The Relationship Between Ethnicity and Religion

Introduction 

Ethnicity is the state or fact of belonging to a certain social group that shares common cultural or national traditions (Assari, 2013). On the other hand, ethnicity or ethnic group describes a category of people who associate with each other because of shared attributes such as nation, common ancestry, culture, language, culture, society, or history. Religion refers to a cultural system of organization, behavior, ethics, practices, prophecies, morals, sanctified places, worldviews, and texts that associate human beings with spiritual or supernatural elements. In many cultures, religion is a fundamental identifying factor for particular lineage or social groups (Assari, 2013). In fact, when a person changes religion, it is perceived to be a rejection or denial of culture, family, history, or heritage. In most cultures and ethnicities, religion is often not an optional private belief but an attribute that is passed down through different generations (Assari, 2013). It is important to evaluate ethnicity and religion in China, the Philippines, and Singapore. 

China 

China is a large multi-ethnic state comprising of 56 ethnic groups (Chinese Ethnic Groups, n.d ). The Han Chinese account for over about 91.59% while the remaining 55 ethnic groups make up only 8.41% (Chinese Ethnic Groups, n.d ). The Han Chinese has a population of about 1.16 billion, and they are the largest ethnic group not only in China but also in the entire world. Religious observation has been increasing, especially among traditional Chinese religious groups and Christianity. Although China ’s constitution allows freedom of worship, believers from all religious groups face increasing repression and persecution. It is essential to note that China passed a law in February 2018 that increased government control over religious groups including restricting religious schooling and the location and time of religious events in addition to monitoring online religious activity (Albert, 2018). Furthermore, religious groups are supposed to report any donations exceeding $15900 or 100000 yuan (Albert, 2018). The state has only recognized five religions: Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, and Daoism (Albert, 2018). Practicing any other faiths or religions are prohibited. 

Figure 1 showing the religions in China over time (Albert, 2018). 

According to the state, there are only 100 million registered believers, representing less than 10% of their population (Albert, 2018). The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has no religious affiliation and is officially atheist. It has banned its members from holding religious beliefs and expelled members who have admitted to belonging to religious organizations. Furthermore, CCP insists that religious beliefs and party membership are incompatible. China has the largest Buddhist population globally with a population of about 250 million people (Albert, 2018). Although Buddhism originated in India, it has a long tradition and history in China. It is essential to note that Chinese folk religions do not have a rigid organizational structure and are often a blend of Daoism and Buddhism, and are manifested in the worship of spirits, ancestors, and other local spiritual entities (Albert, 2018). Buddhism and folk religions are perceived to be more rooted in the country, and most people are more tolerant of Buddhism and folk religions than Islam and Christianity. 

In the Tibetan Autonomous Region and neighboring provinces, there are over six million Tibetans who practice Tibetan Buddhism, and their spiritual leader is the Dalai Lama. Since the 1980s, there has been a rapid increase in Christianity (Albert, 2018). There are about sixty-seven million Christians in China who form approximately 5% of the population. Protestants are about fifty-eight million (Albert, 2018). However, it is estimated that the number of Christians could be over 100 million due to the large number of unregistered churchgoers. Muslims only make up 1.6% of their population or about twenty-two million people (Albert, 2018). There are about ten Muslim ethnic groups in China. The Hui and Uighurs are the main ethnic groups in Islam. However, it is essential to note that Muslims ethnic groups have received more persecution than any other religious group. 

Philippines 

The Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia and has a population of about 104 million people. Approximately 86% of its population are Roman Catholics, 2% are Protestants, 6% from various Christianity cults, 4% Muslim, and 2% from other indigenous and non-western practices and beliefs (Miller, n.d). Before colonization, the system of Filipinos consisted of a pantheon of creatures, gods, spirits, and men that guarded houses, streams, forests, fields, mountains, and trees. Upon these indigenous beliefs, Islam and Christianity were introduced. Islam was introduced in the Philippines in 1350, and it began spreading into the Philippine archipelago from Indonesia (Miller, n.d). By 1650, when the Spanish arrived, Islam had established itself in Sulu and Mindanao (Miller, n.d). The Spanish quickly began the Christianization of the locals. While Islam was the dominant religion in the southern islands, Spain colonized and converted all the remaining islands to Christianity. 

Table 3 showing ethnicities and population in the Philippines 

The dominant religion in the main ethnic groups in the Philippines is Roman Catholicism. The Spanish rarely used force to convert the indigenous population but instead used an attractive display of pomp, liturgy, garb, prayers, and images to attract the indigenous populations (Miller, n.d ). Moreover, the Spanish protected the Christian population from the Muslim slave raiders. Additionally, the United States took over the Philippines with the objective of democratizing and Christianizing the country (Miller, n.d ). The US achieved the goal through education. Most of the population was illiterate, and education was reserved for a small elite group. Most of the teachers from the US were predominantly protestant, and they established many public schools. Protestants had a strong influence on public education. 

Singapore 

Singapore ’s ethnic diversity was realized in the early 19 th century after the British established the region as a free port. Due to the available economic opportunities without tariffs, it attracted many immigrants from the Indonesian archipelago, China, Europe, India, the Malay Peninsula, and other areas (Mathews, 2018). Although most people desired to return to their countries of origin after accumulating sufficient wealth, a significant majority remained in Singapore. The largest ethnic groups in Singapore are the Hans Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, Malays, and Indians. Due to the ethnic diversity, there are four official languages: Mandarin, English, Malay, and Tamil. Mandarin is spoken by about 33% of the population, English by 25% of the population, Malays by 15% of the population, and Tamil by 3% of the population (Mathews, 2018). Although there are several languages spoken in the country, a significant majority can either speak Mandarin or English. Singapore's census has detailed data on ethnicity and religion recorded on a five or ten-year basis. The country has ten recognized religions. 

Table 1 showing religious groups and their population in Singapore (Mathews, 2019). 

The above figures only account for the resident population and not the non-resident population which accounts for about 18% of Singapore ’s population (Mathews, 2018). Most citizens celebrate key festivals according to their respective religions. The diverse religions are a direct impact of the different ethnic groups in Singapore. The Chinese are mainly followers of Taoism, Buddhism, and Christians. Malays are mainly Muslims while Indians are mainly Hindus ( Ethnicity, Language, & Religion of Singapore, n.d. ). Furthermore, there is a significant number of Sikhs and Muslims from Indians. Religion plays a critical role in Cosmopolitan Singapore, and some of their buildings are built according to religious arts, especially mosques, temples, and churches. 

Table 2 showing ethnicities and religion in Singapore's population (Mathews, 2018). 

By 1827, Chinese immigrants became the dominant group in Singapore, and by the twentieth century, 70% of Singapore's population was ethnically Chinese followed by Malays, Indians, Eurasians, and other different ethnic groups (Mathews, 2018). Due to British administration, the different ethnic cultures thrived due to trade. Additionally, Singapore was recognized as a multiracial and a multi-religious society that supported the integration of different cultures. Furthermore, the government was keen to develop a national identity as Singaporeans rather than a collection of different ethnic groups. It is essential to note that although the government was predominantly Chinese, they did not seek to impose Chinese culture and religion on minority ethnic groups, but it focused on equal recognition of all cultures and religions (Mathews, 2018). 

Conclusion 

The essay has evaluated ethnicity and religion in China, the Philippines, and Singapore. As mentioned earlier, religion is a fundamental identifying factor for particular lineage or social groups and a person changes religion, it is perceived to be a rejection or denial of culture, family, history, or heritage. Religion has deep roots in the history and traditions of a country as shown by Buddhism in China. On the other hand, the dominant religion in the Philippines was introduced by Spain through colonization while Singapore's dominant religions were established by a large number of immigrants from different areas. Also, it is essential to note that most ethnic groups have a dominant religion. Also, there are different levels of state control on religion. China maintains strong control over all religious organizations while Singapore has developed a multicultural and multi-religious society. On the other hand, due to the dominance of Roman Catholicism the Philippines, there is minimal state control on religion. 

References 

Albert, E. (2018). The State of Religion in China. Retrieved May 16, 2019, from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/religion-china 

Assari, S. (2013). Race and ethnicity, religion involvement, church-based social support and subjective health in United States: A case of moderated mediation: International journal of preventive medicine , 4 (2). 

Chinese Ethnic Groups. (n.d.). Retrieved May 16, 2019, from https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/nationality/ 

Ethnicity, Language, & Religion of Singapore. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.safaritheglobe.com/singapore/culture/ethnicity-language-religion/ 

Mathews, M. (2018). Ethnic Diversity, Identity and Everyday Multiculturalism in Singapore. Retrieved May 16, 2019, from https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/pdf/10.1142/9789813234741_0001 

Miller, J. (n.d.). Religion in the Philippines. Retrieved May 16, 2019, from https://asiasociety.org/education/religion-philippines