Khan_Sama wrote
Quote:
Yes, what you say is quite correct, and corresponds with the Islamic view on other religions being distorted. However, I believe philosophical taoists don't follow the religious rites, rather, I they follow the Tao as a way of life, and I too see Islam as a way of life. I do see a lot of conflict however, such as sexuality in Taoism vs sexuality in Islam. I was wondering, although there are no statistics for the number of Taoists, are there more philosophical Taoists?
I have no idea how many philosophical Taoists there are in the world, I know it's growing in the West where there is a growing thirst for something less materialistic and more (dare I say) "spiritual" in peoples lives.
I don't believe Lao Tzu intended us to become Taoists when he wrote it.
Like the story of the finger pointing to the moon, that we should not look at the finger but follow where it is pointing and so see the moon for ourselves.
It is my personal belief that we should strive to rise above "isms" even Tao-ism and see that all the great prophets and sages were trying to return us to a state of enlightenment and peace with ourselves and the universal conciousness. The problem is that we make judgements and divisions based on what we see as right and wrong. As you are a Muslim I will explain what I mean like this.
The story about Adam and Eve says the apple gave them knowledge of good and evil and they lost their state of oneness with the garden. They had no shame in their sexuality or any inequality between the two sexes before this. We should strive not to make judgements of other people because right and wrong are relative terms.
Please bear in mind this my personal understanding and not true of all Taoists, as a human being I am right and wrong depending on who you are.
Anyway I am waffling, here's what Lao Tzu said:
2
When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.
Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.
Therefore the Master
acts without doing anything
and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come;
things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn't possess,
acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.