Truth Magazine

By Chris Reeves

One may wonder why it is so important to devote such time and space to a study of the world’s religions. And when reading about the religions of the East, the Christian probably thinks that he will never come in contact with a practicing Buddhist. So, why should he find out anything about his beliefs? The fact is, it is very possible for us to come in contact with a Buddhist, and we have a responsibility to talk with him about his beliefs as well as our own. If we think that Buddhism (or one of the other world religions) is practiced only in some far-away country, we are mistaken. For example, do you realize that one of American’s religious denominations is called the Buddhist Churches of America? It was incorporated in 1942, its headquarters are in San Francisco, California, and there are about 250,000 members today. The challenge to learn more about our “religious” friends and neighbors is, therefore, before us. This article is intended to briefly summarize the origin, teachings, and development of modernday Buddhism. A brief contrast of Buddhism with the Bible will also be given in hopes that the reader will understand the fundamental differences between the two, and the superiority of the latter.

Buddha – The Enlightened One

Buddhism begins with a man who woke up. In his later years, people came to Buddha and inquired, “Are you a god?” He answered, “No.” “An Angel?” “No.” “A saint?” “No.” “Then who are you?” Buddha answered, “I am awake.” His answer became his title. In Sanskrit the root budh denotes “to wake up” and “to know,” thus, Buddha means “the Enlightened One” or “the Awakened One.” Buddha’s experience of “enlightenment” became the essence of his religion.

The events leading up to Buddha’s enlightenment are as follows. Buddha was born around 560 B.C. into a very wealthy family who lived in northern India. His full name was Siddhartha Gautarna of the Sakyas. He was the son of a rajah (ruler) and grew up in a life of luxury. His father protected him from all outside influences. This lifestyle gave him no satisfaction, so he decided to leave and become homeless. For the first time Siddhartha faced life’s realities. He saw the suffering of the world in three forms: a decrepit old man, and invalid racked with disease lying on the road, and a corpse. Finally, he saw a monk with a shaven head, a robe and a begging bowl. These sights taught Siddhartha that life is full of suffering and death. What he longed for now was true knowledge. So, at age twenty-nine he left his wife, son, family and home, in search for truth.

For the next six years he studied at the feet of two great Hindu masters, and even tried severe acts of asceticism at one point to find the meaning of life. However, he did not find what he was looking for in these things. It was not until he practiced a form of raja yoga (meditation) while sitting under a fig tree that he found his enlightenment and became the Buddha. He sat for a total of forty-nine days under this tree (call a Bo-tree, or “tree of enlightenment”), but it was in the first three days of his meditation that he received the knowledge that he would later teach. For the next forty-five years, Buddha would travel through India teaching his message of enlightenment and gathering his followers. He died at the age of eighty (c. 480 B.C.).

Buddha – The Reformer

Before examining the teachings of Buddha, it is important for one to realize that Buddhism was originally a religion of reaction against the perversions of Hinduism an Indian protestantism. Buddha came out of the world of Hinduism and, when he grew older, revolted against the existing Brahamanical (priest) system predominated by empty rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices. He also protested the caste supremacy of the priests and certain religious doctrines like the belief in a individual soul (atman). Buddha did not want to re-establish Hinduism in any way, he wanted to start a new religion, and that he did.

Determined to change the religion of his day, Buddha preached a religion devoid of authority (i.e., each person is to do his own religious seeking), ritual, speculation (i.e., soul, or life after cleath), tradition and the supernatural (i.e., miracles and God). In formulating his religion, however, Buddha was largely influenced by the Upanishadic sages, and the prevailing ideas of karma, reincarnation, yoga and the monastic life. In short, he accepted the best of the existing religion and rejected what he did not consider useful.

Buddha – The Teacher

When Buddha finally arose from sitting under the Bo tree, he travelled toward India’s holy city of Bernares. Before arriving in Deer Park at Sarnath, he preached his first sermon to five companions. His subject was the Four Noble Truths, which contained Buddha’s most fundamental beliefs. All that Buddha later taught would unfold from these Four Noble Truths.

The First Noble Truth is the knowledge of suffering (dukkha). This states that all human existence from the day of one’s birth to his death is miserable and painful. The Second Noble Truth concerns the origin of suffering. Suffering has its source in desire (tanha), specifically the desire to pull apart from the rest of humanity and be an individual self. Buddha did not believe that a person had a soul (atman), nor was he an individual, but rather he was one with the rest of the world. Buddha taught that when a person desires to be an individual, suffering begins. The Third Noble Truth concerns the destruction of suffering. This is the central aim of Buddhism. It is achieved when one is freed from the endless cycle of rebirths (samsara) and when one enters the blessed state of nirvana (either before or after death). The Fourth Noble Truth points the way to the removal of suffering. This is achieved by walking the Eightfold Path to nirvana.

The Eightfold Path is as follows: (1) Right knowledge; (2) Right attitude; (3) Right speech; (4) Right action; (5) Right living; (6) Right effort; (7) Right mindfulness; and (8) Right composure. The Eightfold Path focuses on the Buddhist’s knowledge of the Four Noble Truths, his ethical conduct and mental discipline. The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path were the heart of Buddha’s teaching.

The goal of one’s understanding the Four Noble Truths and walking the Eightfold Path is nirvana. Etymologically this word means “to blow out,” or “to extinguish,” and all the religious effort in Buddhism points to this end. One could sum up a Buddhist’s philosophy in one word “escape.” It is a desire for release from the karma – the law of cause and effect, and rebirth; a Buddhist searches for nirvana. The cycle of rebirths can be broken only by ceasing all desire. When this is done, one will enter nirvana. But what is nirvana? It may be described as something between annihilation and continued existence. Negatively, nirvana is the state where all desire is extinguished. Affirmatively, it is a continued existence which cannot be described. Buddha said nirvana was like the wind; it is there but you cannot show it. When asked to define nirvana, Buddha always said that he had never tried to solve this question. His mission was to show man the way of escape, not describe what he would find once he had been liberated.

Buddha lived and taught for almost fifty years after his enlightenment, but he did not write a single word of his teachings. His original teachings were handed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth. This continual oral tradition was not put into writing until about three centuries after his death. By this time, the religion had split into a number of schools. Each school set down the teachings of Buddha as they understood them. The oldest Buddhist writings, the Pali canon, are called the Tripitaka or “three baskets.” These “scriptures” contain stories about the life of Buddha, rules for the monastic order and Buddhist theology. They are used by the Theravada Buddhists. The Mahayana Buddhists, however, recognize many more texts as authoritative.

Buddhist Sects

Soon after Buddha’s death, his followers split into many factions, and within two hundred years, two major traditions emerged. They were the strict, conservative Theravadins and the more liberal Mahayanas. The basic difference between the two was how they saw the life of Buddha and the way of salvation. The former viewed Buddha as a saint and only a monk could achieve salvation, while the latter viewed Buddha as a savior and everyone could be saved, Theravada Buddhism is the main tradition in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. Mahayana Buddhism is popular in Mongolia, Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Nepal. After Buddhism splits into Theravada and Mahayana, Theravada holds together while Mahayana continues to divide. Mahayana divides into five sects with Zen being the most popular. Zen Buddhism came from China and developed in Japan in the twelfth century. In Zen, one reaches enlightenment (satori) through meditation (zazen) and answering riddles (koan) under the hand of a Zen master (roshi). The state of satori cannot be described; it comes abruptly, momentarily, and often more than once. Zen is now very popular in the West.

Western thinkers have been interested in Buddhism for about two-hundred years. In 1875, Buddhism was promoted in America with the founding of the Theosophical Society in New York. Buddhism also traveled to the United States via Asian immigration at the end of the nineteenth century. Today, most Buddhists are united in the Buddhist Churches of America. Their membership of 250,000 is made up of both Americans and Asians. Buddhism has about 300 million followers world-wide and continues to grow. No matter where they are or of what sect they are a part, all Buddhists have faith in the Three Jewels: Buddha, his teaching (dharma) and the religious community that he founded (sangha).

Buddha or the Bible?

There are a number of differences between the teachings of Buddha and the Bible. According to the Bible, God is a Spirit Being who is Creator and Sustainer of the universe (Gen. 1:1-3; Jn. 4:24; Acts 17:23-31). Yet, he is separate from it. Buddhism, however, denies the existence of a personal God. It says the world evolved and it operates only by natural power and law, not divine command. Thus, man is the center of all “religious” activity – there is no faith in, or worship of, God. In Zen Buddhism, God is man and man is God; all is God and God is all (pantheism). There is a certain “force” (tao) that penetrates all things, and that force is God. This kind of pantheism fr,ind in Zen was popularized in the Star Wars films.

According to the Bible, “truth” is objective (i.e., it originates outside of man). It comes from God, does not change and is contained in Scripture (Psa. 117:2; Jn. 17:17). In these last days, God has revealed his truth through the words of Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:2). Jesus is the source of all spiritual truth today (Jn. 1: 17; 14:6), and only through his word can man be set free from sin (Jn. 8:31,32). In Buddhism, “truth” (englightemnent) comes subjectively through meditation. There are different forms of meditation in Buddhism and the experience of “enlightenment” differs from sect to sect.

We are told in the Bible that all responsible humans are sinners (Rom. 3:23). Sin may be a direct transgression of God’s law (1 Jn. 3:4), or a neglect of it (Jas. 4:17), but all sin is against God (Psa. 51:4; Acts 5:4), and will bring separation from God (Isa. 59:2) as well as spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). God, by his grace, sent Jesus into the world to save mankind from sin and death (Jn. 3:16). Those persons who obey his word will be saved (Heb. 5:9). Thus, we are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). The Buddhist, however, is not trying to be saved from sin and its consequences, but rather from the law of karma and reincarnation. His “salvation” comes when all desire is quenched and he stops being reborn. This, too, is achieved only by one’s own effort; no outside help is necessary (a “works only” salvation).

Man is pictured in the Bible as the crown of God’s creation, being made in the image of God and having a soul (Gen. 1:26,27; 2:7). With his body, man is to serve God (Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:19,20). But in Buddhism, man is viewed as a worthless creature and life is hardly worth living. He does not have a soul and his entire existence is evil and full of suffering. The Bible, however, does not teach a pessimistic view of life. Each person is valuable (Matt. 16:26) and has a purpose in life – to serve his Creator (Eccl. 12:13). Though he may have to endure suffering in this life, he will be rewarded for his endurance (Matt. 5:11, 12; Jas. 1:24,12). And, his entire existence is not all evil. He may choose to do evil or good (Gal. 5:16-25).

The Bible tells us that those who die in harmony with God’s word will enter into heaven and there live eternally with God (Jn. 14:3); Rev. 21:3). Heaven is a place of great reward (Matt. 5:12), where there is no suffering or wickedness (Rev. 21:4,8). All the saints in heaven will exist in a new , glorified body (Phil. 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:35-49), and they will serve God forever (Rev. 22:3,5). The Buddhist, however, longs for nirvana. Nirvana is a place where desire has ceased. It is not a place of annihilation, but at the same time it cannot be described or realized by any of the senses, only by the mind.

Many other differences could be given, but these will suffice to show that Buddhism is in conflict with the Bible. We must, therefore, rationally weigh the evidence that supports the teaching of Buddhism and the Bible to see which is the truth. When this is done, one will find that the former is based upon the imagination of one man, while the latter is God’s inspired word.

Buddha or Jesus?

As the writer of the book of Hebrews showed the superiority of Christ over Judaism, it is necessary today to show the superiorty of Christ over Buddhism. This can easily be done by looking at the authority of Buddha and the authority of Jesus. What authority did Buddha have to teach his doctrine? None. Having no God, no inspired word, and no miracles to confirm the teaching, Buddhism depends wholly upon the doctrines and commandments of one man. Buddha has no real authority for saying the Eightfold Path is the way to salvation. Christ, on the other hand, said, “I am the way” (Jn. 14:6) to salvation, and he proved it by working miracles and ultimately rising from the dead. His resurrection declared him to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4). and he was given all authority over everything in heaven and on earth (Eph. 1:20-22). Since he has all authority, we must listen to him rather than man.

There is no hope for the Buddhist except he believe in Jesus Christ. There is no such thing as reincarnation (cf. Heb. 9:27) and nirvana. We must show the Buddhist that “in none other is there salvation, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “There is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5). Christ is all-sufficient and the hope of heaven is our only hope.

Bibliography

The History, Teaching, and Development of Buddhism: Banerjee, P. Early Indian Religions, New York: Halsted Press, 1973.

“Buddhism.” Compton’s Encyclopedia. Chicago: Compton’s Learning Co., 1989.

Burtt, E.A. The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha. New York: The New American Library Inc., 1955.

Mead, Frank S. The Handbook of Denominations. Nashville: Abingdon, 1985.

Metz, Wulf. “The Enlightened One: “Buddhism.” Eerdman’s Handbook To The World Religions. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1982.

Reynolds, Frank E. “Buddhism.” The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1989.

Smith, Huston. The Religions of Man. New York: The New American Library of World Literature Inc., 1958.

A Contrasting of Buddhism with the Bible: Curry, Melvin. “All-Sufficient Christianity vs. Heathen Religion. ” Florida College Lectures. Temple Terrace, FL: Florida College Bookstore, 1971.

Dumoulin, Heinrich S. J. Christianity Meets Buddhism. LaSalle, IL: Open Court Publishing Co., 1974.

Geisler, Norman L. Worlds Apart.- A Handbook on World Views. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House Co., 1989.

Jackson, Wayne. “Christianity and World Religions.” Reason & Revelation (Tract).

McDowell, Josh. Understanding Non-Christian Religions. San Bernadino, CA: Campus Crusade For Christ Inc., 1982.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 10, pp. 297-300
May 17, 1990

By Jefferson David Tant

“

The neighborhood mosque” may not become as familiar as “the neighborhood church” anytime soon, but the fact is that the religion of Isalm is growing. Some sources give the number of adherents in the U.S. as 6 million in 1988, up from 2,000,000 in 1982. World figures are 860,000,000, up from 700,000,000. Much of the increase in the U.S. is immigrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Islam is now the eighth-largest religious group in the U.S., larger than the Episcopal Church and the Assemblies of God. About two-thirds of this number are recent arrivals on our shores.

“Islam” means “submission” to God. “Muslim” is from the same root in Arabic, and means “one who submits.” “Moslem” is the commonly accepted spelling, but since there is no “o” in the Arabic language, the preferred spelling is “Muslim.”

History and Background

The religion’s founder, Muhammad, was born in Mecca, Arabia’s principal city, in 570 A.D., in the midst of animism and idolatry. Like his ancestors, he was a trader and shepherd. His travels brought him in contact with Jews and Christians in Syria and Palestine. From them he learned something of monotheism. He was dissatisfied with the moral and social conditions, and in a period of mental depression in his 40’s, felt that he had been called to go forth and preach a religion of one absolute God. Chapter 96 of the Quran (Koran) is thought to contain the account of his first vision and appointment as a prophet of Allah (God).

His preaching of monotheism and condemnation of idolatry and infanticide brought persecution, and he fled for his life. He was 52. In time his preaching won followers and success, and he emphasized daily devotions, education in religion and aggressive zeal. In time he became a military leader and furthered his cause by persecution and killing, as when he slew 900 “unbelieving” Jews near Medina about 627 A.D. His estimation of himself at first was that of a humble, common man, whom God has sent to warn the people. He was illiterate, and disclaimed miracle-working power. Later many of his followers held him to be superhuman, and all consider him to be the last prophet of God, following Jesus Christ. A book, Life, written in the 15th century, contains 50 pages of miracles attributed to Muhammad. Other works proclaim his sinlessness, and state that the pronunciation of his name has delivering power and saving grace. In many passages in the Quran, obedience to the Prophet is a part of submission to God.

Muhammad’s militant zeal led to the spread of Islam through military conquest and great bloodshed throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Spain and Southern France. It is the majority religion in some 57 nations, with its strongest base in the Middle East and North Africa.

Basic Beliefs

The system is based on the Qur’an, Islam’s sacred scriptures. Historic facts indicate that Muhammad wrote nothing, as he was illiterate. About a year after his death, Abu Bekr, his successor, ordered his teaching compiled from what could be remembered accurately and from otherwise preserved teachings. The Quran contains 114 chapters, or “Suras,” and is slightly smaller than the New Testament.

The main article of faith is simple: “There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is his messenger.” Their concept does not allow for Christ’s divinity, although he is accepted as a prophet, one of 28 so named. Of these, 22 are from the Old Testament. Three are from the New Zechariah, John the Baptist and Jesus. They also include Alexander the Great, with Muhammad being the last and greatest, having been attested to by all the preceding prophets.

Judgment and the Eternal State

A judgment day is coming when balance scales will be used to weigh the good and evil deeds, even to the weight of a mustard seed. Hell is described as a place of fire and pain, much as the Bible does. But Paradise is described in more of a physical sense. It is viewed as a place where men will have dark-eyed maidens who will provide sexual delights forever (chap. 54). Furthermore, 56:18-19 talks of them “with goblets (shining beakers), and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains; no after-ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer any intoxication. ” The language appeals to sensualism.

Women

The sensualism in their concept of heaven is but a reflection of the attitudes towards women in this life. Muhammad: “You may put off any of your wives you please and take to your bed any of them you please. Nor is it unlawful for you to receive any of those whom you have temporarily set aside. . . It shall be lawful for you to take more wives or to change your present wives for other women, . . . except where slave girls are concerned” (The Believers, p. 216, and The Confederate Tribes, p. 288). Divorce is easy, and men may take as many as four wives at once. Muhammad had nine wives by a special dispensation. Thus it seems that women are regarded as possessions. This is evident today in places like Pakistan, a Muslim nation, where women are commonly imprisoned or stoned as adultresses if they report a rape. Muhammad caused some confusion when he married Zanib, who had been the wife of his adopted son Zaid. “Zaid had accomplished his want of her.”

Predestination

It appears that the Quran teaches that all that is done transpires by God’s decree, even men’s belief and unbelief (16:38). “It is not for any soul to die save by God’s permission, written down for an appointed time” (3:139). “Naught shall befall us, save what God has written down for us” (9:51).

Islam and Christianity

Although conciliatory words are often spoken, Islam declares that it is a sworn enemy of Christianity. In “The Proof” section of the Qur’an, we read: “The unbelievers among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) and the pagans did not desist from unbelief . . . they shall burn forever in the fire of Hell. They are the vilest of all creatures” (p. 29). “When you meet the unbelievers (Christians or Jews) in the battlefield strike off their heads” (Muhammad, pp. 121-122). “Make war on them (Christians and Jews) until idolatry is no more and Allah’s religion reigns supreme” (The Spoils, p. 309). Many such quotes can be cited, but these help to explain the terrorism that comes today from the Islamic world.

Remember that Muhammad ornately sculptured himself had executed 900 men who would not renounce Judaism. Jesus commanded his followers to be at peace with all men, “so far as it depends on you” (Rom. 12:18). The violence and hatred of the Islamic code is in vivid contrast to the teaching of him who is the “Prince of Peace.”

Contradictions

There are many contradictions between the Qur’an and the Old and New Testaments, as well as within the Quran itself. Following are some illustrations, taken from a debate which brother Hiram Hutto had with Dr. Salah el Dareer, an Egyptian Muslim, in Birmingham about 1977.

The Koran Contradicts The Old Testament – No. 1

Koran		Old Testament
1. Son drowned (11:42-43) (and wife? 56:10)	Noah	1. All saved (Gen. 7:1-5)
2. Left his father (6:75; 19:47ff)	Abraham	2. Did not leave him (Gen. 11:32; 12:4; Acts 7:4)
3. Stayed behind (26:171)	Lot’s wife	3. Did not stay behind (Gen. 19:16)
4. Potiphar near door (12:25-29)	Potiphar’s wife	4. Potiphar not home (Gen. 39:16)
5. Urged Joseph forgive her (12:29)	Potiphar	5. Put Joseph in prison (Gen. 39:20)
6. Imprisoned for resisting a group of women (12:30-34)	Joseph	6. Imprisoned for resisting Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:20)
7. Cupbearer tells interpretation (12:43-49)	Pharoah’s dream	7. Joseph tells interpretation (Gen. 41:4-13)
The Koran Contradicts the New Testament – No. 1
The Koran		The New Testament
1. Father silent 3 days (3:41)	John Baptist	1. Silent 9 months (Lk. 13, 20, 24, 57ff)
2. Polygamy encouraged (4:3)	Marriage	2. One wife – one husband (1 Cor. 7:2)
3. In paradise (52:20; 44:54)	Marriage	3. No marriage there (Lk. 20:35)
4. Easy – for many reasons (2:229-232)	Divorce	4. One reason only (Matt. 19:9)
5. Exchange wife (4:20)	Divorce	5. Married for life (Rom. 7:2)
6. Kill them (8:38-41; 9:29; 61:4)	Opponents	6. Love enemies (Matt. 5:44)
7. Permitted (66:2; 2:224-225, even break some)	Oaths	7. Swear not at all (Matt. 5:34; Jas. 5:12)
Contradictions In The Koran
1. Fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them . . . Find those who believe not in God nor the last day (9:5, 29)		1. “Let there be no compulsion in religion” (2:256)
2. “Any who believes in God whether Jews, Christians or Sabians shall have their reward with the Lord” (2:62)		2. “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam . . . never will it be accepted of him” (3:85)
3. Christ did not die (4:157)		3. Christ did die (19:33)

The Weaknesses in Islam

While some things can be said for Islam (utter devotion to duty, strong teaching on morality, etc.), its weaknesses are its undoing in the light of truth and investigation. (1) No evidence as to the inspiration of the Quran, as there is with the Bible; (2) Reliance upon violence and force, in opposition to Christ’s teaching about peace and his appeal to faith based upon evidence; (3) Low esteem of women, while Christ upheld and honored women; (4) Pathetic weaknesses in the moral character of its founder, Muhammad (who was vindictive and revengeful at times, and whose behavior with his numerous wives often caused trouble), when compared to the sinless Christ. Others faults could be cited, but these will suffice.

Some of the difficulties in dealing with Islam have to do with getting a reliable English translation of the Qur’an, and the many divisions in the religion. A strong emphasis is placed upon reading the Quran in Arabic, and translations are frowned upon. And there is a suspicision that in some of the translations an attempt is made to soften some of the language that is more evident in the original. We must understand that there are various sects within Islam. Some authors cite at least 72 distinct divisions, sects or denominations. This is evident in the Middle East today, as the violent Iranian Muslims of the Shi’ite sect are denounced by the more moderate Sunnis and others.

The Islamic faith is growing in our nation, and we need to have some understanding of it so as to meet its false doctrines and uphold truth (1 Pet. 3:15).

Bibliography

Christianity Today, “The Mosque Next Door,” Terry Muck, Vol. 32, No. 3 (2/19/88).

Does God Exist?, “The Challenge of Mohammad,” John N. Clayton, Vol. 13, No. 6 (11/12/86); “Out of the Mosque into the Church,” Steve Masood, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1/2/87).

Hutto-El Dareer Debate, Published by Hiram O. Hutto, 1978.

“Islamic Friend, What Does the Messenger Mohammad Say About the Bible?, ” Bob Danklefsen, 1986.

Outline of History, The, H.G. Wells, Vol. 1, Doubleday & Cornpany, 1956.

Reader’s Digest 1983 Almanac and Yearbook, “Religion,” David C. Whitney, editor.

“20/20, ” C13S News, Sam Donalson and Diane Sawyer, (9/29/89).

World’s Living Religions, The, “Muhammadanism,” Robert Ernest Hume, Ph.D., Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1952.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 10, pp. 294-296
May 17, 1990

By Daniel W. Petty

History

The Chinese religion of Taoism was founded by Lao Tzu, the details of whose life are shrouded in uncertainty, mystery, and legend. The traditional date of Lao Tzu’s birth is about 604 B.C. He was believed to have written the book setting forth the principles of Taoism in the sixth century B.C., though some scholars argue that it was not written until about 300 B.C., based on style and historical content. Some doubt whether Lao Tzu ever lived at all.

Lao Tzu is actually a title of respect meaning, “the old philosopher,” “the old fellow,” or “the grand master.” He is said to have held a government position as curator of the imperial archives in his native western Chinese state, and that around this occupation he lived a simple and undemanding life. Saddened by men’s disinclination to cultivate the goodness he taught, Lao Tzu finally abandoned his post in search of a life of simplicity. He concluded that life should be lived without honors and apart from the fruitless search for knowledge. Lao Tzu eventually left home on a water buffalo toward the western border, away from society.

Lao Tzu was stopped at the border by a friend who demanded that before he crossed over, he should write down his teachings, so that the civilization he was deserting would have a record of his beliefs. The product of three days’ writing was a small book titled Tao Te Ching or “The Way and Its Power.” This work of about 5000 words became the basis for the religion of Taoism.

Taoism is primarily restricted to China, where it is one of the officially recognized “Three Religions,” along with Confucianism and Buddhism. The number of adherents to Taoism has been estimated at 43 million (Hume 127).

Religious Teachings

Taoism is characterized by a mysterious, enigmatic teaching. The basic concept of Taoism is the Tao, which means the “way” or “path.” There are three basic senses in which this “way” can be understood. First, Tao is the way of ultimate reality, the ground of all existence. This ultimate reality is, however, an enigma, for if it can be understood or defined, then it is not the real Tao. It is essentially a mystery, beyond understanding or senses. As the author of the Tao Te Ching states, “Those who know don’t say, and those who say don’t know.” In this first sense, therefore, Tao can be known only through mystical insight, and cannot be translated into words. Second, Tao is the way of the universe. This means that it is somehow the ordering principle behind all life. Third, Tao is the way man should order his life in order to be in harmony with the way of the universe.

Life, according to the Tao, should be lived according to the principle of wu wei, or “creative quietude.” This is the practice which puts one’s life in harmony with Tao. It is best to avoid self-assertiveness, competition, or involvement. It is best to live naturally, spontaneously, and passively. Man should avoid aggressiveness, not only toward other men, but also toward nature. Taoism seeks to be in tune with nature, thus tending to condemn civilization and to idealize the simplicity of primitive society.

Taoism also teaches the doctrine of Yin and Yang, or the idea that reality exists in opposites. These opposites, with Yin as the negative and Yang as the positive, are seen in such examples as good and evil, life and death, or light and darkness. Yet these opposites are interdependent, since neither could exist without the other. This offers a cyclical explanation of all existence in which all being is involved in a continual state of change or flux. The key to Tao is harmonious interaction with Yin and Yang. The corollary to this idea is the relativity of all values. Taoism eschews all clear-cut distinctions between values such as right and wrong or good and evil. No perspective in this relative world can be considered as absolute. All values and concepts are ultimately relative to the mind that conceives them. Even good and evil, in Taoist perspective, lose their absolute character.

Taoism in the Light of the Bible

Our examination of the teachings of Taoism in the light of God’s Word will center around four main ideas.

The concept of God. The central religious teaching in the Tao Te Ching concerns one eternal, mystical, impersonal Supreme Being. Its activities and attributes are described as follows: “Original, primeval, before heaven and earth, the Ultimate, still, formless, unchanging, nameless” (25:1-4; Hume 139). “The Tao is inexpressible, unnamable, indescribably great” (1:1; Hume 13 9). While Lao Tzu did not teach a personal Supreme Being, his followers have recognized in their religious teacher a manifestation of the Divine Being (Hume 133). At times, Taoism has tended toward polytheism, demonolatry, witchcraft, and occultism.

The God of the Bible is personal. He creates and sustains his creation (Acts 17:24). Jehovah’s attributes are described as “true,” “living,” and “everlasting” (Jer. 10:10). The personality of God is summed up in the fact that he made himself known to man thorugh his Son (Jn. 1:18; Heb. 1:1-2). He is a God who loves and cares for his people and acts in their behalf, and who can in turn be known by them (Heb. 8:11-12).

The Concept of Mystical Truth. Taoism diminishes the concept of truth by making it something that is enigmatic, mysterious, and hidden. The Absolute is itself unknowable, except by knowing its operations in the world. It is “to be known solely by intuition” (Hume 139). That which is called “the way” (Tao) is also mystical, and therefore, beyond the ability of anyone to communicate it by teaching.

The Word of God not only identifies truth as originating with God, but affirms that this truth may be known by man. The Psalmist declared, “The sum of Thy word is truth” (119:160). Jesus prayed in behalf of his disciples, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). The key to true discipleship, he taught, is to abide in his word: “and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32). Truth is absolute, and its opposite is falsehood (Rom. 1:25). The intimate relationship between truth and deity is demonstrated by the fact that when God revealed his Son, he revealed the truth (Heb. 1:1-2). Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (Jn. 14:6).

The Concept of Relative Values. Taoism’s doctrine of Yin and Yang resulted in a confusion of values and the denial of any absolutes. Such naturally follows from the premise that neither God nor truth can be absolutely known. The result is a doctrine of the relativity of all values. There is no absolute good or evil, but all values are relative to the mind of the one who entertains them.

Perhaps the best answer to the Taoist denial of absolute values is the scriptural teaching on the holiness of God. God by nature is perfect holiness. The imperative that constantly issues from the truth is that man is intended to share in or imitate God’s absolute holiness. Peter exhorted, “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Pet. 1:15). Paul admonished, “Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). If it is our calling to be “holy and blameless” before him (Eph. 1:4), then there must be some absolute values of goodness and holiness which we are to pursue, and evil things we are to flee. Indeed, the only way to conceive of sin is to understand some standard of righteousness which man has failed to follow (1 Jn. 3:4).

Ethics. The ethical ideal of Taoism is a quiet, restful simplicity. It is an ethic based on the principle of inactivity or indifference. The Tao Te Ching says, “Aim at extreme disinterestedness, and maintain the utmost possible calm” (16: 1; Hume 140). The characteristic phrase wu wei means “non-striving” or “inactivity.” “Only quiet non-striving is successful” (29:1; Hume 140).

This principe of inactivity leads, in the first place, to a negative ethic of withdrawal from society and from all conflict. The word of God stresses the principle that the Christian life is a life of striving, fighting, and running. Jesus said, “Strive to enter by the narrow door” (Lk. 13:24). “Fight the good fight of faith,” Paul admonished (1 Tim. 6:12). The Hebrews writer urged us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us” (12:1). These are not the words of ” extreme disinterestedness ” or of ” quiet non-striving. ” The Christian’s calling in this world is not indifferent withdrawal, but positive influence for good. Jesus spent his life going about doing good (Acts 10:38). He taught,his disciples to fulfill their role in the world as salt that savors and light that enlightens, as we show our good works (Matt. 5:13-16). “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” Paul said (Rom. 12:21). We must not tire of doing good in this world (Gal. 6:9; 2 Thess. 3:13).

On the other hand, Taoism stresses such qualities as humility, passivity, and returning good for evil. “To those who are good to me, I am good; and to those who are not good to me, am also good” (49:2; Hume 130). “Recompense injury with kindness” (63:1; Hume 130). These ethical principles have often been compared to the teachings of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. The fundamental difference however, is that Jesus Christ taught these principles in connection with a personal God who practiced the same (Matt. 5:38-48). One wonders, moreover, how the Tao can expect man to know good if there are no such values that are absolutely good.

Conclusion

Robert E. Hume summarized the basic elements of weakness in Taoism as follows:

Its not efficiently personal and responsible Supreme Being.

Its founder’s positively ignoble example of withdrawing from difficulty; not organizing for reform.

Its inadequate recognition of the evils in the world.

Its inadequate appreciation of physical facts and resources, discouraging to scientific inquiry.

Its over-emphasis on inactivity (wu-wei), belittling to human effort.

Its lack of a commanding enthusiastic principle for living; mostly negative advice.

Its ethical ideal of indifference and irresponsibility.

Its inadequate conception of immortal life; merely a protracted existence.

Its lack of a programme for the uplift of society; only a return to an uncivilized simplicity.

Its relapse into polytheism, demonolatry, and practice of magic (144-5).

The religion of Taoism is based on the teachings of a founder whose every existence in history is questionable. It teaches of a Supreme Being that is impersonal and unknowable. It conceives of truth as an enigma that is ever elusive. Its notion of relative values and its ethic of non-activity are inherently negative. Taoism not only fails to meet real human needs, but constitutes a perversion of the most fundamental truths about the one true and living God.

Sources

Hume, Robert Earnest. The World’s Living Religions. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1950.

McDowell, Josh and Don Stewart. Understanding NonChristian Religions. San Bernardino, CA: Here’s Life

Publishers, Inc., 1982.

Smith, Huston. The Religions of Man. New York: Harper & Row, 1958.

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 10, pp. 312-314
May 17, 1990

By Daniel H. King

Looking at Judaism from the perspective of a Christian, there is much both to love and to respect. As Paul, a Jews by birth and raising, and yet a Christian by conviction and lifestyle, said it: “I bear them record that they have a zeal for God” (Rom. 10:2); and again, “To (them) pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came” (Rom. 9:4-5).

Of all the non-Christian religions of the world we ought to feel the most kindred in spirit to Jewish people. We share a common faith in the Hebrew Bible and its God. And, it is not in vain that historians speak of the Judaeo-Christian ethic which lies at the heart of Western civilization’s law codes and common standards of behavior. However, being so closely “related” to Judaism has led to animosity and rivalry on both sides of the Jewish-Christian equation. Early Christians first experienced persecution at the hands of the Jews before they felt the brunt of Roman Imperial opposition. Later, when Christianity became the most popular religion in the Roman Empire and Catholicism was developing into a political force, persecution of Jews by the church of that time turned the tables against Judaism. So, the relationship has not always been a friendly one.

As early Christians were at times misunderstood and charged falsely by Jews and Romans, so has it been for Jews at the hands of Christians. Anti-Judaism, well attested in the pagan world, and later Anti-Semitism which culminated in the holocaust under Hitler and Naziism, have brought us to an awareness of how tragic can be the result when misunderstandings and misrepresentations are allowed to fester into hatred. Differences do exist between the two religions, but no one’s case is made stronger through falsehood. It is with this in mind that we attempt to shed some light upon Judaism as believed and practiced among Jewish people today.

History and Background

One of the most prevalent misunderstandings about Judaism is the idea that reading the Old Testament is the key to knowing and understanding it. This is only partially true. If one is to know what Judaism is about, he must have some idea of what the centuries of Jewish tradition have produced since the completion of the Hebrew Bible. He must understand what the Mishna and Talmud are and how these literary works have shaped Jewish thought since the fall of the Second Temple. As well, he must grasp how modern modes of thought and lifestyles have altered Jewish thinking as it has that of many Christians. In short, he will find that Jews are almost as disparate in their ways of thinking about religion as are the various Protestant denominations and the Catholic church. It is hard to say, “Jews believe this or that.” Only some Jews probably believe any given thing that we might talk about. Still, there are some basic things that do pertain in most instances, and it is these which we will be talking about.

“Judaism” traces its beginnings to the time of Ezra the scribe and “the man of the great synagogue.” Ezra returned to Jerusalem in 458 B.C. to restore the Law of Moses as the guiding principle in the life of the nation. Because of his courage and tenacity and the success which followed his efforts, Ezra became a folk hero in certain circles in Israel. He was portrayed as a “scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6). Following upon his model, close scribal study of the Law became the special province of select groups in Israel, among them the scribes of the Pharisees, which are prominent in the New Testament, and the (probably) Essene scribes at Qumran. These men came to be called “lawyers” (Matt. 22:35; Lk. 7:30; etc.) or “doctors of the Law” (Lk. 5:17; Acts 5:34). They rendered judgments for the community on important legal issues, although they frequently disagreed among themselves on their rulings. The Hebrew Bible was viewed by them as a final book, all-embracing, adequate for every contingency. No future, however distant and revolutionary, could possibly render it antiquated: “Leaf it (the Book) and leaf it again, for everything is in it” (Aboth 5:25). To them the Law, or Torah, included both the written Law and the Oral Law (accumulated traditions). Over time they came to view their judgments as case law having divine sanction, even harking back to Sinai itself: “Moses received the Law from Sinai and handed it down to Joshua, and Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets handed it down to the men of the Great Assembly” (Aboth 1:1). As teachers of the Law, they expected to received special treatment: “Let the honor of they friend border on the honor of they teacher, and the honor of thy teacher on the fear of God” (Aboth 4:12). The common people revered them for their, sometimes legendary, knowledge of Scripture and tradition.

The result was that during the time of Jesus many had become conceited and self-assertive and the Lord was at odds with them on various occasions. He particularly disliked their reverence for human traditions (Mk. 7) and the hypocrisy of many of their lives (Matt. 23). In the providence of God, however, one of their young students, Saul of Tarsus, eventually became the most articulate and effective of the preachers of Jesus as the Messiah.

The Impact of the Destruction of the Temple

After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Judaism found herself without a Holy City or Temple. Priesthood and sacrifice were at a virtual end. The High Priesthood as an institution was lost in Israel, and the mantel of leadership fell upon the Pharisees, or more correctly, their posterity. As a people she fell back more than ever upon the contemplation of the Torah. A center of study evolved at Jamnai in Palestine under Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai. Johanan concentrated his efforts on the present needs of the surviving remnant of Israel, devising a program for the reconstruction of the people and the faith in the aftermath of this disaster. The academy at Jamnia continued discussion and debate of issues relating to Jewish life and further expanded the oral tradition material.

At the end of the second century Rabbi Judah the Prince assembled and edited a compilation of Oral Law, known as Mishna or “study.” It gained immediate acceptance as the authoritative work in the field of interpreting and amplifying the contents of Scripture. Of the 523 chapters of the Mishna, only six are free from disagreement among the authorities cited. So it may be viewed as more of a discussion of issues than a creed for Jews. The traditional material had grown so voluminous that it was necessary that it be put into written form that it not be lost. By the time it was set down in writing, however, some of the decisions arrived at in the Mishna were no longer applicable to existing conditions. There arose, therefore, a growing body of “Gemara” (from an Aramaic word meaning “study”) or discussion of Mishna pronouncements. This has come to be called the Talmud. It grew through the entire period of the first eight centuries of the present era. It involves the study of biblical texts, Mishnaic discussions, and includes application and appropriation of these matters to Jewish life at the time of the particular segment represented in the text. The Talmud today appears in the form of two compilations, the Palestinian (incorrectly called the Jerusalem Talmud, or Talmud Yecusalmi), and the Babylonian (Talmud Bavli). These collections are respectively from the academies of Palestine and Babylon, where a sizeable community of Jews still lived.

Thus, Hebrew Bible, Mishna and Talmud now form the sacred literature of the Jew. He does not aspire to the building of a Temple and the reinstitution of the Sacrificial Cultus of the Old Testament. This is one of the most widely misunderstood aspects of Judaism, especially among premillennialists and dispensationalists. The activities and institutions that gave rise to the origin of talmudic Judaism can be traced back to the period of the Babylonian Exile. It provided an impetus for the formation in embryonic form of the synagogue (bet ba-keneset), with its nonsacrificial form of worship (“I have been a sanctuary to them,” Ezek. 11:16), and the schoolhouse (bet ba-midrash) where Divine service assumed the form of Torah study. After the fall of the Temple in 70 A.D., Johanan taught that what God wanted from Israel was not a Messianic war but irenic acts of loving kindness, the atonement for the new age in the place of the old Temple sacrifices. His philosophy has since been universally recognized by Jews as the correct one.

What Modern Judaism Believes

The greatest affirmation of Judaism is the oneness of God. The Shema (“Hear. . . “) of Deuteronomy 6:4 is the basic statement of that belief: “Hear, 0 Israel: The Lord our God is One.” In the face of ancient polytheism Judaism shone like a light in the darkness so long as she upheld this creed. Judaism was the first to accept what is today shared by almost all living religions today, namely, that underlying the endless variety of life there is a single purpose, a single reality. That reality is God. Yet even this most basic idea of Jewish faith is not shared by all Jews. Some are as atheistic or agnostic as the humanistic infidel. Their attachment to Judaism may be purely hereditary and social. Again, it is hard to say what all Jews believe, even with regard to this most fundamental thing.

Most everything that Jews do accept as true is dependent upon where a particular group or individual stands relative to the three divisions within Judaism. For most of their history most Jews could be said to be “orthodox,” that is, they believed in and followed the laws written in the holy books. But the changes brought on by modern thought have led to divisions within the Jewish community. Each Jewish congregation is self-ruled or autonomous; there is no central religious leader in Judaism. Yet three district groups have developed over issues of “modernism.”

Orthodox Judaism. Orthodox Jews remain faithful to the ancient traditions, interpreting them very strictly and attempting to practice them in their individual lives. Dietary and Sabbath restrictions are carefully observed. Hebrew is used in the synagogue services, and special schools train their children in Hebrew history and language. They also look for the coming of the Messiah.

Conservative Judaism. Conservative Jews hold to the Torah, but accept the place of modern scholarship in its interpretation. Traditional forms of worship are continued, with Hebrew used in the services. They are more lenient on dietary and Sabbath laws.

Reform Judaism. Reform Judaism is a modern American attempt at adapting Judaism to twentieth-century Western life. Worship is similar to Protestant Christian groups, with families sitting together for services and organ music and choirs. The liturgy is in Hebrew but the sermon in English. Theirs is the most liberal approach to the traditions of the past.

Even in the face of opportunity to return to Palestine and make a homeland for Jews, the Exilic concept of worship and service to God has led most to remain where they are. While Israel has opened its gates to Jews from throughout the world, still the largest Jewish community on earth is found in New York City. Land, Temple, Priesthood and Sacrifice are all ideas which have been replaced by study of the Torah and deeds of loving kindness, largely the contribution of Post-exilic Rabbis and their learned academies.

Judaism and Christianity

Since Judaism and Christianity both have their problems with Liberalism and modernistic thought, and that is a discussion all its own, we shall concentrate our thoughts around four basic ideas defended by traditional Jews and leave alone criticism of Reformed thinking.

The first and most basic problem with Judaism as we know it today is one which Jesus wrestled with and condemned in his Pharisaic contemporaries. This is the tendency to heap human traditions upon the Divine Law and give equal weight to tradition in deciding an issue. Jesus rejected the notion that the Oral Law was handed down directly from Sinai. He saw it as a human innovation displacing the Word of God: “You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. . . . You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition!” (Mk. 7:8,9) On the Pharisee’s argument about Corban, Jesus said they made “void the word of God through your tradition which you hand down. And many such things you do” (Mk. 7:13). God gave his Word by inspired prophets who spoke and wrote God’s own words. “Making a fence around the Law” was the idea of men. It is the seedbed of the traditionalism which produced the Mishna and the Talmud. The result of such human regulations is that God’s will is often passed over for the observation of human statutes.

The second element of Judaism wherein it differs from a biblical viewpoint is the approach it has toward Temple and Sacrifice. The Hebrew Bible demanded animal sacrifice as appeasement of God and atonement for men’s sins. All the reasonings of the Rabbis notwithstanding, if one accepts the legitimacy of the Hebrew Testament in the present era then there ought to be a Temple and the blood of sacrifices ought to be offered in it. The arguments for their being discontinued are post-biblical in their origin and pragmatic rather than scriptural in their foundation. For Christians the disappearance of Temple and Sacrifice represents no difficulty at all, since Christ has offered the final sacrifice for sin, accomplishing what the blood of bulls and goats could never do (Heb. 10:1-10).

The third point relates to the Law. The largest body of adherents to Judaism reject the observance of the dietary and other requirements of the Hebrew Bible. While we may agree that concentration upon deeds of charity and benevolence toward humanity are more uplifting and worthwhile in the present day – still it is not consistent with the notion that the Hebrew Testatment is still in effect and its Laws binding upon Jews. If the Law is yet binding, then let faithful Jews obligate themselves to observe it in all of its parts: “Cursed be he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them” (Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10). If unwilling to do so, then allow that the Old Testament has been fulfilled and taken out of the way as the New Testament proclaims (Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:8).

The fourth and most critical issue relates to the Messiah. While many Jews do not believe at all in a personal Messiah that is to come (liberal Jews prefer to think of every man as a messiah who does whatever he can to advance the cause of right), others still believe the Messiah will usher in the Age to Come. Of course, they reject the Messiahship of Jesus and the validity of the New Testament scriptures. As Samuel Sandmel wrote: “When we Jews have understood explanations, and when we have not, we have consistently rejected the Christian claims about Jesus. We have not believed that Jesus was the Messiah; we have not been willing to call him Lord; we have not believed that the Logos became incarnate as Jesus; we have not believed that Jesus was, or is, the very Godness of God” (We Jews and Jesus, p. vii). Yet for most Jews he has been viewed as a beneficial person in some respects: “Jesus is, for the Jewish nation, a great teacher of morality and artist in parable. He is the moralist for whom, in the religious life, morality counts for everything” (Joseph Klausner, Jesus of Nazareth, p. 413). And, while he is counted by most as a good Jewish man, he is seen as no more than this. For all Christians he is, “The Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matt. 16:16). The Lord himself portrayed this rejection by the Jews of his own day as more than a mere intellectual decision: “I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am He” (Jn. 8:24).

Guardian of Truth XXXIV: 10, pp. 291-293
May 17, 1990