"TAOISM"

What is “taoism?”

There was something undifferentiated and yet complete,

Which existed before Heaven and Earth.

Soundless and formless it depends on nothing and does not change.

It operates everywhere and is free from danger.

It may be considered the mother of the universe.

I do not know its name; I call it Tao.

- Tao Te Ching

Proposition - Join me this evening as we look 1) the origins of Taoism, 2) the core beliefs of Taoism, and 3) what the Bible says in regards to Taoism.

Interrogative question - How are you prepared to respond to someone who has been indoctrinated by Taoism?

The Origins of Taoism -

Taoism originated in China, widely attributed to the writings of Lao-Tzu around 500 BC, it evolved from a rural folk religion of the people into the official religion of the entire country during the Tang Dynasty which ran from roughly 600-900 AD, making Taoism both a philosophy and a religion.

Taoism (also spelled Daoism) is a religion whose adherents are mostly found in Far Eastern countries such as China, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Singapore where its temples are found. Current estimates are that several hundred million people practice some form of Taoism, with some 20 to 30 million on the Chinese mainland. This is quite remarkable since mainland China is a communist nation and forbids many forms of religion.

Taoism’s origins can be traced back to the 3rd or 4th century B.C. Like many religions, Taoism has its own set of scriptures, the main one simply referred to as the "Tao." Other texts are included, and the full spectrum of Taoist canon is known as the Daozang. The word "Tao" comes from the character in the Chinese alphabet of the same name. The word means "way" or "path."

Laozi is traditionally regarded as the founder of daoism (604-517 B.C.).

Laozi received imperial recognition as a divinity in the mid-2nd century B.C.

Daoism gained official status in China during the Tang Dynasty, whose emperors claimed Laozi as their relative.

Several Song emperors, most notably Huizong, were active in promoting daoism, collecting daoist texts and publishing editions of the Daozang.

Aspects of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism were consciously synthesized in the neo-Confucian school, which eventually became imperial orthodoxy for state bureaucratic purposes.

The Qing Dynasty favored Confucian classics and rejected daoist works.

During the 18th century, the imperial library was constituted, but excluded virtually all daoist books.

By the beginning of the 20th century, daoism had fallen so much from favor, that only one complete copy of the Daozang still remained, at the White Cloud Monastery in Beijing.

Daoism is one of five religions recognized by the People's Republic of China and regulates its activities through a state bureaucracy.

Taoism has never been a unified religion, and some scholars place it in three categories: philosophical, religionist and Chinese folk religion. Because of this it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what Taoists believe. Roughly stated, Tao deals with the flow of the universe, or the force behind natural order that keeps all things balanced and in order. It is considered to be a source of existence and "non-existence." Some Eastern religions refer to this as the "yin and yang" of the universe, which can also express itself as the equal forces of "good" and "evil."

The principles of Taoism promote:

Achieving harmony or union with nature

The pursuit of spiritual immortality

Being 'virtuous'

Self-development

One achieves harmony with nature through accepting that the Tao connects all things, of which you are a part, and accepting your place in the interconnectedness.

The pursuit of spiritual immortality does not mean the immortality of our physical body, it is the idea that as the Taoist grows closer and closer to nature over their life, they accept death as the final step in passing over into absolute unity with nature and the universe.

Virtue is an individual’s ability to be aware of the Tao - the nature and flow of the universe, in combination with the person’s ability to follow the Tao, instead of sacrificing the Way for their own greed, vice, temptation or other draws that cause us to leave the path.

“There is something fundamentally honest and psychologically healthy in being oneself and striding forward with one's vision facing directly ahead, instead of trying at every turn to satisfy abstract standards of goodness established by a reigning orthodoxy. This is what te/de is all about.” -Professor Victor Mair

What is the Tao?

The Way is to man as rivers and lakes are to fish, the natural condition of life. -Chuang Tzu Scholars have been struggling with defining The Tao for over 2000 years, and it may well be that it cannot be defined, but there are interpretations that make the concept easier to understand. At its core the Tao is not a thing to be seen or felt, or a substance that has a form. It is not an object or a form. To some it is understood as the way of the universe. The way of nature. It can also be interpreted as road, channel, path, doctrine, or line. “It is at once the beginning of all things and the way in which all things pursue their course." -Chan, Wing-tsit Taoism teaches us that The Way of Tao is one in which all living things live in harmony with the universe, and with the natural order of everything that exists within it. One central value in Taoism is called Naturalness which explains a primordial state of all things, often associated with spontaneity and creativity.

For one to achieve naturalness we have to identify with the Tao, and conduct ourselves in accordance with nature. This means detaching ourselves from desire, attachment and selfish action, and instead embracing simplicity, harmony, and moving with the world around you rather than against it. Taoism is not God, as some people might believe - the religion does contain gods, however these gods are part of the same universe and you and I and therefore also depend on the Tao. (they do or do not believe in gods??) The practicality of the Taoist texts and teaching come from the observations about human beings and our place in the natural world, how we interact with what’s around us and what we can do to lessen the psychological burden we carry as we go through life. In Taoism, people are viewed as inherently good creatures, needing only a reminder of their true nature in order to realize this good and make the shift from a life of selfish vice into one of virtue. Taoist teaching explains that there are no bad people, only people who behave badly, whether that be due to negative past experience, an improper education regarding what is right and wrong, or lack of guidance needed to walk the path of their own true nature. A path in harmony with themselves and others. When one walks the path of Tao, we align ourselves with nature and the order of things, thereby reducing the friction we experience as we live. In contrast, when one follows a path not of The Tao, friction and obstruction are common, and will inevitably lead to frustration, anger, jealousy and suffering.

When we learn to accept life and move with it, flexibility adapting to the event is our path, we live more easily, happier and less troubled. But, if a person resists changes, these changes become obstructions and lead to resistance, adversity and suffering. Epictetus once said - “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.” In both philosophies all things that happen, do so as part of the natural way of the world. They are neither good nor bad, they simply are.

Taoism and the Bible -

Taoism holds that their ultimate reality, i.e., their god (so called god but they don’t believe in gods), is impersonal.

Taoism holds the idea of “love” in their god, but love must proceed from a personal being.

The Bible

The Bible teaches theism with a personal God, and that this God is the source of every created thing, including the immaterial realities of personality &morality.

Genesis 1:26–28 (NASB95)

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

The Taoist phrase, "When Heaven is to save a person," seems to imply a considered action on Heaven's part. But only persons can take considered action; an impersonal force cannot do so. It also speaks of Heaven's protecting a person through "deep love." But an impersonal force is incapable of love. Such love seems once again to require a personal agent.

1 John 4:7 NASB95

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Another interesting statement from the Tao Te Ching occurs at the end of chapter 62: Why did the ancients so treasure this TAO? Is it not because it has been said of it: "Whosoever asks will receive; whosoever has sinned will be forgiven"?

Therefore is TAO the most exquisite thing on earth.

This passage ascribes personal attributes to impersonal Tao. Tao is said to forgive sinners. This raises 2 difficulties:

(1) "forgiveness" means a moral standard has been broken. But the Tao is beyond such moral distinctions!“

(2) Only persons can exercise forgiveness. An impersonal force is incapable of such a thing.

The Bible

Forgiveness against a personal God demands an acceptable sacrifice (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Is. 53:4-6; Rom. 3:21-26; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 1:9-2:2; 4:10).

John 14:6 NASB95

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Acts 4:12 NASB95

12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Isaiah 53:4–6 NASB95

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Romans 3:21–26 NASB95

21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Peter 3:18 NASB95

18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

1 John 1:9–2:2 NASB95

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1 John 4:10 NASB95

10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Conclusion - so sad - Most adherents of Taoism believe anything from polytheism (belief in many gods) to ancestor worship. Taoists tend to worship mostly on holidays in their calendar when food is set out as a sacrifice to the gods or the spirits of departed ancestors. Other forms of sacrifice include burning paper money so it will rematerialize in the spirit world for a departed ancestor to use.

A number of martial arts disciplines such as T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Bagua Zang have their roots in Taoism. Few people in the Western world practice Taoism, and it would appear some have confused Tao with Zen, as evidenced from the books The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra or The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff. So whether or not you believe that The Tao is a real thing, the principles and way of life that Taoism promotes can still have a positive influence on the way we live our lives. Whether it be from trying to live with less resistance, accepting that the things in life that happen around us aren’t necessarily good or bad until we have judged them, or simply that to help us act with virtue we can think about what vices and desires pull us away from acting in a way more aligned with who we are.

SO WHAT??

How are you prepared to respond to someone who has been indoctrinated by Taoism?