Of all the disruptions I’ve faced in my life, leaving Christianity might be the most significant. Given the difficult guardrails placed around even considering departure, I never dreamed it could be possible. Those guardrails—threats of eternal separation/damnation—were a personal crown of thorns. Back then, a passage like this one would have made me deeply uneasy. It was considered blasphemy!
While I think Ming Dao’s phrasing could be better where he says “it does not follow that we can forgo all belief in higher beings," taken in full context, he is simply suggesting that divine metaphors are helpful placeholders for things we don't yet understand.
I appreciate the maturity of the passage. It feels illuminating rather than instructive.
I recognize that some traditions strongly disagree with these ideas. Yet, I believe most humans are doing their best to make sense of their lives. While we can't all agree on spiritual matters, we can wholeheartedly and graciously celebrate our shared humanity and our remarkable ability to contemplate profound questions.
Note: Passage quoted from Tao: Daily Meditations by Deng Ming-Dao, © 1992. Commentary provided under Fair Use guidelines for purposes of critique and discussion.
For an illuminating, fun and alarming adventure, I recommend “The Chronicles of Tao” also by Deng Ming-Dao. I didn’t engage with any humans for a week while reading it, and after reading it, I didn’t see the world in the same way.
Disclaimer: Although I identify with many aspects of Taoism, I don't engage with all of them. I don't practice divination with the I Ching (Book of Changes), as I don't find it helpful or necessary.
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