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sandy whitelinger said:When did Taoism become a religion? It used to be a philosophy.
YmirGF said:No original thought in umpteen centuries?
lilithu said:Actually, I think this quote encapsulates what all the major religions have in common to me:
1) an understanding of how the world is and how we are
2) a faith in how the world should be and how we should be
3) a practice to get us from where we are to where we should be
personally i think of philosophical taoism (tao jia) as a religion too.Booko said:It's both. Google "religious Taoism."
Jay said:"the impulse for cohesion and meaning."
I'm not sure. There are a wide variety of practices for Christians and Hindus as well but faith is still a central component regardless.divine said:because when we say 'buddhism' or 'taoism' it's blanket terms for a field of varying practices?
I would suspect that people take up a given religion because they are unhappy with their lot in life. They want to change and simply "shop" for a religion that appeals to their sensibilities. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with doing so, but I do see it as being somewhat unoriginal. I will never quite understand why people cannot simply learn to be content with how they are created, to accept themselves as they are. My deep-seated belief is that ultimately they do themselves no favors by following the words and thoughts of others. They will never find "true" fulfillment although they certainly may convince themselves that that is exactly what they have found.lilithu said:If one's religion does not cause one to live differently than one would without the religion, then I would question "what's the point?"
If you can't trust others then you can't love others. It's much easier to walk alone than it is to stay and work things out with people with whom you sometimes disagree. In the end what do you have to show for it?YmirGF said:Trust is a fickle thing and amounts to little more than a best guess scenario. People trust in others and trust schools of thought because they are too frightened to trust themselves and dare to walk their own path.
Godlike said:Yes, that.
I would add that common to all religions are the elements of: ...
If that is what he sees with his own eyes, it is in his interest to correct the astigmatism. Education would help. It is certainly more fruittful than demonstrably preposterous babble. Explain, for example, how anyone can responsibly assert that iconoclasm is a factor common to all religions. And only one with a severely limited knowledge of theology would claim the paramormal as an ubiquitous factor.beckysoup61 said:Jay, there's not need to belittle someone for what he sees with his eyes.
You use a lot of big words, some I don't, and some I do know, but still, there is no reason to make rude remarks for some who is unlearned. It's not like he is purposefully that way. Give him a break. We all make mistakes.Jay said:If that is what he sees with his own eyes, it is in his interest to correct the astigmatism. Education would help. It is certainly more fruittful than demonstrably preposterous babble. Explain, for example, how anyone can responsibly assert that iconoclasm is a factor common to all religions. And only one with a severely limited knowledge of theology would claim the paramormal as an ubiquitous factor.
I have no need to belittle him. His assertions, however, are irresponsibly uninformed.
Are you referring to meditation? Just what do you mean if you don't mind me asking? Did you ever succeed at listening to "that whisper of eternity?" And if so, what was it like?YmirGF said:I would heartily recommend that people close their books, and learn to listen to that whisper of eternity, deep within themselves.
Very well said, and I agree, it is in fact very sad and primarily I'm referring to hellfire and brimstone.YmirGF said:Religion is the physical echo of that voice and is a sad, rather poor, alternative. That is all I am trying to say.
What a load of ...beckysoup61 said:Remember Jay, not everyone has had the chance to be as learned and educated as yourself.
I don't know. Why don't you tell poor ignorant me, Mr. know-it-all?Jay said:That is simply ignorant. Where was/is the fantasy in the views of Shirley Jackson Case, Mordecai Kaplan, Henry Nelson Wieman, Alfred North Whitehead, Paul Tillich and others?
Halcyon said:Taoism speculates on the existence and nature of the Tao, giving it qualities of balance eg. Yin Yang.
It's not really important where a concept originates, if it is still adhered too. And yes, i agree that Taoism is one of the least speculative religions out there. But i'd suggest it's impossible for a religion not to speculate, as we're dealing with so many unknowns.divine said:i don't agree, but that's admittedly a matter of interpretation...in my reading, the TTC strives to avoid speculation as much as possible.
it's also important to note that the yin/yang dichotomy wasn't invented by taoism, but an already present symbol in chinese cosmology. as i remember it, the TTC uses yin/yang in relation to the 'ten thousand things' not the tao itself.
YmirGF said:I would suspect that people take up a given religion because they are unhappy with their lot in life. They want to change and simply "shop" for a religion that appeals to their sensibilities. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with doing so, but I do see it as being somewhat unoriginal. I will never quite understand why people cannot simply learn to be content with how they are created, to accept themselves as they are. My deep-seated belief is that ultimately they do themselves no favors by following the words and thoughts of others. They will never find "true" fulfillment although they certainly may convince themselves that that is exactly what they have found.
Trust is a fickle thing and amounts to little more than a best guess scenario. People trust in others and trust schools of thought because they are too frightened to trust themselves and dare to walk their own path. I have come to the conclusion that people, in general, are content being sheep, because they do not want to face the enormous responsibility that everything they experience is of their own creation.
If people understood that it was possible for them to reach out and touch the face of god they would not be content with keeping their noses firmly within the confines of their books. But, I do understand, that is a bit more radical than many will allow themselves to believe.
I would heartily recommend that people close their books, and learn to listen to that whisper of eternity, deep within themselves. It comes from what you once were and what you will be, all too soon, once again. Religion is the physical echo of that voice and is a sad, rather poor, alternative. That is all I am trying to say.