10 LIFESTYLE DECEMBER 2 - 3, 2006 WEEKEND CHINA DAILY Does God exist? Today there are many philosophers that the Bible is divinely inspired and many answers A Chinese atheist and and some scientists who take a different, presents his arguments, many centered actually, which and quite sophisticated approach, to their around the central personality of Jesus have been well an American Christian belief in God. These questions and this in the New Testament and the claim of honed over cen- debate have profound implications and his resurrection from the dead. turies of debate. go head to head to their importance is overdue to be consid- Zhao says that although he too reads (A theist’s answer ered seriously in China. the Bible, “I am not a believer.” His to evil is called a debate the existence probative question “Why?” is the reso- “theodicy,” which Timely book nating theme of the entire book. is a defence of of god in a bold, It is in this context that a very timely Zhao explains his unbelief in the God’s goodness book has been published in China. words of a scientist: “I can only under- in light of the un- new book, as Robert Zhao Qizheng, former minister of the stand what exists, what is concrete and deniable ubiquity State Council Information Office, and substantive … I cannot understand a and depravity of Lawrence Kuhn reports Luis Palau, a well-known international metaphysical concept.” evil). Christian evangelist, conducted a series It is indeed in the metaphysical These theist of conversations, called the “Riverside aspects of religion — the claim to answers are often n humanity’s long quest to under- Talks,” which they term “A Friendly explain Ultimate Reality — that Zhao complicated and stand ultimate reality, the encounter Dialogue between an Atheist and a and Palau disagree. On matters of mostly involve between science and religion — bat- Christian.” the social benefits of religion, such as “the Free Will tling over the perennial question, It is a pioneering effort in China to contributing to a harmonious society, Defence,” which Does God Exist? — is perhaps the introduce a vital subject of high con- there is more agreement. means that God mostI signifi cant clashing of opposite views temporary relevance and explanatory Zhao, whom I must disclose is a could not pos- of seeing the world. power. These are the kinds of subjects personal friend, presents rich and pro- sibly have created In the West, the Catholic Church in the that make minds sharper, more aware, found ideas from traditional Chinese human beings past, and some fundamental Christians in more in touch with deep reality. philosophy — such as the dialectical with real free will the present, reject science whenever they Zhao, who was trained in nuclear relationship between the physical and without also giv- feel it comes into confl ict with their form physics, shows both knowledge and the spiritual — and notes that although ing them the real Zhao Qizheng, former minister of the State Council Information Offi ce, and Luis Palau, a well-known international Christian evangelist, flti sensitivity about the Christian belief he does not believe in a God; the con- option of doing promote their book “Riverside Talks,” on August 30 in Beijing. LU ZHONGQIU system. He has read the Bible and cepts of “spirit and soul” are not alien evil and suffering understands its teachings and stories. to him. evil. allow, or to enable, the existence of stars mos. But how is it that we humans have He sees the Bible as great literature, re- “Atheists and theists,” he says, Yet it is the scale of evil which is so and planets and the emergence of life and such farsighted understanding after plete with wisdom, and he finds artistic “share the same pursuit in the realm of troublesome to believers and so support- mind. only a few thousand years of histori- beauty in its prose, proverbs and poems the soul and the spirit.” He points out ive of the atheistic argument, a problem If the fundamental laws of physics had cal consciousness, only a few hundred — so much so that Zhao even advises, that each would have different under- made even more potent by the fact that much differed, if the values of their con- years of effective science and only a “The Bible is well worth reading from standings of spirit and soul. a good deal of the evil in the world has stants had much changed, or if the initial few decades of cosmological observa- all of these perspectives.” What he does A dialogue between an atheist and a been caused by religion itself, through its conditions of the universe had much tions? Maybe it’s still too early in the not do, of course, is revere the Bible as Christian cannot progress far without intolerance of the beliefs of others. varied, what we know to exist would not game. Maybe answers have been with the revelation of God. the atheist bringing up the “Argument Throughout history, religion has been, exist since all things of size and substance us all along. On the other hand, Palau claims from Evil” (to the theist it is called the over and over again, stained with blood of would have been impossible. I am pleased to see Minister Zhao “Problem of Evil”), which historically its victims and stamped with the cries of Qizheng and Minister Luis Palau is the strongest demonstration of the those whom it has tormented. Progress made — two different kinds of ministers to BRAINS BEHIND THE OPERATION non-existence of God. As Nobel Prize winner Steven Wein- “Riverside Talks” is an excellent gen- be sure — bring the debate between If God, as Christians claim, is all- berg said caustically: “Religion is an eral introduction to the issues and the science and religion to broad audi- Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn, who has a doctorate powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, insult to human dignity. With or without controversies of science and religion ences. in brain research, is the creator and host of how could there be such enormity of you would have good people doing good for general audiences who are hereto- This subject is becoming more “Closer to Truth,” a public television series in the evil in the world, not only the “moral things and evil people doing evil things. fore unacquainted with them, but those popular in China, and well it should United States that deals with the implications of evil” that human beings do to each But for good people to do evil things, that truly interested should go further. — this is a good sign of the continuing state-of-the-art science, the philosophy of sci- other but also the “natural evil” of takes religion.” If it seems improbable that human development of Chinese society and the ence, and the philosophy of religion. Two of his earthquakes and floods, illness and Yet there is something new in the age- thought can make progress in explain- increasing sophistication of Chinese “Closer to Truth” books have been published in disease. The fact that there is such evil, old debate. In recent years, the search ing ultimate reality, consider the readers. China, the latest one relating his work in China in which no one can deny, is the demon- for scientifi c explanations of ultimate progress already made. The science-religion dialogue is a understanding the meaning and applications of stration to the atheist that there is no reality has been energized by increasing A century ago scientists assumed fundamental probe into the nature of President Hu Jintao’s “Scientifi c Development God. recognition that the laws of physics and that our own galaxy, the Milky Way, reality, the methodology of discerning Perspective.” Christians, as one would expect, the constants that are embedded in these was the entire universe. Today we grasp knowledge and humanity’s place in the have answers to the Problem of Evil, laws all seem exquisitely “fi ne tuned” to the monumental immensity of the cos- cosmos.

ence. They had all found it diffi cult and disorient- Because most of the students attending one night’s ing to not be able to speak their native language, English corner were male, we took a vote and The Confucian especially when the shopkeepers didn’t under- watched the fi lm “American Soldiers,” essentially Never a dull moment stand why they were speaking in English when a propaganda fi lm on the Iraq War with every way of saying, they were very clearly Chinese. cliché in the book, but the English in the fi lm By Fiona Lee only children play in English, I fi nally tried to The students often had to resort to communi- was straightforward and easy for the students to shock them into not using the word. I explained cating in body language instead. They also asked understand. I love you to my students that the connotations of the word question after question about what it was like to After we watched the fi lm, my students and On my fi rst day teaching English to classes of “play” regarding adults were different from the be a stranger in a strange land, about what it was I had a great conversation about the Iraq War. wary freshmen at a certain university in north- connotations regarding children. like to be unable to communicate verbally with I went to bed that night extremely pleased with By Sam Crane eastern China, I asked myself, over and over Yes, children play with each other. But if you others. myself and with them. Hadn’t we just discussed again, “What am I doing here?” are 21 years old, you do not “play” with your They left the class that day still talking about current affairs in a thoughtful way? Hadn’t my Confucianism is often considered a rigid and Nine months later, I’m still asking myself the friends. And you defi nitely do not want to say, “I their experiences. Of course they would forget all students learned something about different per- conservative philosophy, unsuited to the chang- same question. Calling teaching an adventure is play with myself.” about it by the next day, but for a good hour and spectives regarding the war? ing values and practices of modern society. an understatement. On my good days, I feel I’m I explained to my students exactly what “I a half, they had spoken English — or for some But what did my students really take away from There may be some truth in that perception, defi nitely expanding my students’ horizons in how play with myself” meant in English. They were of them, not spoken at all — and understood the it? They were all using curse words they had heard especially as it relates to the ways Confucian to use English, American culture and in learning mildly shocked; and we had a good laugh. We value of language. in the fi lm the next day. In fact, I had to take one thought was used historically to authorize state about themselves. On the days that I have dubbed brainstormed various ways to say it differently. The foreign teacher of English is also not simply aside and gently correct his usage of a particular power and patriarchal rule. “soul-destroying days,” my classes could be “I spend time with my friends,” “I hang out a language instructor, but also an embodiment phrase that had been used in the fi lm, explaining But there is more to Confucianism than that. termed: traumatic accidents in progress, bystand- with my friends,” “I enjoy being by myself” of everything positive or negative about their that no, you do not need to put the preposition If we go back to the Analects we can fi nd a more ers beware. and so on. home country. Since I’m an American, one of my “to” between the curse word and “you.” open-minded and fl exible understanding of hu- Someone once told me that most of the people A week later, they handed in essays I had as- brighter students is inclined to say sly comments After all, his parents were paying a lot of money manity, one that is relevant for contemporary life. teaching English in China were there to escape signed on their high school experiences. Half of about the Iraq War in response to basic grammar for him to be in this programme. As long as he’s To get to the heart of the matter, the Confu- from something. I think I’m here to escape from them were still writing, “I play with my friends.” points. going to be using English, even if it’s curse words, cian idea of ritual (Li) might be seen as the boredom. Sometimes you just can’t win. I hold an occasional English corner of my own he should be using it properly. most rigid of ideas, a demand that we practise The one thing about teaching English to those While I’m often banging my head against the with my students since their schedule doesn’t So what am I doing here? I have to ask myself standardized and formal ceremonies for every charming text-messaging, sleepy, mostly indiffer- wall when I think about the many frustrating allow them to attend the regular English Club. that question because the answer changes all the signifi cant life event: births, deaths, weddings, ent students is that it’s never boring. It’s a chal- moments with my students, there are many other time. I’m an ambassador, a language partner and venerations of ancestors, etc. lenge to get them motivated, especially when the times when I know that this is one of the most an adviser — all in a day’s work for the foreign Yet, while Confucius certainly believed that mood of the class changes each time I walk into rewarding jobs I’ve had. teacher of English in China. we should thoughtfully enact our social roles, class. Sure, I have a lesson plan for each class, but One of my most successful lessons, one that I his notion of ritual was neither so narrow nor so that doesn’t mean I’m actually prepared for what borrowed from another teacher, was when I had rigid as modern interpreters might suppose. might greet me. my classes do a scavenger hunt Take one of the most cryptic passages in the One critical part of teaching in China is the where they had to fi nd, ask for Analects: “Gu (ritual vessel), not a gu, a gu culture shock. I don’t mean only the culture shock and take photos of items available indeed, a gu indeed.” 实⤜实实䊶实䊶*̲E̵ of a foreigner adapting to a new country, but also in the shops around campus. J̲J̲]̢LJ̲]̢L the culture shock of a teacher and a class adapting The catch was that they The simplicity of the passage opens it to mul- to each other. could only speak English to the tiple interpretations, but some commentators Two semesters later, I’m still experiencing shopkeepers. Each group had see in it a move away from dry formalism and an culture shock with my students. We never seem a watcher who made sure that acceptance of diverse expressions of sincerity. to be on the same page on even small matters. the group did not speak Chinese. Confucius, in this passage, may be comment- Why can’t they keep my handouts that I spent The scavenger hunt was meant to ing on a situation where ritual procedure calls so much time and money making? Why do they mimic the experiences of foreign- for a vessel of a certain sort, a gu, but one is not not understand the idea of a final draft, even ers in China or the experience available. The ceremony proceeds with some after I’ve explained it time and time again? of any traveller in a foreign other type of cup, not a gu, standing in for the Why can’t they write a skit that gives every country — the small, eve- usual object. In the end, however, the form of person in their group a speaking part when ryday frustrations of the vessel does not matter. this is the fifteenth time we’ve done skits? Why language barrier. Rather, the sincerity behind the act is so genu- don’t they bring paper with them to class? The When we held a feed- ine that the expression of deep human commit- “whys” never stop. back session after ment invests the non-gu with the signifi cance of But I can see the “whys” from the students’ the scavenger a gu. It is a gu indeed, because the loving care of point of view, too. Why is our teacher always on hunt, I asked humane action makes it so. our case about arriving late? Why does my teacher them what The larger message is that we do not have to want me to stay awake during class when I’ve they had blindly adhere to traditional ritual forms. Inten- spent the entire night at the Internet café playing learned tions and sentiments are most important. If we World of Warcraft? from truly care about what we are doing, then we can Why does my teacher actually expect me to the ex- fi nd many different ways to perform our social hand in the assignment when she wants it instead peri- duties considerately and meaningfully. of whenever I want to hand it in? After all, their Our modern lives have changed the forms of Chinese teachers don’t expect these things from our social relationships. Work may take us away them, so who is this crazy foreigner and why is she from home and consume much of our time. New always on my case? communications media create novel channels Teachers are also amazed by how certain errors for human interaction. repeated themselves over and over again. The Beneath all of the social and cultural change, most infamous one, of course, is the “he/she” however, we still have a need to cultivate our mix-up. closest ties with family and friends. Those social As a student of Chinese, I know that bonds defi ne us as individuals and, if we are to in Chinese the written characters express fully our individuality, we must attend are different, but the pronunciation to our social roles. of the characters is the same, so Confucius understands this. He tells us that there’s a reason for it. All the same, the form of our meaningful interactions with I can’t understand why after some others will change as society changes around us. 13 years of English, my students Traditional means of performing our social still make that mistake — even commitments may not be available to us. Yet if after all these months where we’ve we are sincere in our feelings, we will fi nd new played games identifying “he/she” and appropriate expressions of our heart-felt and after I’ve constantly asked, affections. We will make a gu out of the circum- “He is a girl? She is your boy- stances at hand. friend?” Then there’s the use of “play.” LUO JIE The author is a professor with the Williams College in Wil- After trying to gently correct their liamstown, MA, USA usage of the word by saying that