Francis Arinze: Religion Is One Dimensions Of Culture

Francis Arinze stated, “Religion is one dimension of a culture, a transcendent of it.”

In my essay, I plan to discuss religion and culture's strong connection. For instance, the caste

system of Aryan India was closely linked to what Hindus considered to be the correct way that society

should be run. Religion kept each group of people in their place, with the promise of good and pious

behavior being rewarded by attaining a higher caste in the next life. Also, the Buddhist ideals of the

Maurya emperor, Asoka, helped unite India through tolerance and peace. His deeds included regulating

the government in a just manner, building wells and shelters, and overall trying to improve his people's livelihood.

Also, ideologies that are not religions can have a

Behaviors dictated by the teachings of

Confucius, such as just ruling and respect for superiors, carried over into culture and reinforced previous beliefs

like social hierarchy and respect for elders. Overall, Confucianism positively affected China, yet

another ideology was received with an overwhelmingly negative response.

This was Legalism, a philosophy founded on the base that everyone was consumed with greed,

and that strict laws needed to be implemented to keep these people in their place. Shi Huangdi, of the

Qin Dynasty, used this form of thinking to keep himself in power and his people subdued. Though the

government was strong and centralized, the people of China despised his rule, and revolted as soon as the empire weakened.

In China, Confucianism shaped society, while another view, Daoism, shaped view of the natural

world. Daoism, rather than focusing on responsibilities and social aspects of philosophy, instead

searched for the “way of the universe” The magical properties of this religion influenced the world