If you know anything about Chinese culture then there has never really been a religion here.
Buddism and taoism are the best you will see and the people WILL usually pray around special times in their lives such as if they have recently married they may visit a temple to pray to be blessed with a child. In hometowns there will usually be a ceremony once a year around CNY at the deceaseds tombs.
Please don't try and force your religion on people here, they will not appreciate it.
Officially religion is against party doctorine.
xinyuren:
Apparently you have never been to Wenzhou, Southern Zhejiang and Fujian. There is a very strong church culture there that goes generations deep. Different parts of China were influenced by different Western countries and their religions. While "Christianity" is definitely a minority religion here, there are robust pockets of worshippers who are not afraid to say so.
Samsara:
Hiddenjelly,
Please go and read about the history of Christianity and other religions in China (from the 7th Century onwards). China has a long and complex relationship with the Christian religion (in various incarnations) which has certainly been influential in shaping its beliefs and culture.
In China today, Christianity is spreading like a plague, while the government steadfastly maintains that the figure is about 3% (you should also do some research on the Communist Party's relationship with statistics). China isn't an atheistic country. It's a retardedly superstitious one, in which a lot of people believe in God (for mostly selfish reasons as some people have mentioned).
In my girlfriend's hometown, the whole village is now Christian, and they mistreat and ostracise the few people who will not accept Christianity.
many poor foreigners in China,but they even don't know they are poor 
Red_Fox:
Many poor foreign people in China: 1,296 (English teachers and beggars, mostly) at last count.
Many poor Chinese people in China: 1,487,447,000 (working/slaving for the 0.2% of the rest of the Chinese population). Wonder how many of the poor pray for better working and living conditions...
Last laugh, kelly44?
