[Buddha-l] on the South Korean hostages

[Dan Lusthaus]

Richard,

> > The nation of 44 million people has 8.7 million registered Protestants
and
> > 2.9 million Roman Catholics, along with 10 million Buddhists, practicing
> > and nominal.
> >
> > Do the math.
>
> That leaves about 21 million Confucians and secularists. I only wish my
home
> and native land had so many Confucians and secularists.

Well, there is a problem with trying to categorize those who were not
categorized. One idea some Koreans frequently express is that the underlying
religion in Korea, since ancient times, is shamanic. That has always been
the bedrock, they say. When Buddhism entered, it occupied top layers, but it
rested on (and partially absorbed into itself) the shamanic, which remained
the bedrock. Same for Confucianism when it became prominent. And same for
today. Shamanism is still present and active in most Korean towns -- most of
the shamans are women -- but how they are getting along with the
increasingly intolerant Christians I don't know.

And I'm not sure you'd like to live in a Confucian neighborhood. They tend
to vote Republican.

Dan