Ack! Post-Modernism Hits Taiwan!!

Well, I always new it existed here...but now I have written proof! :)

Often times, on this mailing list, there are people who attack Christianity. There is a local pastor who always sends invites for her church on the board. The invites read, "Find out what God wants for your life" or "God loves you," etc.

These invitations have causes many arguments and about Christianity and evangelism. Most of the replies are typical of hecklers at open air preaching events. And people respond about us judging them or who are you to tell me that I need God. Typical.

Anway, these emails had not floated around until last night. Someone wrote the following. I've never attempted to reply to the hate-filled emails, but I wrote a response about this one to the board. Paul's note is in red; my response is below in blue.

This is what 7 months of the School of Biblical Evangelism taught me. Even seven months ago, I wouldn't consider debating or educating strangers like this about the Word of God. I was too scared. I didn't think I knew enough of the Bible. I didn't think I was smart enough, and I have 3 degrees including a Masters!!! But what the school did was give me just enough to become confident and challenged me in my walk with Christ.

I love the Word more and more everyday. And everyday, I'm more and more convinced that Jesus Christ is the one true God.

--- In Tainan_bulletin@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
>
> Having spent a good few years Here in Taiwan I have often chanced to
> meet Taiwanese 'converts' to Christianity. Upon discussing with
> them on the subject, one of the reasons often given for their
> conversion is the matter of there being just one God. "Budhists and
> Daoists believe in many of them while we Christians believe in just
> one". Well something needs to be said about that. The Jade
> Emperor is the Daoist one God. Below him are scores of
> other 'gods'. You see folks it's a matter of language, them whom
> the Taiwanese continue to call Gods we Christians title saints or
> angels. Their position in the hierarchy of religion are in fact
> almost the same. We build churches in the name of saint Peter just
> as Daoists build temples in the name of Ma Joo, sorry about the
> spelling. It is absurd to use a vocabulary word 'shen', which is
> used as a title for the Daoist God, angels, and saints to bring rift
> between two great religions.
> Somethin else which is often talked about is the lovely tradition of
> burning paper money in commemoration and respect to one's
> ancestors. Having been raised in a Christian family myself our
> usage of candles for the same purpose makes me but wonder at the
> similarity. Of course not all Cristians burn candles. As to the
> polution factor I read somewhere once that the average Daoist emits
> as much polutants in one year of burning money as a moped does in
> five and a half minutes going at fifty kms per
> hour.
> Speaking directly to the Taiwanese, please concider the opinion
> of just another lost soul that sweet Jesus would really not mind if
> you continued to be A devout Daoists at the same time as being a
> Christian. It is after all his words that import an understanding
> in the value of what it means to be a virtuous human being through
> the power of love. Blind belief of going to heaven just because one
> belongs to a surtain group is a receipe for fundamentalism, it
> alienates us rather than bring us
> together.
> It has been my experience that talking to religious
> fundamentalists is a practice in futility. You see they have this
> magic wand called God. Anything that cannot be explained rationally
> ie. the ark, the turning of water into wine, bringing back the
> dead, coming back from the dead, walking on water... is rationalized
> by atributing it to the fact that God in his all mighty power can do
> anything. Anything similar stated in another religion is "fairy
> tales"
> Anyways that's my opinion. PEACE
>


Paul,

It seems as if you are able to have sensible conversations about things, therefore, I thought I'd reply to add some more thought to what you brought up. I spent quite a bit of time in writing, so this is not an "emotional" response as others have given before. Since you talk about logic and reason. I'm going to give it a go...

It sounds as if you would believe that "all roads lead to heaven." If that's true, then why to the roads of different religions contradict each other?

I see a huge problem with post-modern/politically correct ideas that say "well, if that's good for you, then it's right for you. But it's not good for me, therefore, it's not right for me." The problem with this is people can not clearly define what they believe, be it Christianity, Atheism, Buddhism, etc. There's no conviction of what they believe because they are so afraid of being accused of hate, racism, etc. They walk around life not trying to step on peoples toes. Contrary to popular belief, truly there is nothing wrong with someone saying they are right and someone else is wrong. We can say those things and still be friends. There doesn't have to be hate in between. And personally, I have more respect for those who can tell me I'm wrong than those who are wishy-washy about what they believe (no matter the subject).

As to rationalizing events in the Bible, of course, one would not believe them. To believe fantastic stories of the Bible would mean you'd have to surrender your intellectual dignity.

But before you write Christians and their beliefs off, is there any proof that the Bible claims are true?

There is compelling evidence that the Bible is no ordinary book.

Jeremiah 33:22 was written 2,500 years ago. It' states: "As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the san of the sea measured."

The Bible claimed that there were millions of stars ("host of heaven" is the Biblical term for the stars). When it made this statement, no one knew how vast the numbers of stars were as only about 1,100 were observable. Now we know that there are billions of starts, and they cannot be numbered.

Written 3,500 years ago, Job 26:7 says, "He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing."

The Bible claimed that the earth freely floated in space. Science then thought that the earth sat on a large animal. We now know that the earth has free float in space.

Hebrews 11:3 (written 2,000 years ago) says, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

The Bible claims that all creation is made of invisible material. Science was ignorant of the subject. But we now know that the entire creation is made up of invisible elements called "atoms."

And one more, Leviticus 17:11, written 3,000 years ago, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood."
This statement declares that blood is the source of life. But up until 120 years ago, sick people were "bled," and many died because of the practice. We now know that blood is the source of life. If you lose your blood, you lose your life.


And I could continue, but if one statement could be proven true, then the rest should be considered. If one statement is proven false, then scrap the whole thing.

And this is the difference between the Bible and what you have called (as you say Christians view it), "fairy tales," is that the Bible has scientific and archaeological evidence to support it. Whearas, other religions have not and can not offer this evidence because they are based on myths.

Finally, as for Christians having "blind belief that they will go to heaven because they belong to a certain group..." tells me perhaps you don't fully understand salvation as God's plan.

I don't "blindly" believe anything. In fact, I know that I'm not a good person. I know that I've lied, stolen, disobeyed my parents, had hate and lust in my heart. I know that if I died, I would be judged (as most other religions teach). I would also be found guilty. I know that all my good deeds would never add up to the perfection and righteousness that God demands. If I'm going to be judged and punish according to my actions and deeds, there's no way I'll ever get to heaven. I can hope that God will have pity on me and let me in, but that's not what the Bible says happens.

If God is a good and just judge, then I must pay for my crime against Him. It's as if I'm standing before a court and the judge has sententced me to a $50,000 fine. I can't pay it. So, I go to jail. But someone steps into the courtroom and says, "Judge, I will pay the price, so that she can go free." And that's what Christian believe Jesus Christ did for them.

He took the punishment on the cross, so that our sin debt could be paid.

Is that blindly believing something? There's lots of edvience that Jesus existed and died on a cross. Several other religions acknowledge that, too.

So, not everyone blindly believes what you say...

One other point you make, I find interesting. You said that one can continue being a daoist while being a christian because it's a matter of language. You go on to say that daoist worship a main god and then smaller gods and you equate this to the God of the Bible and then angels and saints.

It is actually not the same. Angels and saints are not to be worshipped according to the Bible.
According to Scripture, angels are created beings to serve God, but yet they have free will (We know this because Lucifer, the most powerful angel according the the Bible, choose to desire God's power and take over heaven).

There are several verses that tell us angels were created to serve and worship God: Isaiah 6:3, Matthew 28:2, Acts 5:19, Hebrews 1:6, etc.

The Bible also tells us NOT to worship angels, but God: "At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!'" Revelation 19:10

And, of course, we can not forget God's Law in Exodus: You shall have no other gods before Me. And you shall not make any graven image. You shall not bow down to them or serve them.


Therefore, we can LOGICALLY conclude that minor daoist gods and angels and saints are NOT the same. I'm not going to tell you what to believe. That's not my job. But you can't claim they are the same; one has to be right and one has to be wrong.


And see, we can have intellectual discussions without name calling.

All scientific evidence taken from "Scientific Facts in the Bible" by Ray Comfort.