I'm kinda waiting for a response from Christopher Hitchens here that says; 'What's the problem?'

From the sounds of the article, China is becoming less superstitious and the government is assisting with that though policy - good for them! In North America, the government is the body most responsible for keeping religious superstitions in the public sphere and nothing is being done about! We should take a cue from China and ban prayer in our government buildings and ceremonies!

PatXYZ:

I'm kinda waiting for a response from Christopher Hitchens here that says; 'What's the problem?'

From the sounds of the article, China is becoming less superstitious and the government is assisting with that though policy - good for them! In North America, the government is the body most responsible for keeping religious superstitions in the public sphere and nothing is being done about! We should take a cue from China and ban prayer in our government buildings and ceremonies!

The problem with that is that we have sometime the dictators don't, the "Constitution". It kind of spoils things for dictators and would be dictators.

Obviously the person whom wrote this reply doesn't understand what type of government China has. They have a totalaterian type of government when one person speaks, everyone must follow or be executed. They are atheists and have no religion. They are fearful that any type of religions and traditional values would open the people to free to think for themselves.

Our great founding fathers created this great nation under the guidance of God and The 10 Commandments. The Bill of Rights have a striking similiarity to the 10 Commandments that Moses recieved from God. This nation has been Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice For All. This country was built on God and Freedom of Religion.

The person whom wrote this article of Chinese New Years needs to get her facts straight.

The reasons why people don't hang the picture of the kitchen god over their stoves is mainly because of the older generations are passing on the traditions, but the younger generations fail to carry on. Mainly in China currently the younger generations are more affluent to Western Trends and are living in cities rather than in rural villages like their fore-ancestors. Most apartments in China are less than 300 Square feet. That's 5 times smaller than your average apartment in the U.S.

That is why this is a dying tradition.

The initial demise of "kitchen god" ritual was precisely because of the communist government, along with other traditional rituals tied with superstition or religion. They did not die out from natural causes. The modern way of life was only the reason that we don't see their revival in the cities. Had their been no communist government, would these customs still be alive in the cities? Who knows.

"Obviously the person whom wrote this reply doesn't understand what type of government China has"...and neither do you. You are describing the government of thirty years ago. Read some books or better yet go to China and see for yourself.

Criminy - that's like "earlier before" - do you have any idea WHY more Chinese people live in cities? Maybe it's because they know their post-children will like garish lighting?

And the entire legal history of the nation and its much-tattered Constitition. If I've lived long enough for Americans to think that locking people up without names in prisons the government denies even exist, anything is possible here! Should make all the religious folks happy as pigs in poop-

It's called "cafeteria-style Constitition" - so don't complain if all you get served is swill.

Nanotech:

PatXYZ:

I'm kinda waiting for a response from Christopher Hitchens here that says; 'What's the problem?'

From the sounds of the article, China is becoming less superstitious and the government is assisting with that though policy - good for them! In North America, the government is the body most responsible for keeping religious superstitions in the public sphere and nothing is being done about! We should take a cue from China and ban prayer in our government buildings and ceremonies!

The problem with that is that we have sometime the dictators don't, the "Constitution". It kind of spoils things for dictators and would be dictators.

It's not spoiling the bushies fun.

The bill of rights have no simularity to the ten commandments at all! What bill of rights are you babbleing about? Because this countries law has nothing at all in common with your fairytales