following the Pooh way

[Lance]

Then you think that intolerance is not Taoist? In other words, Taoists are tolerant under any condition without any exception?

I don't think that intolerance is Taoist or Christian or Buddhist or Islamic. That is why I specified "...Christians or anyone of any system of belief who subverts good and wise teachings..."

I think that intolerance comes from ignorance. Having said that, I'm sure that I've opened up another can of worms with the word ignorance.

[laotan]

Then you think that intolerance is not Taoist? In other words, Taoists are tolerant under any condition without any exception?

I don't think that intolerance is Taoist or Christian or Buddhist or Islamic. That is why I specified "...Christians or anyone of any system of belief who subverts good and wise teachings..."

I think that intolerance comes from ignorance. Having said that, I'm sure that I've opened up another can of worms with the word ignorance.

Intolerance is part of the game of nature so I wouldn't dare to escape it.

[laotan]

Would not another way of understanding this is that the sage person understands the reality of tolerance, whereas the fool concentrates on the concept of intolerance. The sage knows that any intolerance will soon be replaced by tolerance, the fool is forever fruitlessly trying to eliminate intolerance.

Your thought here is really close to the Way.

[laotan]

Not Pooh, but for me that is okay. Taoism for me is a label of convenience in describing an intuitive belief in multiple realities. I.e. Each of us has our own unique path to follow, some more easily than others. That path is cojoined with all others allowing for an interconnection whether recognized or not. Wu and Wu Wei, when you allow it, show the connections in a myriad of forms. Neither good, nor bad, just the connections. I sense the flow and that makes me content.

I can follow your words but I am not so sure that I understand what they really mean. I mean in the world of here and now.

[Lance]

Intolerance is part of the game of nature so I wouldn't dare to escape it.

I suppose you are right, but at this point I am still bothered when I witness intolerance. Once I myself was quite intolerant toward some segments of society. Now I guess I'm mostly intolerant of intolerant people.

Would not another way of understanding this is that the sage person understands the reality of tolerance, whereas the fool concentrates on the concept of intolerance. The sage knows that any intolerance will soon be replaced by tolerance, the fool is forever fruitlessly trying to eliminate intolerance.

Your thought here is really close to the Way.

I agree with you both. Still, consciously following the Tao is a new experience for me and I sometimes let myself be drawn away.

My point to begin with, however, really had less to do with intolerance and more to do with the fact that at times the Jesus of the Bible appears to be a Taoist sage himself.

A Chinese Christian minister once told me that the Greek work Logos in the New Testament is translated as Tao in Chinese Bibles. Thus, instead of "in the beginning was the word," 1 John would say "In the beginning was the Tao and the Tao was with God and the Tao was God. And the Tao became human and dwelt among us."

[laotan]

Indeed the aTaoist adept aims at the embodiment of the Tao. In the words of Lao Tzu sages are sons of Heaven that is born from the Heaven musch like the Chiristian saint.

[NonTien]

(I do not know how to transfer quotes for references) but;
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Lance wrote

"I agree with you both. Still, consciously following the Tao is a new experience for me and I sometimes let myself be drawn away.

My point to begin with, however, really had less to do with intolerance and more to do with the fact that at times the Jesus of the Bible appears to be a Taoist sage himself."

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It seems to me that 'consciously following the Tao' would indeed be a very difficult task. That would be like trying to look at your eye.

When does a mountain or a flower strive to follow the Tao? When does a cat consciously follow the Tao?

[laotan]

(I do not know how to transfer quotes for references) but;
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lance wrote

"I agree with you both. Still, consciously following the Tao is a new experience for me and I sometimes let myself be drawn away.

My point to begin with, however, really had less to do with intolerance and more to do with the fact that at times the Jesus of the Bible appears to be a Taoist sage himself."

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It seems to me that 'consciously following the Tao' would indeed be a very difficult task. That would be like trying to look at your eye.

When does a mountain or a flower strive to follow the Tao? When does a cat consciously follow the Tao?

Consciously is like imagination or pojecting your wish onto the reality - this is why one can not follow the Tao consciously. Otherwise he/she is conscious, that is, knows that he/she steps on the Taoist path.

[NonTien]

It seems to me that to a Taoist, EVERYONE and EVERYTHING is following Tao - whether they know it or not - whether they want to or not - whether it is consciously or not. The entire universe IS Tao.

[laotan]

It seems to me that to a Taoist, EVERYONE and EVERYTHING is following Tao - whether they know it or not - whether they want to or not - whether it is consciously or not. The entire universe IS Tao.

This is rather a Christian theory than a Taoist's, or a Taoism inspired by Christianity.