I did some research a while back which compared and contrasted the teachings of Jesus and Laozi. As religions, Christianity and Taoism are very different from one another, especially in their modern forms. If one focuses only on the words directly attributed to both founding teachers though, they often seem to be talking about a lot of the same things.
Let's look at some examples. To minimize bias on my part I'll avoid commentary and open analysis for now. I'll just let the words speak for themselves.
Love your neighbor as yourself. -Matthew 22:39
Love the world as your own self. -Tao Te Ching 13
Many that are first will be last, and the last will be first. -Mark I0:31
Softness and gentleness are the companions of life. The hard and strong will fall. The soft and weak will overcome. -Tao Te Ching 76
Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him. -John 7:18
Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know. -Tao Te Ching 56
Do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, offer him the other also. -Matthew 5:38
Respond to anger with virtue. -Tao Te Ching 63
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. -Luke 6:27
The sage is good at helping everyone. For that reason there is no rejected person. Therefore the good man is the teacher of the bad and the bad man is the lesson of the good. -Tao Te Ching 27
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:9
Force is followed by loss of strength. This is not the way of Tao. And that which goes against Tao perishes young. -Tao Te Ching 30
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:3-9
To yield is to be preserved whole.
To be bent is to become straight.
To be hollow is to be filled.
To be tattered is to be renewed.
To be in want is to possess.
To have plenty is to be confused. -Tao Te Ching 22
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. -Luke 6:37
The sage is good to people who are good. He is also good to people who aren't good. This is true goodness.
The sage trusts people who are trustworthy. He also trusts people who aren't trustworthy. This is true trust. -Tao Te Ching 49
All who take the sword will perish by the sword. -Matthew 26:52
A violent man will die a violent death. -Tao Te Ching 42
Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no sandals, and salute no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace be to this house!" -Luke 10:3-5
There is nothing softer or more yielding than water but none is superior to it in overcoming the hard; it has no equal. Weakness overcomes strength and gentleness overcomes rigidity. Everyone knows this, yet no one puts it into practice. -Tao Te Ching 78
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. -Matthew 6:26
By doing nothing, everything is done. -Tao Te Ching 48
Go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. -Matthew 6:5
Without stepping outside you can know what is happening in the world
Without looking out the window you can see the way of heaven. -Tao Te Ching 47
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, -Matthew 6:21
The sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart. -Tao Te Ching 70
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. -Matthew 13:31-32
The Tao is forever undefined. Small though it is, it cannot be grasped. Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea. -Tao Te Ching 32
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven. -Ecclesiastes 3:1
All things take shape and rise to activity but I watch them fall back to rest, like vegetation that grows luxuriantly and returns to the soil it springs from. -Tao Te Ching 16
The kingdom of God is among you. -Luke 17:21
The great Tao flows everywhere. -Tao Te Ching 34
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. -John 6:47
He who dies yet his power remains has long life. -Tao Te Ching 33
Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 18:3
Being the stream of the universe, true & unswerving, become as a little child once more. -Tao Te Ching 28
Let's look at some examples. To minimize bias on my part I'll avoid commentary and open analysis for now. I'll just let the words speak for themselves.
Love your neighbor as yourself. -Matthew 22:39
Love the world as your own self. -Tao Te Ching 13
Many that are first will be last, and the last will be first. -Mark I0:31
Softness and gentleness are the companions of life. The hard and strong will fall. The soft and weak will overcome. -Tao Te Ching 76
Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him. -John 7:18
Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know. -Tao Te Ching 56
Do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, offer him the other also. -Matthew 5:38
Respond to anger with virtue. -Tao Te Ching 63
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. -Luke 6:27
The sage is good at helping everyone. For that reason there is no rejected person. Therefore the good man is the teacher of the bad and the bad man is the lesson of the good. -Tao Te Ching 27
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:9
Force is followed by loss of strength. This is not the way of Tao. And that which goes against Tao perishes young. -Tao Te Ching 30
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:3-9
To yield is to be preserved whole.
To be bent is to become straight.
To be hollow is to be filled.
To be tattered is to be renewed.
To be in want is to possess.
To have plenty is to be confused. -Tao Te Ching 22
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. -Luke 6:37
The sage is good to people who are good. He is also good to people who aren't good. This is true goodness.
The sage trusts people who are trustworthy. He also trusts people who aren't trustworthy. This is true trust. -Tao Te Ching 49
All who take the sword will perish by the sword. -Matthew 26:52
A violent man will die a violent death. -Tao Te Ching 42
Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no sandals, and salute no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace be to this house!" -Luke 10:3-5
There is nothing softer or more yielding than water but none is superior to it in overcoming the hard; it has no equal. Weakness overcomes strength and gentleness overcomes rigidity. Everyone knows this, yet no one puts it into practice. -Tao Te Ching 78
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. -Matthew 6:26
By doing nothing, everything is done. -Tao Te Ching 48
Go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. -Matthew 6:5
Without stepping outside you can know what is happening in the world
Without looking out the window you can see the way of heaven. -Tao Te Ching 47
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, -Matthew 6:21
The sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart. -Tao Te Ching 70
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. -Matthew 13:31-32
The Tao is forever undefined. Small though it is, it cannot be grasped. Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea. -Tao Te Ching 32
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven. -Ecclesiastes 3:1
All things take shape and rise to activity but I watch them fall back to rest, like vegetation that grows luxuriantly and returns to the soil it springs from. -Tao Te Ching 16
The kingdom of God is among you. -Luke 17:21
The great Tao flows everywhere. -Tao Te Ching 34
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. -John 6:47
He who dies yet his power remains has long life. -Tao Te Ching 33
Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 18:3
Being the stream of the universe, true & unswerving, become as a little child once more. -Tao Te Ching 28
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