Insensitive Christian comment...

[MarrickG]

http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Online+Story/STIStory_427522.html

Need for more education and understanding of Taoism

I REFER to Tuesday's report, 'Teen medium 'made suicide pact with six friends' '. It grieves me, as a fellow Singaporean and a Taoist, that two young people lost their lives in such a manner.

Mediums, or tangki as they are known in Taoism, have existed in Chinese history for the past few thousand years. Mediumism is a form of Taoist 'art'. Many are fascinated by its mysterious facade but, at the same time, such reports never fail to add to its negative image in modern society.

The deaths of the two teenagers heighten an urgent need for more education in Taoism, as well as the need for Taoist practitioners, followers and devotees to further understand the religion itself.

Tay Hung Yong

Latest comments

i've always thought that taoism originates from lao tze who wrote the dao de jing. how did monkey god, ne zha come into the picture? those taoist procession often have these gods. are they even mentioned in dao de jing? someone can advise?
Posted by: meowmee at Thu Sep 10 10:07:27 SGT 2009

How ignorant people are towards tao indeed... Very disappointed...
Posted by: sti_moe0067 at Thu Sep 10 09:42:42 SGT 2009

superstition is a main weakness of all religions. if u believe in something that u do not understand, that is superstition. believing in tangki is no more superstitious than praying to a god, or the God. nevertheless, being superstitious does not mean that what u believe in is wrong.
Posted by: mayhem_sci at Thu Sep 10 08:54:22 SGT 2009

Such superstitious nonsense would not have happened if everyone accepts the Lord Jesus Christ. Missionaries all over! This is your call for action! Execute the Lord's command and save the world from eternal damnation!
Posted by: HalleLooYa at Thu Sep 10 08:53:07 SGT 2009

 

[saratogas]

Can't help it, some religions are so easy to practise, some need to undergo the Knife to cut kukujiao, some need to clock mileage. Sinkies are practical people, the lesser hassle ones they join.

 

[kakowi]

does not sound like a christian to me

sounds more like a non-christian pretending to be one

the first sentence imitates that of a christian, the subsequent sentences are more appropriate for a anti-christian slandering christians

 

[kakowi]

as usual the madmen of this world view this as a taoist vs christian issue when there is no mention of christianity involved and the issue has only a reference to a taoist medium

the real issue appears to be the lead player live in a fantasy world, has lost touch with reality

it brings up concerns about fantasy games leading to undesirable behaviour

the reference to the lead person being a taoist medium may have significance - but this is more for the popular taoist community to comment

the popular taoist community has lost touch with Lao Tzu and his teachings...up till today i have not been able to reconcile the teachings of Lao Tzu with that of popular or folk Taoism, and in many ways, i am an ardent admirer of Lao Tzu

if one reads the teachings of Lao Tzu, there is no mention of spirits, spirit possession or even temples

he teaches a very refine philosophy, leading us to a greater (for some, different) sense of appreciation of yet how another human genuinely seeks to understand the world around him - the origin of life, how life is to be lived purely and our place in this world

if that taoist medium has truly studied the teachings of Lao Tzu instead of computer games and visualizing himself as the saviour of the world, he would have made a positive contribution to the lives of seven others

a person's choice, that person's consequences

nothing more need to be said (by me, at least)