"an open letter to taoists" (Jesus Christ, reject, Earth)

[d.]

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-ai...er-taoism.html

[Sunstone]

Well, that certainly clears up a lot of things for me, Divine. And here I'd been under the false impression that I could learn something from Taoism. I feel so silly now that I've read the TRUTH.

[HopefulNikki]

A FAMOUS TAOIST SAYING:

"Those who know don't say, and those who say don't know."

In the sixth century B.C. Lao-tzu, the purported founder of Taoism, said (and wrote) many things about Taoism. And certainly this very famous Taoist saying has now been said. Are we therefore to understand that no one who has ever spoken for Taoism in the past (including Lao-Tzu himself), or who would ever speak for Taoism in the future, actually knows anything about Taoism or 'Taoist truth'?

This guy could probably learn something from Jesus: "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." Matthew 13:13
Maybe some things are spoken in generalized ways , or has he never read where the Bible proclaims, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
If no one has ever seen or heard about the future that the Christian god has prepared, then why do Christians constantly go on and on about future prophetic events, future heaven and hell after death, etc, as though they know with perfect accuracy exactly what's going to happen to all of us, even though their own hold book says otherwise?
Or maybe, some parts of literautre are generalized and not absolute

"The cosmic Tao is invisible, inaudible, unnameable, undiscussible, inexpressible" (Max Mueller, Sacred Books of the East, London: Krishna Press).
If the Tao is truly inexpressible, how is it that these attributes of the Tao are then being expressed?

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9

If God's ways and thoughts are truly so much higher than man's, then how are the words and actions of God so often expressed in the Bible?

"Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, non-action--this is the level of Heaven and Earth, and the perfection of the Tao" (Max Mueller, Sacred Books of the East, London: Krishna Press).

These adjectives could just as easily describe my cat as he sits and stares at nothing on one of our long Maine winter evenings. His nickname could be Wu Wei (Tao for inaction). This is really a description of mindlessness. But the Christian Bible advises me to love the Lord with all my mind--in spirit and in truth.

"Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and shepp, camel and donkey." 1 Samuel 15:3
These actions could just as easily describe some hideous raid by Atilla the Hun as he ransacked village after village. His nickname could be King Saul, following the commandament of the perfect, loving God. But Eastern religions advise us to be peaceful with ourselves and the world around us.

"Tao is the essence or substance of the universe and could be viewed as 'God'" (Barry Pierce, via the Internet, in A Synthesis of Taoist Philosophy).
The God of the Bible is monotheistic, separated from the universe, and personal. You are describing a monistic 'God' who is all. The two are not the same.

Well no duh, they're different religions.

THE TAO TE KING (Tao scripture) is a book of about 5,500 words. Among other things, it advances the idea that government rulers should lead by non-action. No ruler anywhere in the world has ever considered such advice to constitute a workable plan or a viable option.
If Lao-Tzu's advice has proven so ludicrous and unworkable in one area, how is he credible in others?

And as I just quoted, the Bible advances, among other things, the idea that it's acceptable to destroy whole cities, down to the most innocent infant. Rulers have considered such advice to constitute a workable plan or a viable option, but generally it doesn't work out for their life or reputation in the long run.

"Once I, Chuang Chou, dreamed that I was a butterfly. Suddenly I awoke, and there I was, visibly Chou. I do not know whether it was Chou dreaming that he was a butterfly or the butterfly dreaming it was Chou" (Chuang-Tzu, disciple of Lao-Tzu, 4th century B.C.).
Since no butterfly is ever known to have questioned whether or not he was a butterfly, much less recorded such a predicament, it is probably safe to assume that you are Chou and not the butterfly.

"I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows--was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak." 2 Corinthians 12:2-4
Since no one has ever seen the "third heaven," much less recorded such a sighting or out of body experience, it is probably safe to assume that you were just day-dreaming.

YIN-YANG, the Tao concept of many elements that are contrary to one another, i.e. male/female, positive/negative, light/darkness, active/passive, and life/death. Yin is represented by the darker shape and broken lines. Yang is represented by the lighter shape and solid lines.
Has it ever occurred to you that Taoism itself may be a yin of misguided thinking, in need of deliverance from the 'yang' of truth?

Has it ever occurred to you that Christianity itself may be a yin of misguided thinking, in need to deliverance from the yang of reason?

Could it be that Jesus is the answer for Taoists?

Could it be that the Tao is the answer for Christians?

"There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth. It may be regarded as the Mother of all things. I do not know its name..." (The Tao Te King, chapter XXV).


The Apostle Paul, at the original Areopagus in ancient Greece spoke with great authority:

"What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you...the God who made the world and all things in it...He is Lord of heaven and earth..." (Acts 17:23-24).

This, of course, rests on the assumption that all Taoists actually worship "the Mother of all things," which many of them don't. But nice try.

[d.]

when things get this stupid, i'm just lost for words.

[MaddLlama]

Sure, let's refute Taoism, and not even try to read the Tao te Ching while we're at it (and, let's not spell it correctly for good measure). That will make for such a great argument, nobody will be able to disagree!


Is there a Christian out there who can explain to me why such refutations of other religions is necessary? Can Christians not get on with thier lives and lead a happy existance without having to prove to themselves that thier religion is better or more right? Does it not strike anyone as strange that there are very very few religions out there that seek to do this? Does that mean that Christianity is the religion for the insecure?

[lamplighter]

I believe the most vocal christians trying to denounce others beliefs, are the ones most insecure about there own faith.

[JMoum04]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

Sure, let's refute Taoism, and not even try to read the Tao te Ching while we're at it (and, let's not spell it correctly for good measure). That will make for such a great argument, nobody will be able to disagree!


Is there a Christian out there who can explain to me why such refutations of other religions is necessary? Can Christians not get on with thier lives and lead a happy existance without having to prove to themselves that thier religion is better or more right? Does it not strike anyone as strange that there are very very few religions out there that seek to do this? Does that mean that Christianity is the religion for the insecure?

I'm not Christian, but I think I can explain it.

When Martin Luther was trying to reform the Catholic Church, he introduced a completely new concept to Christianity, and that Faith alone is the only thing that can get you into heaven. Good deeds were no longer good enough. Some forms of protestantism adopted this belief while others rejected it.

When you combine this idea with the idea that Jesus Christ is the only way to achieve salvation, what you have all of the sudden is a necessity to try and get everyone to follow the Christian path. For only hearing the word of Jesus and accepting him as your personal lord and savior can get you into heaven. Ideally speaking, they aren't doing this because they hate and despise other religions, rather, they're doing this because they love the world and the people in it and they want to save everyone. They're trying to save people from their own soul destructive ignorance.

I wish I could go into further depth and explain it better, but unfortunately I'm at work, so my mind is split in many dirrections right now.

[Jaymes]

His nickname could be Wu Wei (Tao for inaction).

"Tao" for inaction? I wonder if the author of this realizes just how silly it sounds to call the Chinese language "way".

Among other things, it advances the idea that government rulers should lead by non-action. No ruler anywhere in the world has ever considered such advice to constitute a workable plan or a viable option.

They'd better tell that to the Chinese emperors that had advisors who extensively studied Taoist ideas and philosophies.

I must admit, though... this thing gave me quite a giggle. A+ for effort!