Chapter Four Reading Notes

The picture on the front of the three major traditions in China living in harmony is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Why can’t every other religion live in harmony? Look at how cute baby Buddha is. Look at how happy Uncle Confucius and Uncle Laozi are.

It’s interesting that Legalism lost its popularity and never really regained it from the brutality of the regime that used it. The rise of alternatives like Confucianism and Daoism probably didn’t help either.

It’s fascinating that Daoism saying the opposite of Confucianism still works in harmony with it as far as people are concerned. Everyone sees the strengths of both and doesn’t want to lose one in favor of the other, when they can be adapted to work together. That kind of societal compromise is pretty amazing.

Also Daoist paintings are really pretty. I’m noticing a pattern with Asian religions about combining not fighting each other.

The book very quickly throws out how the religious thought worked as part of society. I know it’s more important to give as in-depth an overview as possible, but this short-changes how the religion worked with the rest of the civilization.

Hinduism reinvents itself and then absorbs Buddhism. I hope we learn later how Buddhism spread and maintained a separate identity outside of India.

Not being mean or anything, but the original concept of God is kinda a jerk. Socrates: the original troll.

Kinda want to learn about the fanatic worship of the wine god Dionysus.

I do like that the chapter doesn’t focus solely on religions but the most important forms of thinking present at the time. It paints a more accurate picture and shows that people weren’t all fanatic religious nuts, they had other things going on and were probably more worried about their crops.

Author loses points for ignoring the fact that the rediscovery of Greek texts jumpstarted the Renaissance before the Scientific Revolution or Enlightenment.

I wish there was more information or even a television series about Jesus being a social activist and critic. It would be much cooler if the Church focused on how militant and rebellious their religious leader was at the time.