孔子鬼神观念在礼学中的两难境遇

春秋战国时期，中国学术史上的第一个无神论思潮已经到来。以孔子为代表的儒家以鲜明的人文性与现实性特立于时代学术思想之前沿，孔子已具有鲜明的无神论倾向。孔子推崇周礼，而丧祭之礼侍奉的对象即鬼神，所以孔子不能明言否定鬼神，其无神论观念在礼学中处于两难境遇。但处于两难之中的孔子，其思想体系已归属于无神论。

Confucius' Atheism Thoughts in Oelemma in Science of Rites

The earliest atheism thoughts were produced in Chinese thoughts history as early as Spring-Autumn and warring Periods. The confucianists, whose representative was Confucius, had clear humanism and realism characteristics, Confucius had an obvious tendency of atheism at that time. He had the greatest esteem for Rites, but memorial ceremony and sacrificial rites are activities of serving ghosts, so Confucian 's atheism thoughts were in a dilemma in science of Rites. Because Confucius couldn't claim he didn't believe in ghosts, he could only stick to his conviction by saying no word about ghosts.