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| TAO |
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The globalization sweeping the world in 2014 and beyond will fuel the revivalism of Tao in Chinese. It has introduced more religions to the culture of ethnic Chinese and has heightened awareness of difference in religious thinking with the rest of the world.
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| China 中国 |
Like in China, culture too has taken on the cloak of religion in the area of Middle East, and the world has promoted the culture to other countries not as culture but as religions.
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| Middle East 中东 |
In China, Tao 道 has for centuries been lying in the background of all things Chinese. It is ingrained as a way of life and in the substance of all that are Chinese.
The globalization of English and Western culture has projected contrasting theistic system to the Chinese and has projected the unfavorable image of Chinese version of theism as being not consistent with common rationality.
For instance God is the creator of all while in old China, God The Jade Emperor 玉皇上帝 is not but is the ruler of the three worlds and has to work with the laws of Universe, the Buddhas and The Pure Ones.
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| Is this how the Jade Emperor looks like? Can he have more than one form? or even be formless? Nobody knows or do you? |
Only a minority among Chinese takes the effort to know the theistic background behind Chinese culture. The common people in China just see God as God and as a result, many are more easily bought over by the Western concept of God which is simple and not complex in that it can be understood even by a young child.
Thus when seen through Western concept, the theistic ways of Chinese culture are portrayed in not so good light - as muddled and not that logical. It is this very contrast in theistic systems that has also driven many Chinese to look hard at what is wrong and question if indeed their ancestors are at fault. That cannot be the case.
Thus there is heightened curiosity of the religious roots of Chinese culture. Tao 道 thinking is behind Chinese culture and is in a way synonymous.
Even with change of religion in Chinese people, there is often the unconscious fallback on culture. This is where basic Tao 道 comes into the picture.
In basic Tao 道, there is the need to have peace with God and with the worldly world. This is achieved by balancing contrasts or polarities in life contingencies - the yin and the yang.
Thus there is heightened curiosity of the religious roots of Chinese culture. Tao 道 thinking is behind Chinese culture and is in a way synonymous.
Even with change of religion in Chinese people, there is often the unconscious fallback on culture. This is where basic Tao 道 comes into the picture.
In basic Tao 道, there is the need to have peace with God and with the worldly world. This is achieved by balancing contrasts or polarities in life contingencies - the yin and the yang.
This will be applied to the new adopted religion in unconscious way. In time, the same religion outside China or people who are ethnic Chinese will look somewhat different from the same religion among the Chinese.
Those Chinese who do not adopt new religion and remain status quo with popular Chinese culture (religion) become curious of their roots when their fellow men adopt new religions. Their curiosity will result in their tracing the roots to basic Tao 道 and they become more aware intellectually and consciously of Tao 道.
Thus in both groups, those who embraced new religions and those who just stayed on with popular common culture, there is fallback on culture of Chinese and this has to do with basic Tao 道. This will set the stage for Tao 道 revivalism and its inevitability.
The negative side of Chinese culture is that it may promote the opposite or antithesis of Tao 道 in the form of egocentricity - ego promotion rather than suppression.
Man at the pulpit may promote his own ego needs in the very name of God and saints. The crowd at the house of God may fuel his ego drive and he will satisfy their ego drive in return. A vicious cycle is then set in - perhaps the vicious escalation of ego drives.
This is reminiscent of the roadside gang mentality of the old days except that it is now more refined, subtle and in a new form. That will of course arouse the innate need for more of the good of Chinese culture which is Tao 道.
With Tao 道 revivalism in Chinese, and the adoption of otherwise previously Western domain religious format, the mingling of Chinese with other races will augur well for harmony and in process allow for basic Tao 道 to permeate and diffuse to other races.
This will result in Tao 道 taking root in the world proper. Then there is no stop to the spread of Tao 道 to the world. It will then be no longer a matter of Tao revivalism in Chinese but Tao globalization.
This is perhaps the design of God 玉皇上帝. The Jade Emperor is ever always more passive, permissive and tolerant but always certain and sure of what he sets out to do. There is after all no rush and time is on his side.
Tao revivalism and globalization is taking shape and is the will of God. Just take cognizance of the many centers in the world which are devoted to Tao Te Ching 道德经 and its derivatives. and you will agree that this is already setting in.
The negative side of Chinese culture is that it may promote the opposite or antithesis of Tao 道 in the form of egocentricity - ego promotion rather than suppression.
Man at the pulpit may promote his own ego needs in the very name of God and saints. The crowd at the house of God may fuel his ego drive and he will satisfy their ego drive in return. A vicious cycle is then set in - perhaps the vicious escalation of ego drives.
This is reminiscent of the roadside gang mentality of the old days except that it is now more refined, subtle and in a new form. That will of course arouse the innate need for more of the good of Chinese culture which is Tao 道.
With Tao 道 revivalism in Chinese, and the adoption of otherwise previously Western domain religious format, the mingling of Chinese with other races will augur well for harmony and in process allow for basic Tao 道 to permeate and diffuse to other races.
This will result in Tao 道 taking root in the world proper. Then there is no stop to the spread of Tao 道 to the world. It will then be no longer a matter of Tao revivalism in Chinese but Tao globalization.
This is perhaps the design of God 玉皇上帝. The Jade Emperor is ever always more passive, permissive and tolerant but always certain and sure of what he sets out to do. There is after all no rush and time is on his side.
Tao revivalism and globalization is taking shape and is the will of God. Just take cognizance of the many centers in the world which are devoted to Tao Te Ching 道德经 and its derivatives. and you will agree that this is already setting in.
Tao 道 is God 玉皇上帝 and is the will of God. It is in all religious format and will be more obvious with time. The few faithful need not do anything but just leave matters to God.
But on hindsight or rather as second thought, we should as far as possible refrain from thinking that we know the overall plan of God Almighty The Jade Emperor 玉皇上帝 though he may be tolerant and open to various views. If every man or religious format speaks forth for the Jade Emperor 玉皇上帝, there will be plethora of views. Confusion and discord may set in.
In a way, this post is posted to prove this point and is not meant to impose on readers and their freewill to think and to decide. Do ignore what is posted if this is for the better or good of the readers.
To round up the discussion, let us remember what Lord Bo Tien says that all religions have their part to play to bring men to God and His Word which to Chinese is Tao 道.
Every religion, he says will have its own ways of holding on to followers. These can be in form of dogmas and the dogmas of religions can contradict but this is how each religion can hold on to its own faithful.
Whether dogmas are factual is immaterial. So with regards to God, it matters not if he is a creator or not, so long as a religion is able to give peace to men and peace has to do with Tao 道, isn't it?
There is more than one way to explain Tao 道 and Tao does not need to be the word or name. A rose by any name is still the same.
Perhaps we may want to call it by any other name but why say that the peace attained in one religion is not the same as that in another. Why squabble and risk destroying the peace among men ?
It is alright to insist that they differ so long as they can have peace and there is peace among those who differ. The way to peace involves basic Tao 道. We can learn this through any saint of any religion.
To round up the discussion, let us remember what Lord Bo Tien says that all religions have their part to play to bring men to God and His Word which to Chinese is Tao 道.
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| Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) is a divine messenger of God (玉皇上帝) on the oneness of religions. Truth of Tao (道) is one but religions are many. Call it Tao (道) or what you may. |
Every religion, he says will have its own ways of holding on to followers. These can be in form of dogmas and the dogmas of religions can contradict but this is how each religion can hold on to its own faithful.
Whether dogmas are factual is immaterial. So with regards to God, it matters not if he is a creator or not, so long as a religion is able to give peace to men and peace has to do with Tao 道, isn't it?
There is more than one way to explain Tao 道 and Tao does not need to be the word or name. A rose by any name is still the same.
Perhaps we may want to call it by any other name but why say that the peace attained in one religion is not the same as that in another. Why squabble and risk destroying the peace among men ?
It is alright to insist that they differ so long as they can have peace and there is peace among those who differ. The way to peace involves basic Tao 道. We can learn this through any saint of any religion.
