Many students want to know about the West because they do believe its a much better place to live. Of course it is. I would try and share as much as I can but on the other hand its not necessary to 'boast' even though sure we expect people to have pride in their home country.

I don't think your more clever students are asking the rhetorical "if its so good why are you here?" question. That's not a smart or informed question because one answer can be - because the teachers were too comfortable and because they wanted to test themselves in an uncomfortable world and because they know they have a Western home to go back to.

A clever student might ask why almost all FT return home but almost no Chinese who immigrate to the West will ever return to live in China. Zero. none will ever return to live.

As for religion, American isn't anything special though it sure has its share of 'antitheists' (oppose religion) aka 'atheists' but certainly Canada is sometimes said to have more 'quiet believers' and then to talk about devoted tradition its South America for sure (in that case many a hardcore Catholic but their Evangelicals are pretty intense) and for whatever reason every African I meet is a devout evangelical Christians these days. Australia and NZ (esp NZ) have quite the Christian groups. Spanish and Italians. I think spiritual beliefs are more widespread in China than maybe anywhere else I've been though certainly some Muslim countries and Burmese.

But im not sure where you've been. Have you ever been to the USA or outside China?