Question

Which of the following is NOT a LIKELY reason why it might be difficult to accurately count the number of Daoists in China today?

A) Many Daoists practice in private, eschewing formal religious organizations.
B) Daoism lacks a formal clergy, making it hard to identify religious leaders.
C) Daoism is strictly regulated by the government, leading to underground practices.
D) Daoists often identify with multiple religious traditions simultaneously.

Answer 1

The least likely reason for the difficulty in counting the number of Daoists in China is that Daoism lacks a formal clergy, as it does have a religious hierarchy with priests and officials, making this option incorrect.

Step-by-step explanation:

The option that is NOT a LIKELY reason why it might be difficult to accurately count the number of Daoists in China today is B) Daoism lacks a formal clergy, making it hard to identify religious leaders. Although Daoism has historically had less structured clergy compared to some other religions, it does have a recognized religious hierarchy with ordained priests and religious officials, particularly in institutionalized forms of Daoism. Therefore, the existence of a formal clergy does not significantly contribute to the difficulty in counting the number of Daoists.

In contrast, the other options are more likely to affect the accuracy of such counts: A) Many Daoists practice in private, eschewing formal religious organizations, C) Daoism is strictly regulated by the government, leading to underground practices, and D) Daoists often identify with multiple religious traditions simultaneously, which can complicate religious affiliation surveys.