AboutJohn of AllFaith Expertise I can offer answers on a wide variety of religious topics about the world's religions including, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism, Paganism, Noahide, Taoism, etc. If the question is of a religious nature give me a shot and I'll do my best! See my questions and answers at allfaith.com/questions
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Experience Since 1969 I've been involved with many diverse spiritual and religious disciplines. I've lived in ashrams and monasteries, acquired ordinations and degrees and so on.
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Education/Credentials I hold a Calvary Chapel (Christian) Ordination, an independent Missionary Baptist (Christian) ordination, an MA in Religious Studies from JFKU, an ordination in Ministry and Spiritual Counseling from the Interfaith Seminaries, an ordination from the Universal Life Church, and am Pastor Emeritus of Grace Inclusive Church.
To varying degrees I have worked and studied with many different groups including: the Noahide Nazarene sect, I attained the position of Vaisnava brahmana within the International Society for KRSNA Consciousness and in the Sri Gopinath Gaudiya Math (both members of the greater Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya), I'm a former student of Swami Muktinanda's Sidha Yoga Foundation, an initiate of the Yoga Society (of Sri Ramamurti Mishra), was initiated as a Welsh Pagan priest, have been a Sunni Muslim, a Taoist, a member of various Buddhist sects (including the Dharmad Hatu of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche) and various diverse Hindu sects, numerous Christian denominations and movements, was a Missionary to Central America, carried a 12x6 foot wooden cross on my back from Atlanta Georgia to San Antonia Texas, and have been involved with numerous other groups and movements too numerous to mention
Question I dont mean to bother ou but I have 10 questions for my final in college, and i have to find an expert in Taoism. I was raised Baptist so this is beyound me and so far i am pretty close to failing this class. I have never had such a hard class, and this religion is going to kill my grade, please help if you can, I will be so grateful.
My question are as follows.....
What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
How has religion shaped your life?
What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?
Do you mix Taoism with any other of the Chinese religions?
Is there any particular Shen that you identify with more then the others?
When a member of your temple dies, are they offered “heaven visas” or paper money of a certain style?
Which do you believe is the more prevalent in today’s society, the Yin or the Yang?
Do you perform the traditional “brides dowry” ceremony here?
In China business’s close for several days for the New Year observation, do you do the same here(in the USA?)
The Chinese government regulates the religious practices in the homeland; do they have as much regulation control here?
Answer Hi Marscota,
Studying other religions is a great growth process. It opens ones mind and expands ones horizons. I would encourage you to read the Tao Te Ching and the Chang Tzu, two of the principle Taoist scriptures. Jesus says, "I have other sheep who are not of this fold..." Who those sheep are is often debated, but surely God loves everyone. Therefore, understanding the beliefs of others is a great way to honor ones own religion.
From your request it appears that you were to interview someone right? I'd hate to think I was doing your homework for you. This would be cheating you.
Anyway, following are my answers:
What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion?
Taoist Vegetarian/Fasting days:
Vegetarian/Fasting Days occur every month on the:
1st, 8th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 24th, 28th, 29th, and 30th lunar day, as well as, every Festival Day.
Festival Days:
First Moon
1st
Yuan Shi Tian Zun's (One of the Three Immortals) Birthday
5th
Cai Shen's (God of Wealth) Birthday
Lantern Festival
9th
Yu Huang Da Di's (Jade Emperor) Birthday
15th
Shang Yuan Tian Guan's (One of the Three Guan) Birthday
19th
The Day for Qiu Chu Ji (Student of Wang Chong Yang)
Second Moon
2nd
Tu Di Gong (Land God Festival)
3rd
Wen Chang Di Jun's (God of Culture and Literature) Birthday
6th
Dong Hua Di Jun's (Eastern King) Birthday
13th
Ge Xian Weng's (Immortal Pill Maker) Birthday
15th
Tai Shang Lao Jun's (Laozu - Celestial Worthy of the Tao and It's Virtues) Birthday
Third Moon
18th
Zhong Yue Da Di's (Central Mountain Emperor) Birthday
23rd
Ma Zu's (Goddess of Longevity) Birthday
28th
Dong Yue Da Di's (Eastern Mountain Emperor) Birthday
Fourth Moon
10th
He Xian Gu's (One of the Eight Immortals) Birthday
14th
Lu Dong Bin's (Patriarch Lu) Birthday
15th
Han Zhong Li's (Lu Dong Bin's Teacher) Birthday
17th
Goddess of Midwifery's Birthday
18th
Hua Tou's birthday
Fifth Moon
1st
Nan Ji Chang Sheng Da Di's (South Pole Long Life Emperor) Birthday
5th
Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie)
18th
Zhang Tian Shi's Birthday
20th
Ma Dan Yang's Birthday
29th
Ling Bao Tian Zun's Birthday
Sixth Moon
13th
Lu Pon's Birthday
15th
Wang Ling Guan's Birthday
24th
Guan Gong's (Deified General Representing Virtue) Birthday
25th
Lan Cai He's (One of the Eight Immortals) Birthday
Seventh Moon
7th
Festival of the Seven Sisters (Jade Emperor's Daughters)
10th
Tie Guan Li's (One of the Eight Immortals) Birthday
15th
Zhong Yuan Di Guan's (Emperor of Exorcism) Birthday
30th
Di Zhang Wang's (King of the Dead) Birthday
Eighth Moon
3rd
The Day for the Plough God to Descend to Earth
3rd
Zao Jun's (Stove/Kitchen God) Birthday
10th
Bei Yue Da Di's (Northern Mountain Emperor) Birthday
14th
Chang E Festival (Moon Goddess Festival)
Ninth Moon
1st-9th
The Nine Plough Gods Descend to Earth (Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, Fire God, and Earth God)
1st
The Day for the Nan Dou Star God to Descend to Earth
9th
Birthday for Zhang San Feng, Dou Mu Yuan Jun, Chong Yang Di Jun, Feng Du Emperor
19th
Guanyin Remembrance Day
22nd
Tai Yi Zhen Ren's Birthday
23rd
Sa Zu Zhen Ren's (Temple Protector) Birthday
Tenth Moon
3rd
San Mao Zhen Jun's (Three Mao Brothers) Birthday
10th
Zhang Guo Lang's (One of the Eight Immortals) Birthday
15th
Xia Yuan Shui Guan's (One of the Three Guan) Birthday
19th
The Day for Qiu Zu Ascends to Heaven
27th
Bei Ji Zi Wei Da Di's (One of the Four Emperors) Birthday
27th
Festival of the North Pole Star
Eleventh Moon
6th
Xi Yue Da Di's (Western Mountain Emperor) Birthday
11st
Special Day for Tai Yi Jiu Ku Tian Zun (The Blue Emperor)
23rd
The Day for the Nan Dou Star God to Ascend to Heaven
Twelfth Moon
9th
Han Xiang Zi's (One of the Eight Immortals) Birthday
16th
Nan Yue Da Di's (Southern Mountain Emperor) Birthday
22nd
Wang Chong Yang's (One of the Seven Perfected Ones) Birthday
24th
The Day for the Stove God to Ascend to Heaven and Report the Good and/or Bad Actions of People to the Jade Emperor
30th
The Day for all Gods to descend to Earth
There are others, but this should suffice.
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How has religion shaped your life?
Religion is the governing principle of my life. Every major and many minor decisions are based on it. It has led me to other countries, determined my MA degree and various ordinations. The importance of religion in my life cannot be underestimated.
I am not a Taoist, however I have studied it extensively and lived in Taoist temples.
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What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion?
One living in the West has difficulties finding other Taoists. Much of what goes for Taoism in the West is really a form of Buddhism, New Ageism, Shao-lin etc. There are not many real Taoists in the West.
In China and other countries where Taoism is a principle path (or incorporated into other local traditions, especially Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism, it is much easier to find others and to practice.
As Taoism for the populace is not very demanding, those raised as Taoists have little or no difficulty, those who come to Taoism later in life have various difficulties depending on their backgrounds, cultures, country, etc. As adherents of other religions, Taoist range between the ultra devout and those on the fringe of the beliefs.
It should be stated that there are essentially two Taoism, Philosophical and Practical. Many Westerners have been moved by Philosophical Taoism. For such people, the only real difficulty is right mindedness, maintaining the proper mental composure. Practicing traditional Practical Taoism is very rare in the West and quite difficult.
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Do you mix Taoism with any other of the Chinese religions?
One of the great strengths of Taoism is that it does not demand solitary loyalty. It isn't so much a religion as a "way of life." Taoism is mixed with all religions, be they Chinese based or not. One who understands the Tao and the heart of Taoism, its influence can be seen everywhere. This is true in part because the Tao is not a thing in itself, but the amalgamation of all things, the harmony of all that is. Tao is not Yin plus Yang. It is closer described as the point where Yin and Yang dissolve into each other, and yet, within Tao there is neither Yin nor Yang because the two are ever complementarity apart. This truth is implied in the yin/yang symbol where the white dot is seen in the black and the black dot in the white. "The Tao can be named is not the true Tao."
When in Buddhist sangas, my consciousness always includes the glorious simplicity of Tao.
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Is there any particular Shen that you identify with more then the others?
By definition Shen is one and countless. I assume you are referring to the Shen other than self, such as Cai Shen. Each being possesses two "souls," shen and kwei, the celestial and terrestrial. realizing the harmony of these two is the primary occupation of the Taoist. The various spirit beings (introduced by Lao Tsu's disciple Chuang Tzu, have importance for many Practical Taoists, but not for me. I prefer the more philosophical path of Taoism expressed in Tao Te Ching and seek to focus on uniting the universe and realizing Tao. So no, I don't prefer one to the other.
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When a member of your temple dies, are they offered “heaven visas” or paper money of a certain style?
Death is not viewed as an end but merely as a point along the way that should be neither feared nor desired. When a person dies, as a social courtesy, there is often a memorial service after which the body is usually cremated and disposed of as the family wishes, often the ashes are spread over hills, streams etc.
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Which do you believe is the more prevalent in today’s society, the Yin or the Yang?
Yin and Yang are eternally balanced. Were they to become unbalanced the universe would be destroyed and Tao or Wholeness would be shattered. Yin or yang may predominate in an individual, but in the universe there is harmony, regardless of apparent current imbalances.
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Do you perform the traditional “brides dowry” ceremony here?
I have no relationship with such things. In villages people do as they do. This is a real problem as many people abuse this old tradition.
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In China business’s close for several days for the New Year observation, do you do the same here(in the USA?)
In the US New Years Day comes on January 1. Some people stay up until midnight and drink and party with family and friends. Some kiss their spouses or significant others as the clock strike midnight. Some religious people stay up and perform prayers etc. at midnight. Beyond this however, New Years is a single day and of little importance.
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The Chinese government regulates the religious practices in the homeland; do they have as much regulation control here?
No country on earth has the degree of anti-religious government regulation that China does. In the US the government is currently working to restrict religious freedoms and expressions. Thus far however, religions are mainly free to do as they will. Religions that register with the government (and thereby become exempt from taxes) are not allowed to support political causes, even though in practice they mostly do... There are laws restricting the exercise of religious beliefs in public places. For instance, it is illegal for children to bring religious items (Bibles etc.) into their schools, it is illegal to pray in schools, it is usually not allowed to place religious images (crosses, creches, menorahs etc.) on government properties, including parks, etc. These are fairly recent restrictions on civil rights here. Even with such government interference, the US is much much freer than China in every way (though again we are currently losing our rights and these freedoms may not last much longer).
