When I discover Christians who endorse the philosophy known as Taoism I am reminded of what Paul wrote to the Colossians.
Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
There is a difference between knowing about a philosophy and approving its principles to the extent that they are espoused as acceptable for Christians to incorporate into their lives.
For those interested here are some quotes and links to bigger articles on the subject.
tao (n.)
1736, from Chinese tao "way, path, right way (of life), reason."
[tao | Search Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com)]
Taoism and Christianity (probe.org)
. . . even though the term Tao is used of Christ in the Chinese translation of John’s Gospel, we should not infer that Taoism and Christianity are really about the same thing. They are not. Christianity proclaims a personal Creator who is morally outraged by man’s sinfulness and will one day judge the world in righteousness (Rom. 1:182:6). Taoism proclaims an impersonal creative principle which makes no moral distinction between right and wrong and which judges no one. Christianity proclaims that Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25), and that eternal life is freely given to all who trust Him as Savior (John 1:12; Rom. 6:23). In contrast, the doctrine of moral relativism in Taoism clouds the need for a Savior from sin. Finally, and most shocking of all, is Jesus’ claim to be the only true Tao–or Way–to the Father (John 14:6). If He is right, then Taoism, for all its admirable qualities, cannot have told the eternal Tao.
Comparing and Contrasting Taoism with Christianity
Relative and Absolute Values
Taoists believe that all values are relative. Any given moral or aesthetic value, for example, has meaning only in relation to its opposite. We could not comprehend beauty without ugliness, nor could we appreciate the value of nonviolence without also understanding violence. Taoism insists that true harmony, a true balance that reflects how the universe is a constant interplay of yang and yin, requires the existence of both what we commonly label as “good” and “bad.” Most Christians, on the other hand, embrace the existence of at least some absolute moral values. The existence of evil, rather than being a part of a larger, perfect harmony, is evidence of human sinfulness—of something that has gone wrong with God’s creation.
Col 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
There is a difference between knowing about a philosophy and approving its principles to the extent that they are espoused as acceptable for Christians to incorporate into their lives.
For those interested here are some quotes and links to bigger articles on the subject.
tao (n.)
1736, from Chinese tao "way, path, right way (of life), reason."
[tao | Search Online Etymology Dictionary (etymonline.com)]
Taoism and Christianity (probe.org)
. . . even though the term Tao is used of Christ in the Chinese translation of John’s Gospel, we should not infer that Taoism and Christianity are really about the same thing. They are not. Christianity proclaims a personal Creator who is morally outraged by man’s sinfulness and will one day judge the world in righteousness (Rom. 1:182:6). Taoism proclaims an impersonal creative principle which makes no moral distinction between right and wrong and which judges no one. Christianity proclaims that Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25), and that eternal life is freely given to all who trust Him as Savior (John 1:12; Rom. 6:23). In contrast, the doctrine of moral relativism in Taoism clouds the need for a Savior from sin. Finally, and most shocking of all, is Jesus’ claim to be the only true Tao–or Way–to the Father (John 14:6). If He is right, then Taoism, for all its admirable qualities, cannot have told the eternal Tao.
Comparing and Contrasting Taoism with Christianity
Relative and Absolute Values
Taoists believe that all values are relative. Any given moral or aesthetic value, for example, has meaning only in relation to its opposite. We could not comprehend beauty without ugliness, nor could we appreciate the value of nonviolence without also understanding violence. Taoism insists that true harmony, a true balance that reflects how the universe is a constant interplay of yang and yin, requires the existence of both what we commonly label as “good” and “bad.” Most Christians, on the other hand, embrace the existence of at least some absolute moral values. The existence of evil, rather than being a part of a larger, perfect harmony, is evidence of human sinfulness—of something that has gone wrong with God’s creation.