ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the contention between the essentialization of religion or beliefs in a conceptualization of culture and culture sans religious tenets. It views culture as ways of interactions within a relatively homogeneous group enjoying general acquiescence of the group members whose interactions are relatively unaffected by the surroundings. Such a contention has led to a claim that the Christians have no culture. And the Zeliangrong traditionalists are seen in particular hurling scathing attacks against Zeliangrong Christians for their culture sans religious beliefs. This claim of culture of the Zeliangrong Christians sans religious beliefs opens a vista for re-conceptualizing culture. Different communities have different beliefs, prescriptions and proscriptions that govern the morality of their people. The reformed Zeliangrong belief system was considered to be pure because it abandoned the old superstitious practices.
