VietBlog

An observation on the religious atmosphere in Vietnam from faculty leader Jim Keresztury :

“My country is the world and my religion is to do good.”
—Thomas Paine, 1792

I must say that it is a breath of fresh air to my spiritual side (or more appropriately put lack of one) to meet the V-Rider student volunteers that helped us in Ho Chi Minh City. I was most interested in discussing their religious upbringing. Even though Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucius’s teachings, and even Christianity are present in Vietnam, these four students very calmly explained that they have no religion. They are at peace with this lack of spiritual guidance from man-invented religious doctrine.
In my opinion the communist government represents true separation of church and state. Although it is on the opposite end of the religious continuum. We like to proclaim a separation of church and state but we all know the reality of being a non believer in the U.S. You see, in the U.S. it is next to impossible for me to hold public office as a proclaimed atheist. In Vietnam it is impossible for an individual to hold public office unless they are a party member. In order to join the party one must proclaim to be non religious. The Vietnamese are now free to practice religion but receive no governmental encouragement to do so and in some respects I?m just fine with that doctrine.

—Jim Keresztury