Is Taoism more internally consistent than Christianity?

Answer 1

Taoism seems this way because modern Christianity has taken a rigid and unyeilding form, while the reality is that both are full of metaphor and incredibly flexible.

Thankfully, in the case of the Tao, the surrounding culture nurished this wisdom and it remained mostly pure.

Answer 2

* Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life.
* "The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment." 4
* Each believer's goal is to harmonize themselves with the Tao.
* Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region, and generally within the same individual.
* The priesthood views the many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing." The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life's problems through inner meditation and outer observation.
* In contrast with the beliefs and practices of the priesthood, most of the laity have "believed that spirits pervaded nature...The gods in heaven acted like and were treated like the officials in the world of men; worshipping the gods was a kind of rehearsal of attitudes toward secular authorities. On the other hand, the demons and ghosts of hell acted like and were treated like the bullies, outlaws, and threatening strangers in the real world; they were bribed by the people and were ritually arrested by the martial forces of the spirit officials." 3
* Time is cyclical, not linear as in Western thinking.
* Taoists strongly promote health and vitality.
* Five main organs and orifices of the body correspond to the five parts of the sky: water, fire, wood, metal and earth.
* Each person must nurture the Ch'i (air, breath) that has been given to them.
* Development of virtue is one's chief task. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.
* Taoists follow the art of "wu wei," which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam which would interfere with its natural flow.
* One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it.
* A Taoists is kind to other individuals, in part because such an action tends to be reciprocated.
* Taoists believe that "people are compassionate by nature...left to their own devices [they] will show this compassion without expecting a reward." 5
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PLEASE NOTE:

**Taoism is not consistent with the Bible, and therefore you are comparing apples and oranges, if you try to compare it to Christianity.**

Answer 3

Hard to say. From what I've learned about Taoism, part of following it is *not* following it to the letter, as it upsets the flow of nature.

Answer 4

It's on system I never studied that much, but there are no inconsitancies in the Bible. The Bible is a blue print and it's written by humans and sometimes they different on rememering things. But inconsitant, it is not. Anything inconsitant would have been taken out long ago by Constaintine or King James. They both had such opportunities and left it intact.

Answer 5

No, Christianity is 100% consistent. Some non-believers would say otherwise. The bible does not contradict itself. Some peoples' interpretations do contradict; but these are based on false understanding. The bible is 100% inspired by God, who would never contradict any true doctrine.

Josh McDowell used to be a non-believer and tried to prove the bible was false. As he tried and failed he became a Christian and wrote a two volume book "Evidence That Demands a Verdict".

Answer 6

I guess that depends on who you are, there's not all that much to be consistant with. Much of taoism is interperetation, as the texts are vague, and extremely brief (I'd call it haiku-ized), one could say two things conflict, while another would not. But for most practicioners, I'd say yes, it definitely is more consistant.

Answer 7

Take just one statement of Laozi, the Great Teacher believed to be the founder of Taoism.

Something mysteriously already made, Existing (living) before heaven and earth in the silence and the void, Standing alone and unchanging, Ever present in constant (cyclic) motion. Perhaps He is the source of myriads of things, I do not know His name. Call Him Dao, For lack of a better word,
I call Him "the Almighty."
-- Gia FuFeng and Jane English, Translation of Lao Zi, Tao Te Ching (Toronto: Vintage Books, RandomHouse,Inc. 1989),Ch.25,p.255.

Dao 道 or sometimes spelled "Tao" in the Chinese dictionary means: Way, road, path, doctrine, teaching, word, principle, truth.

Can a literal "way, road, doctrine, teaching, word, truth" create anything?

Compare it to this text from the Bible:

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:1-3)

And with this:

14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

And with this:

1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

The Taois religion was actually not started by Laozi. It was his followers a few hundred years later who collected his teachings and started that religion.

But do you think Laozi meant his teachings or doctrines by the "Dao" Who created all things.

Of course they have the write to interprete it that way. But do youi know that thousands of Taoists followers are turning into Christianity during the last few years only when they realized that
it is more likely that the "Way, the Truth and the Word" is none other than Jesus Christ, who is described in the above texts?

And what do you think about the following saying of Laozi

Is he taling about himself, or his teaching, or about He Who claimed to be "The Way, The Truth and the Life", and that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father?


From the beginning until now, His name has not
disappeared, so the Father of all things can be seen. From whom do I see the image of the Father?
It is from Him.
-- Jane English, Translation
of Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching, Ch. 3, p. 5.

Compare it with John 14:9; “Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have notknown Me, Philip?. He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father”? Colossians 1:15. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

Now listen to this:

Therefore to be established as the emperor, with
three officers installed, And be presented with a gift of gems and a team of horses, Is not as good as to sit in Dao. Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Dao so much?
Because, being one with the Dao,
When you seek, you find;
When you commit a sin, you can be forgiven.
That is why everybody loves the Dao.
--Gia Fu Feng and Jane English, Ch. 62, p. 64.

Who is the Dao or the Word/Way/Truth who can forgive sin?
Was it Laozi or his teachings or doctrines?

Or is it this one:

1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:7-9)

Who can forgive sin? Not Laozi, Confucius or Muhammad.
There is only One who can forgive sin. His name is Jesus, The Word, the Way and the Truth, The Dao, The Kalimutallah or Word of God.

No wonder the Bible says that at the end of time, Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
The Shangdi, King of Heaven and the King of kings , the Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace and the Almighty Himself!

I have to admit that most Christians are not consistent, but the few real Christians are, and the Bible is consistent, and a lot of Taoists, are now become consistent with the teaching of their leader Laozi, although many are still blind to it, that the Dao he teaches, who create everything, who has power to forgive, that he called the Almighty, is none other than Jesus Christ, The Word, who is also the Creator of the universe.

Answer 8

Depends on what you can tell us about Taoism, I'm interested in what you have to say...

Answer 9

Any random religion is more consistent than Christianity. Read the Bible - their own holy book directly contradicts itself over 350 times.

Answer 10

If you want to be internally consistent, take Ex-lax.