Ficciones
Active member
A few thoughts on this.
- lol at the idea that liberals / democrats are communists
- clumsy anticommunism is the best advertising for communism
- communism will win
The libs will hate this....Anti-communism education bill signed by DeSantis
- Thread starter CrowCross
- Start date
A few thoughts on this.
Faithoverbelief
Well-known member
Jesus is not dual. Non-dual. I disagree with your definition of God. I hold an agnostic position as it is impossible for the finite (man) to grasp and understand the infinite.
Jesus was Jewish and tried to explain non-dualism in the best way he could.
I think the vast majority of the Old testament is metaphorically speaking and not literal.
In my ideals of God/Tao/Divine/ higher power it is not the description given in the old testament.
That is why I say I follow the teachings of Jesus and do not identify as a Christian.
( I already know you believe I am not following the teachings of Jesus so you don't need to remind me.)
The definition of God is coming from the Bible. One cant 'interpret' sny differently without disbelieving it. ... and you only assume to follow some of Jesus teachings.
Faithoverbelief
Well-known member
Makes no difference whether I say so or not, the evidence is the Bible. Its by what the Bible says that we can see you only assume to follow or beliece certain passages.
Faithoverbelief
Well-known member
It's clearly obvious that you and I and millions of people view the content of the bible differently.
That is why so many denominations exist. That is why if you frequent other sections of this forum you see arguing about details within the bible.
The first thing is I do not take most of the bible as literal. I take it as metaphorical.
CrowCross
Well-known member
irrelevant, I pointed you to what the Bible says, not what different people claim, besides its obvious they dont. There are very few of the 2 billion Christians who would see Jesus in terms of your tao ism
Most of Jesus teaching is literal
Lastdaysbeliever
Well-known member
So the above is why Christianity and Tao are incompatible.
He was God, manifest in the flesh.
Scripture can be figurative, also poetic, allegorical (parables), prophetic, there is the Law (absolutes), definitive, historical etc. However, imo, declaring the "vast majority" of the OT as metaphorical is a stretch. What that does for you, though, is this type of disposition allows you to pick and choose between what is actually literal and turn it into metaphorical.
That's because you make God declaring who He is a metaphor, I would presume. Jesus speaks of Himself in the NT, repeatedly, to His disciples and others to declare who He is (Peter eventually understood and stated who Jesus is, but only because the Father in heaven revealed it to Him). Even when He was being baptized by John the Baptist the Father spoke from heaven, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and Jesus was declared, by the Father, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”. That doesn't comport with your Tao beliefs. At all.
And you shouldn't, rightly. But I hope you understand why I am defending my faith. I don't do this out of judgment but out of love for you, as Christ would have me do.
I won't. We are both aware of the issues between thee and me, just in basic theology.
Ficciones
Active member
It's inevitable. Marx predicted that the snake of capitalism would eat its own tail and eventually run out of tail. Lenin modified his prediction, recognizing that the dynamic would be international.
And here we are.
Thistle
Well-known member
Don't be put off by the title of this video. It's not exactly what you might think given the title.
The revelation of God is manifest in nature.
"For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:1-14 NIV
The revelation of God is manifest in nature.
"For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:1-14 NIV
Faithoverbelief
Well-known member
But the teachings of Jesus and Taoism are compatible. As an example.
Jesus says Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Tao te ching speaks of the principle of wu wei or not forcing and not worrying.
Lastdaysbeliever
Well-known member
Is your link a communist site?
Lastdaysbeliever
Well-known member
But you pick and choose which of Jesus' teachings you believe are compatible. All you need do is look, Christologically, to see there is no comport.
Faithoverbelief
Well-known member
The largest similarity between Jesus teachings and the Tao is that gentleness and flexibility can overcome power and inflexibility.
Lastdaysbeliever
Well-known member
The comport you are advocating ignores the whole of Jesus' teachings. That's pickin' an' choosin'.
So Tao ism believes in the Heavenly Father and Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit?.
Naah. Atheists claim affinity with certain passages
It's a great story that seeks to answer the questions that man has.
Thistle
Well-known member
Tao is trying to save us from not achieving immortality. Jesus is saving us from the consequences of our sin which is eternal separation from God, condemnation and damnation.
Jesus of the two correctly diagnose is the problem of mankind. God issued you a perfect conscience and you like everyone else violated it. That is the fundamental truth of the human condition. The fundamental problem mankind faces is not achieving Nirvana. The fundamental problem is we can't lay our broken conscience before God without some means of reconciliation. We can't fix it God can only forgive it but it's gotta be on his terms, which is Grace not works.
We've got to accept the fact that this reconciliation is an absolute gift, which is almost impossible for human beings to swallow. No made up religion in the world has any doctrine except salvation by works. And given all of eternity mankind would never have come up with the idea that salvation is by grace.
In the sermon on the mount, which you cite, Jesus is showing us exactly how much higher God's view of morality is then is evident from the law of the Old Testament. Jesus' view of morality is absolute perfection. Only grace ushers us into heaven under that standard.
Jesus tells the parable about the servant who works all day in the fields and when he comes home before he eats he must create a meal for his master and see him to bed before he can then make something for himself to eat. And when he goes to bed he says "I am only a worthless servant for I have done only what was required of me." What does this parable mean?
It means that we owe, God everything and it is impossible for us to put God into our debt. That means there is no path of works to salvation because we already owe God absolute perpetual and cumulative perfection from the moment we are born to the moment we expire.
Now it is up to Christians after we receive this grace to become the sort of people who will be happy in heaven among gods other saints. That's called sanctification but understand that that is not what gets us into heaven.
Amen