It's certainly true that many Taiwanese take a very relaxed attitude to their religious beliefs. It's often been said that they mix and match, going to one temple one day and a different one the next. They also tend, in my experience, to avoid any direct confrontation with religious fundamentals.
Religions presumably originated in people's need to know how everything started and where it's all going. But many in Taiwan are known to join a religion for less absolute reasons, such as to join a community. The minutiae of the religion's particular beliefs, in these case, are of little import.
Studying religions you don't yourself believe in, nevertheless, presents a real problem, because what you probably end up saying is that, although you yourself don't believe in the supernatural, belief in something is generally good for other people.
To say so suggests that you are in the know as to the real truth about this brief life of ours, but it's best for the rest to remain true to their bizarre fantasies. Life would be so colorless, this manner of thought says, if there weren't any processions, any places to celebrate our weddings, christenings and funerals.
But it's deeply patronizing to suggest that ordinary folk are probably not strong enough to accept the illusory nature of religion.
This, in other words, is a book full of fascinating particulars, and a huge diversity is covered. But the biggest questions, unsurprisingly, don't get a mention.
If the old religions are unbelievable, and if humanity nevertheless can't live without belief, then what we must do is create a new religion that venerates what, in this scientific age, remains truly worthy of veneration. This, surely, is none other than life itself.
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