To: alt.philosophy.taoism From: Mark Richardson Subject: Re: can an atheist be a taoist? Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2003 00:57:25 GMT On Wed, 08 Jan 2003 11:38:04 +1100, Mark Richardson wrote: > >Hi, >I am an atheist, but I am intrigued by what (little) I know of Taoism. >I am not a superstitious person and so belief in gods and spirits is >simply not in my nature. >Is it possible to be a Taoist and an atheist? >If not - why not? >If the Tao is about the true nature of reality then I don't see why >belief in gods and spirits (particularly having "faith" in them) need >ever enter into it. > >Thanks in advance. > >Mark. Sorry for responding to my own post... I should have inluded this - it is what inspired my question - from the taoist restotation society website http://www.taorestore.org/ Taoism, from its very beginnings until today, incorporates deities. It doesn't, however, recognize a God in the Western sense. There is no great omnipotent being, external to man, who manages the universe. Such management is left to the tao, but the tao itself is not worshipped. Taoist deities are part of our universe, not separate from it, and are as equally beholden to the movements of the tao as are normal people. In that sense they are "deities" moreso than "Gods." They are worshipped or venerated in Taoist temples. Without deities, there would be no need for temples! Taoist deities exist in a great pantheon. Within this pantheon is a structure, with various deities operating under the authority of other deities. The pantheon generally changes over time, and various Taoist sects have differing views of it. But all Taoist sects acknowledge the pantheon's existence. This says an atheist definitely cannot be a Taoist. Is this set in stone? Are there dissenting opinions within Taoism? Mark. -- Mark Richardson mDOTrichardsonATutasDOTeduDOTau Member of S.M.A.S.H. (Sarcastic Middle aged Atheists with a Sense of Humour) -----------------------------------------------------