Page 29 - A Study of Traditional Chinese Religions in Malaysia: The Decline and the Path Towards Revitalization

Figure 2.3. Intensity of believing in respective religions.

Since most of the respondents are not perceived as strong believers, their religions

do not play a significant role in influencing their life. This assumption is proven when almost
half of the respondents claimed that their religion plays little or no role in influencing their way

of life (see Figure 2.4). By right, religious beliefs and practices will contribute substantially to
the formation of personal moral criteria and sound moral judgement (Fagan 1996).
Unfortunately, in the case of the respondents of this survey, only 29 percent of them do think

that religion plays such a function while the other 22 percent claimed religion influences them
quite significantly. All these responses indicate that the conviction of the TCR practitioners
towards their religion is not strong. Most of them do not treat their religion as essentially

significant. They can be considered as adherents, not believers.

Figure 2.4. Religious influence towards life.

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