Tao Te Ching for Christians

[mzteris]

A Tao Te Ching for Christians
...interpretation by Paul Brennan

"GOD IS TAO PERSONIFIED. The Bible and the Tao Te Ching are the world's two most translated books. Here they come together in a singular parallel text. On the left-hand pages you will see a translation of the Tao Te Ching itself and on the right-hand pages you will find another version of it salted with a gospel flavor. The teachings of Lao Tzu and the philosophy of Jesus side by side, it is hoped that each may serve to illumine the other, a dialogue between two ancient thinkers in which there is agreement rather than argument."

http://www.odosbooks.com/Tao%20Te%20Ching.htm


looks pretty cool.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. I have for many years considered myself a Taoist Christian

with a smattering of Buddhism.

Taoism is good!

Be the uncarved block with God as the potter, and the reed that blows in the wind of the Holy Spirit.

[mzteris]

4. color me a little blown away . . .

Please don't take this wrong - but you've just totally blown nearly every preconception I've had about you. :hi:


Funny story though. I was "trapped" at a dinner with some fundamentalist Daoist/Christians. It was verrrrrrrrry interesting - especially at first, but it soon became apparent I had to excuse myself. Tres weird stuff.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. Fundamentalist taoists? How odd.

Daoism seems to me to be the one thing that couldn't be taken in a fundamentalist way.

I'm curious as to how you perceived me...

:contemplation:

[mzteris]

6. Fundamentalist "Daoist Christians".....

does that make more sense?

They were nearly all Taiwanese who were Daoists, but who had "found God" - or rather JESUS! - and it was like some cross between a 7th Day Adventist, a holy roller, and a Daoist.

Like I said - pretty surreal.



How I perceived you?

Well, you're a Loungie, of course!

And one of the more - ah - shall we say - more colorful characters?

:rofl:

But loveable, of course. Still loveable.

:loveya:

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. Ah, Taiwan - that explains it. Like the Fundamentalist Korean Buddhist Presbyterians.

:eyes:

I am colorful, yes, but mostly cuz DU is a nice place to let the rants out. In real life, I'm really a laid back go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Always have been.

The incredible lack of etiquette of today's world, though, IS slowly wearing me down.

[Kat45]

2. I believe that all the major religions, when it comes right down to the basics,

believe the same thing. They just have different ways of getting to it and expressing it. People argue and fight, wars happen, etc because too many people concentrate on the aspects of the religion that differentiate it from others, though these things are often more superficial. When it gets down to the deep meaning, they're pretty much the same. Whenever I've read Buddhist teachings, I've been awed that they sound like they could have come from Jesus.

[mzteris]

3. It's not the motions

it's the underlying meaning.

"Whenever I've read Buddhist teachings, I've been awed that they sound like they could have come from Jesus."

Or vice versa. ;)

It all pretty much boils down to the same thing:

Treat yourself well. (as in don't abuse yourself)
Treat others well.
Treat the earth well.