Apparently, the most popular verse in the Bible is:
John 14.6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
I personally think this is a pretty evil verse actually, certainly one of the bible's worst. Doesn't compare to some of my favourites, like Deuteronomy 23:1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD. - There you go, God doesn't like eunuchs. Quite rightly, Bishop Spong puts John 14.6 as one of his "evil bible verses" in his book on the texts of hate in the Bible.
However, what I find more interesting about this is Jesus' use of the term "the way" (pretty much all translations have this, except for some which have the road, which has much the same meaning). Now, having just read the Tao Te Ching, I can't help but note the similiarites. My copy of the Tao Te Ching describes the Tao as "A road, a path, the way by which people travel, the way of nature and finally the Way of Ultimate Reality". Christians are certainly encouraged to walk with Jesus, accept him fully into their lives, and let him totally control them, and by doing so, become one with God. This is pretty similar to Taoism, which argues if we all just breathed deep the gathering gloom (thank you moody blues) and let the Tao flow through us, we can go back to perfect, uncivilised, contentment.
I dunno about you, but I'm sold. Clearly Taoism and Christianity are the same religion. Jesus either was the Tao, or a representative of it. In fact, they even look pretty similar:
道 I reckon that looks a bit like Jesus, don't you?
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
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I don't know... I thought he had a shorter beard. Skin is too white as well. Still... close enough is good enough as we say in the soteriology business.
Careful of your translations of Dao. Path and road, yes. But don't forget to think metaphorically - practice, telos, fate, destiny, origin, quasi-metaphysical cosmic energy encompassing some kind of supra-harmonious directionality - all good. I'm with you though. Philosophical Daoism, with tongue firmly in cheek, rocks various casbahs.
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