Author: Surts

The dearest friend on earth is a mere shadow compared to Jesus Christ. (Oswald Chambers)

Thinking about the musings from Day 32: The Validity Of Judaism…

I would submit to you that the for some readers, getting to this point in these readings may leave you just as confused and unconvinced about the meaning of life, (and more to the point, your role in the universe), then before you began this journey.  If you have been reading these belief systems in the order that I have presented them:

Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 20: The Basics Of Hinduism;

Day 22: The Validity Of Hinduism;

Day 23: The Basics Of Buddhism;

Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism;

Day 25: The Basics Of Confucianism;

Day 26: The Validity Of Confucianism;

Day 27: Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?;

Day 29: The Validity Of Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?;

Day 30: The Basics Of Judaism;

Day 31: The Basics Of Judaism – Part 2 and;

Day 32: The Validity Of Judaism

then perhaps maybe you have ranked them differently than before you started.  In addition, you may still find issues with one, more, or all, of these belief systems. 

So far to date, there are three big takeaways that can be concluded after reading the basics and the validity of the six belief systems already covered:

1) Polytheism and Hinduism center around believing in many, and ultimately a potentially infinite amount of, gods and goddesses;

2) Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism focus on believing in a philosophy and;

3) Judaism is about believing in a single god, or monotheism.

If you were a student in my AP World History class prior to the 2019 CollegeBoard redesign, you would be aware of the fact that there is one more belief system that needs to be covered before the Foundations unit, (8,000 BC – 600 AD), ended:

Christianity. 

Does Christianity qualify under the human continuity of…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show? 

Absolutely.

First and foremost, we need to define who a Christian is. I would submit to you that the definition of what it means to be a Christian would best be described as one who ‘believes in the teachings, beliefs, and practices of Jesus of Nazareth’.  

That begs the question then…who is this Jesus of Nazareth? 

I would submit to you that the best way to answer this question is to delve into a brief history of the birth, life, death, and most basic teachings of, Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus of Nazareth was born in the Middle East just over 2,000 years ago, in the town of Bethlehem, which is located in present day Israel.  The New Testament, which is the second part of the Holy Bible, (which follows the Old Testament and the Torah, in the first half), records his birth in the Books of Matthew and Luke:

¹⁶ And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:16 KJV)

¹ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (Matthew 2:1 KJV) 

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7 KJV) and,

¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11 KJV).

The New Testament is not the only resource documenting the Birth of Jesus of Nazareth. There is also outside, independent documentation that records the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in this region….

In the interest of time and space here, that outside information will be the focus in a later writing. 

It is important to note that the geographic region in which Jesus of Nazareth lived in was under the occupation of the Romans at the height of the Roman Empire.  Below is a map of the Roman occupation under Herod the Great, just a few decades before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.  Notice that Bethlehem is located in the southern, yellow portion on the map, in the region known as Judaea:

https://www.biblestudy.org/maps/herod-the-great-kingdom.jpg

For some of you looking at the map, an obvious question may come up:

Why is Jesus referred to ‘Jesus of Nazareth’, when Matthew 2:1 states that he was actually born in Bethlehem?

That answer is simple: Bethlehem was where he was born. Nazareth was where he lived.

The life and times of Jesus of Nazareth is well documented throughout the New Testament.  This evidence was gathered by 4 authors, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  It is important to note that historians generally agree upon the fact that at the time of the writings of these 4 authors, (also known as the Gospels of Jesus), were all written within the first century AD. 

I would submit to you that what is interesting of note comes from the following New Testament verse, Acts 2:22 (KJV):

²² Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

‘As ye yourselves also know’.  In other words, these 4 authors: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, were all under the microscope, (which is of course ironic, since the microscope was not discovered until around 1590 AD), when writing about the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth.  I am sure that these four authors were keenly aware of the fact that if they were writing inaccuracies regarding Jesus of Nazareth, these inaccuracies would have been called into question during their lifetimes. 

I would submit to you that after reading what Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all documented about the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, the following conclusions could be made: 

Jesus of Nazareth was either a  great man…

a great teacher, (or as the Jews would refer to him as, a rabbi), and/or…

a great prophet. 

At the bare minimum.

There is a fourth consideration that could be concluded as well.

Jesus of Nazareth was a radical.

Is it possible that Jesus of Nazareth could qualify as a radical?

It is possible to consider Jesus of Nazareth a radical based on these three concepts that he taught:

1) Boundless love;

2) Unceasing forgiveness and;

3) Unending mercy.

Obviously, these messages and actions would at times put him at odds with the different Jewish religious leaders of the day:

1) The High Priests, (religious and secular leaders of the Jews);

2) The Jewish Council, (Sanhedrin), and Rabbis, (teachers);

3) The Pharisees, (believers in immortality of the soul and addressed issues above and beyond the written Law of Moses, given to him by their god, Yahweh);

4) The Sadducees, (conservative in that they believed exclusively in the Torah, and rejected life after death and hence were at odds with the Pharisees); and;

5) The Essenes, (were perhaps the most extreme and liberal with the Jewish religion).

So, was Jesus of Nazareth a radical? 

That will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the birth, life and teachings of Jesus. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided as to the validity of the birth, life and teachings of Jesus.  Instead, embrace the idea that after this brief overview of the birth, life and teachings of Jesus, perhaps there is something inside of you nudging you to push on. To learn more.  Embrace the idea that you have journeyed this far in such a short period of time and have learned far more than you could possibly have dreamed of just one short month ago.

²⁷ And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. (Luke 18:27 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 33: The Basics Of Christianity.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Some people like the Jews, and some do not. But no thoughtful man can deny the fact that they are, beyond any question, the most formidable and most remarkable race which has appeared in the world. (Winston Churchill)

Thinking about the musings from Day 31: The Basics Of Judaism – Part 2…

I would submit to you that the historical information provided in the Torah in regards to Abraham, Moses and their God Yahweh, provide a real possibility that a single God in charge of everything makes the most logistical sense, especially when compared with the polytheistic and philosophical counterparts covered in the Foundations portion of my class:

Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 20: The Basics Of Hinduism;

Day 22: The Validity Of Hinduism;

Day 23: The Basics Of Buddhism;

Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism;

Day 25: The Basics Of Confucianism;

Day 26: The Validity Of Confucianism;

Day 27: Daoism…Or Is It Taoism? and;

Day 29: The Validity Of Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?

I would further submit to you that from 8,000 BCE to 600 BCE, Judaism provides the most compelling evidence that in fact…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.   

Is Judaism a logical belief system? 

In prior writings, I brought up potential issues that one must consider if they were to select any of the following belief systems from an eternal perspective:

Polytheism and Hinduism – Due to the theoretical infinite number of gods and goddesses that anyone can worship at any time and for any reason, there is a question that must asked.  If there are a theoretical infinite number of gods, then are there a theoretical number of equal ways to get where you want to go for eternity?  From a purely logical perspective, is that theoretically, equally, and infinitely…possible?

Buddhism – Besides being a reaction to the strict hierarchy found in the caste system of Hinduism in South Asia, the historical validity of the founder of Buddhism is in doubt for several reasons.  With the historical indecision surrounding the leader of Buddhism, from a purely logical perspective, would it be in your best interest to follow this belief system?

Confucianism and Daoism – These two belief systems are more philosophical based, dealing with the internal struggles in China as they transitioned away from the Zhou Dynasty and into the Han Dynasty during the Warring States Period.  The idea of eternity was never really a part of the origins of these belief systems.  From a purely logical perspective, would it be in your best interest from an eternal perspective to follow philosophical belief systems designed for those during their lifetimes?

So, by process of elimination, if you have been reading from Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism), to Day 31: The Basics Of Judaism – Part 2, I would submit to you that of the 6 belief systems covered so far, Judaism makes the most sense from both an eternal perspective and confirming the human continuity that…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.

When applying syllogism to Judaism, it flows like this:

PART A – Judaism is a belief system based on monotheism, or the belief of one god;

PART B – The Torah states that this one God, Yahweh, will bless those both here and for eternity, those who believe in him; 

PART C – As a follower of Judaism, Yahweh will bless me both here and for eternity.

So, on the surface, it appears that Judaism passes Aristotle’s syllogism.  So, from a logical point of view, it should rank first as the belief system.

So far, Judaism makes the most sense, while living here on Earth and with your soul…or atman…or whatever you wish to refer to it as…from an eternal perspective.

There is just one issue that needs to be considered with Judaism.  It kind of relates to a similar issue that I brought up with Buddhism. 

I have brought up the following quote by Buddha in Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism:

“There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires.”

I brought up the facts surrounding just how many human desires there are.  The number that I found was 16:

Acceptance.  Curiosity.  Eating.  Family.  Honor.  Idealism.  Independence.  Order.  Physical Activity.  Power.  Romance.  Saving.  Social Contact.  Status.  Tranquility.  Vengeance.

I raise this issue from Day 24 now because of one item.  One of the goals of a Buddhist is to conquer all 16 human desires in one lifetime so that the soul can move on to Nirvana, (the Buddhist concept of heaven).  With that being said again, how realistic is this, conquering all 16 human desires, in one lifetime?

In other words, is not a follower of both Buddhism and Judaism both faced ultimately with the impossible task, to conquer all 16 of these human desires in a lifetime?

Why am I bringing up this issue?  How do the 16 human desires relate to the belief system of Judaism? 

I would submit to you that for the followers of Judaism, the expectation to ultimately command control and conquer those 16 human desires one must follow the expectations laid out in…

The Ten Commandments.

Yahweh expects those following him to follow the Ten Commandments.  In return for following the Ten Commandments, Yahweh will in effect ‘look out, protect, etc.,’ those followers, the Jews. 

The idea of the Jews following these Ten Commandments and in return, Yahweh looking out, and protecting the Jews, is known simply as the Covenant.

On the surface, that sounds like an excellent return on your eternal investment: follow the Ten Commandments now while on Earth, and then your soul is covered for eternity with Yahweh.

So what is the potential concern with Judaism?

If one is to seriously consider not following Buddhism due to one’s inability to conquer 16 human desires, how then is it possible to seriously consider following Judaism, if they still have 10?

Isn’t that what the Ten Commandments are all about? Dealing with 10 human desires? 

After all, we could all agree that 10 is less than 16, so I suppose a follower of Judaism following the Ten Commandments has that going for them versus a Buddhist, who is trying to deal with 16 human desires. 

For now, instead of focusing on all of those 16 human desires, let’s focus on one.  Let’s focus on vengeance, which is covered under the 7th commandment. 

A simple definition for vengeance would be the following:

“Punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.”

Ask yourself this question:

Can murder be a natural consequence of vengeance? 

If the answer is yes, then are you not violating Commandment number 7, ‘You shall not murder’? 

But…if you are violating Commandment number 7, how will Yahweh deal with your violation while you are here on Earth, let alone, when you get to eternity?

Do you really wish to find out and live out the answers to those questions?

Now, instead of focusing on one human desire, focus on 3.

I have read about the idea that in the United States, the typical US citizen commits an average of 3 felonies…

Per day.

If that is true, or even if the typical US citizen only commits an average of 3 felonies a month, or a year, or a decade, if that US citizen is a follower of Judaism, how do they reconcile this?

What if I were to tell you that there were actually more than just the Ten Commandments in the Jewish tradition?  In fact, Jewish tradition teaches that there are 613 commandments. That’s right, under Judaism, there are actually 613 commandments to follow relating to:

God, the Torah, signs and symbols, prayer and blessings, love and brotherhood, the poor and unfortunate, the treatment of Gentiles, marriage, divorce and family, forbidden sexual relations, times and seasons, dietary laws, business practices, employees, servants and slaves, vows, oaths and swearing, Sabbatical and Jubilee years, court and judicial procedures, injuries and damages, property and property rights, criminal laws, punishment and restitution, idolatry, agriculture, clothing, the firstborn, Kohanim and Levites, Tithes and taxes, the Temple and sacred objects, sacrificing and offerings, ritual purity and impurity, lepers and leprosy, the King, Nazarites, and wars…. 

Seriously?  Do you have any idea how long that took me just to type those categories, let alone trying to memorize and follow those 613 commandments…

Every day?

Whether you believe that the followers of Judaism are obligated to follow the Ten Commandments or the 613 commandments, either way it appears that we are back to square one with selecting a belief system that we can trust our eternal souls with….

There is still hope. There is one more belief system left to cover that was discovered during the Foundations period of humanity:

Christianity.

Do not feel discouraged if you feel like you are back to square one with mankind’s first 6 belief systems. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided just as confused with all of the first 6 belief systems, even after reading about their basic facts.  Instead, embrace the idea that with one more belief system to cover, a solid conclusion can be made.  Embrace the idea that after reading more about the 7th belief system, maybe there is some hope for your soul after all.

⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7-9 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 32: The Validity Of Judaism.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

If we bear all this suffering and if there are still Jews left, when it is over, then Jews, instead of being doomed, will be held up as an example. (Anne Frank)

Thinking about the musings from Day 30: The Basics Of Judaism…

I would submit to you that there is a strong case to be made for a single God to be in charge of everything, rather than many gods being in charge of many things.  I would further submit to you that this rationale makes sense on two different levels:

1) On a personal level, it makes more logistical sense to depend on a single God vs. a theoretical infinite number of gods, for every little thing in my personal life and;

2) On a universal level, (literally), it makes more logistical sense again to depend on a single God vs. a theoretical infinite number of gods, for every little thing going on simultaneously in the universe. 

At this point, it does not matter whether you are leaning towards many gods, (polytheism), or a single god, (monotheism), belief system. In either case, the continuity still remains the same…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.   

Let’s continue with more on Judaism. 

What is a historical fact is that Abraham is the father of Judaism, and eventually, Christianity and Islam, (which I will eventually cover in the days to follow).  The reason that Abraham can be connected with these 3 belief systems is simple, they are all monotheistic. 

In addition to being familiar with Abraham, it would be just as important to be familiar with Moses, a descendant of Abraham, when familiarizing oneself with Judaism. 

Around 1,400 BCE, Moses was born in Egypt, in what was perhaps the greatest superpower known at the time, the Egyptian Empire.  Moses was born at a time where the Israelites, (Hebrews, later known as the Jews), were living under oppression simply because their growing population while living in Egypt for almost the last 400 years, was perceived as a threat by the Egyptians, who were concerned of eventually becoming a minority in their own empire.  To prevent this from becoming reality, the Egyptians enslaved the Israelites in hopes of controlling them as evidenced in the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament in the Bible.  From Exodus 1:7-14:

⁷ And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. ⁸ Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. ⁹ And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: ¹⁰ Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. ¹¹ Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. ¹² But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. ¹³ And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: ¹⁴ And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

Under these harsh conditions, Moses is born.  After fleeing Egypt for murdering an Egyptian slave master for  treating one of his fellow Jews harshly, Yahweh revealed himself to Moses when he was around age 80, as documented in Exodus 3:1-14, also known as ‘Moses and the Burning Bush’:

3 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. ² And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. ³ And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. ⁴ And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. ⁵ And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. ⁶ Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. ⁷ And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; ⁸ And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ⁹ Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰ Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. ¹¹ And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? ¹² And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. ¹³ And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? ¹⁴ And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.”

Now although you may be tempted to be more intrigued with the burning bush situation, a definite pyrotechnics wonder to be sure, I would submit to you that there is something be said in these verses that is way more important than a whole forest of burning bushes…

I AM THAT I AM.

I didn’t put those words in ALL CAPS.  That is how they appear in the King James Version, (KJV), and also in at least these other bible translations:

American Standard Version (ASV), 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV), The Message (MSG), New International Version (NIV), New Living Testament (NLT), and the World English Bible (WEB). 

I AM THAT I AM.

If that doesn’t stop you in your tracks to think about, nothing will.  The monotheistic god of the Jews, Yahweh, has told the descendant of Abraham, the father of the Jews…

I AM THAT I AM.

Ok, so what?  What is so special about this Moses fellow? 

Biblical scholars have concluded the following historical highlights, (or are they lowlights?), regarding Moses:

Moses was a murderer;

Moses was a fugitive and was on the run for at least 40 years;

Moses who had a speech impediment;

Moses was called into the service of Yahweh when he was at least 80 years of age.

Despite these limitations of Moses, Exodus 20:1-17 shows that Moses was going to be the one chosen to eventually lead the Jewish people to freedom.  Freedom, known as the Ten Commandments:

20 And God spake all these words, saying, ² I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ³ Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ⁴ Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁵ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; ⁶ And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. ⁷ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. ⁸ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: ¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. ¹² Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. ¹³ Thou shalt not kill. ¹⁴ Thou shalt not commit adultery. ¹⁵ Thou shalt not steal. ¹⁶ Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. ¹⁷ Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

It is interesting to note that despite the limitations of Moses, Yahweh still chose him to deliver this message:

I AM THAT I AM.

It is noted in the Torah that Moses and the Jews wandered in the desert for 40 years.  After about 400 years after the death of Moses, the Kingdom of Israel will eventually be founded by King Saul, achieve its height under King David, and ultimately fall with King Solomon. 

The fall happening around 3,000 years ago.  

The Kingdom of Israel will not be rebuilt until 1948. 

So now that we have a better understanding of the religion of Judaism, does it make sense when applying syllogism to it? 

That will be covered next….

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time after two days, trying to understand the belief system of Judaism. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided after two days, as whether or not the Judaism belief system is valid or not.  Instead, embrace the idea that after two days are in fact two days closer to perhaps finding the truth.  Embrace the idea that after two days of Judaism, perhaps there is a rank order between the polytheistic, philosophical, and monotheistic, belief systems.

¹⁰ For whoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of breaking the whole law. (James 2:10 KJV)      

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 31: The Basics Of Judaism – Part 2.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, an almost fanatical love of justice and the desire for personal independence — these are the features of the Jewish tradition which make me thank my stars that I belong to it. (Albert Einstein) 

Thinking about the musings from Day 29: The Validity Of Daoism, Or Is It Daoism?

I would submit to you that perhaps the three most important takeaways from week four would be:   

1) Information on Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism were discussed;

2) After reviewing these belief systems, crossing them off of your list when dealing with your soul and eternity seems logical and;

3) I would submit to you that after covering 5 of the major belief systems from the dawn of humanity, the facts, whether philosophy or religion, continue to speak for themselves…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.   

The next, major belief system that we cover in class is Judaism. 

Judaism began in the Middle East almost 4,000 years ago with a man named Abraham.  Abraham was born in the city of Ur in Mesopotamia, around 1813 BCE.  At this time, polytheism was the norm and was worshipped by his family and friends. (As a refresher, feel free to go back to Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism. and Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism.) 

While in Ur, Abraham was curious about this simple question:

Should humans worship the sun, moon, wind, and all the other gods separately, or should humans worship a single god, who created a harmony and order between the sun, moon, wind, and all of the other gods?

Abraham chose to worship a single god, one that was in charge of everything.  This was a revolutionary concept, as for the first time in history, humans through Abraham, begun the process of transitioning from the worshipping of many gods, (polytheism), to worshipping one god, or monotheism. 

In the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, Abraham is commanded by God, or Yahweh, to leave his family and friends, and leave the Mesopotamian City-States altogether as shown in Genesis 12:1-2:

¹ Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your family, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² I will make of you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

After passing through the land of Canaan and a temporary stay in Egypt, (Genesis 12:6-9), going to Bethel, (Genesis 13:1-4), and being involved in a battle with 5 kings, Abraham, at age 75, engages Yahweh again, as described in Genesis 15:18-21:

¹⁸ On that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— ¹⁹ the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, ²⁰ the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites, ²¹ the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Finally, a third monumental interaction between Abraham and God deals with Abraham’s second son, Isaac, as covered in Genesis 22:2:

² Then He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”;

Through Genesis 22:9-12:

⁹ Then they came to the place that God had told him. So, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on the wood. ¹⁰ Then Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹² Then He said, “Do not lay your hands on the boy or do anything to him, because now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your only son from Me.”;

And finally, to Genesis 22:15-18:

¹⁵ Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham out of heaven a second time, ¹⁶ and said, “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will indeed bless you and I will indeed multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gate of their enemies. ¹⁸ Through your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

According to the Torah, Abraham dies at the ripe old age of 175…years.

How do you apply Aristotle’s syllogism in order to come to a logical conclusion that the Judaism belief system makes sense when trying to figure out the universe and your role in it?  Well first, Moses needs to be discussed before we can move forward with the belief system of Judaism…and he will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the belief system of Judaism. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided as whether or not the Judaism belief system is valid or not.  Instead, embrace the idea that you, if reading these writings in order, now have 6 belief systems to work with, to compare and contrast.  Embrace the idea that after the second installment of Judaism is covered, you will have much to think about between the polytheistic, philosophical, and now monotheistic, belief systems.

³ I will bless them who bless you
    and curse him who curses you,
and in you all families of the earth
    will be blessed. (Genesis 12:3 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 30: The Basics Of Judaism.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Stop thinking and end your problems. (Laozi)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 28: Day 28: Rest…Relax…Reflect…

I would submit to you that for the approximately 12 million to 173 million believers of Daoism, (depending on which website you are looking at), it works for them. 

I would also submit to you that once you dig a little deeper into Daoism, there is one logical conclusion that doesn’t seem…logical. 

What Daoism does prove logically is the fact that…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.

Is Daoism a logical belief system?   

Like Confucianism, that depends on what your definition of a belief system is. 

If you believe the definition for a belief system is dealing with humans living on planet Earth during your lifetime, then the application of syllogism is very similar to Confucianism, and the flow would be as follows:

PART A – If I follow Daoism, I will be aware of my feelings and needs, as well as the feelings and needs of those around me;

PART B – If others follow Daoism, they will be aware of their own feelings and needs, as well as the feelings and needs of me;

PART C – By following Daoism and being aware of each other’s feelings and needs, we would all then be able to experience harmony in our lives.

The logic seems reasonable.

If you follow the basic tenants of Daoism, you will be able to be aware of not only your own basic feelings and needs, but of those around you.  At that point, it would be possible for you, along with those around you, to experience harmony in your lives.

Why wouldn’t you not want to follow Daoism as a belief system? 

Who wouldn’t want others to be aware of their feelings and needs?  Who doesn’t want harmony in their life?  The life of their family?  At work?  At the gym? 

Harmony for their nation and the world?

When thinking about Daoism under these conditions, it appears that one could conclude that this is a viable belief system for those who want their feelings and needs addressed. 

Daoism appears logical for one who ultimately longs for harmony in their lives on a day-to-day basis.

Does wanting harmony in your life and in the lives of others, qualify as a belief system? 

There are three items that need to be addressed if you wish to acknowledge Daoism as a belief system:

The first item to consider is if you believe the definition of a belief system is dealing with what happens to your soul, (or atman, etc.), after your physical passing here on planet Earth. If that is what a belief system is, then I would submit to you that Daoism most certainly does not pass as a belief system. 

Consider the following 5 issues surrounding Laozi, the founder of Daoism:

1) Historians cannot agree as to whether or not Laozi actually existed; 

2) No official birth or death records of Laozi have ever been found, let alone validated;

3) Historians cannot conclude unanimously that Laozi existed, due to lack of biographical evidence;

4) Historians cannot give an exact birth for Laozi, as the year of birth ranges from 600 BCE to 250 BCE and;

5) Considering that many claim that Laozi had met with Confucius around 518 BCE, his date of birth again comes into question.  

A second issue when considering the validity of Daoism is the fact that it is a hybrid of one, or more than one, of the following:

1) How to achieve harmony in your life;

2) Practicing self-meditation;

3) Engaging in physical exercise;

4) Studying nature;

5) Focusing on your diet;

6) The use of talismans, (an object or objects that are thought to have magic powers);

7) The practice of divination (seeking knowledge of the future through supernatural means);

8) The awareness of the Five Ghosts: Northern, Eastern, Center, Southern and Western;

9) They were leaders of their communities and;

10) They were responsible for advising rulers.

A final issue when considering the validity of Daoism deals with the historian Sima Qian (145-86 BCE), who documents the story of Lao-Tzu.  

Sima Qian was a curator at the Royal Library in the state of Chu, China, and was a natural philosopher.  Laozi is referenced by Qian in the 1st century BCE in the Records of the Grand Historian.  Considering that some believe that Laozi was born in 600 BCE, that would be over 500 years before Laozi was allegedly born, to where he is actually mentioned in China. 

If Laozi truly was as revolutionary as some would contend, acknowledging that he is the founder of Daosim, why then would it take over 500 years after his birth to acknowledge his impacts on Chinese society during the Warring States Period?

Like Confucianism, Daoism is at its core a philosophy rather than a religion. 

Like Confucianism, Daoism was founded on the idea of how to deal with how humans were interacting on planet Earth during their lifetimes, and did not address, at least directly, the concept of what happens to your soul for eternity. 

If we apply syllogism to Daoism as a religion, perhaps it would look like this:

PART A – If I follow Daoism, I am following a philosophy during my lifetime;

PART B – If I follow a religion, what happens to my soul for eternity is addressed;

PART C – By following Daoism, what happens to my soul is in doubt because it is not directly addressed.

At the end of the day, Daoism is a philosophy, not a religion. 

When combining the fact that historians cannot conclude unanimously that its founder Laozi even existed, along with that the fact that it took centuries to acknowledge, after he allegedly was alive, is quite unsettling indeed. 

The idea of following Daoism, knowing it is a philosophy and not a religion, as a means to an end regarding my soul and eternity, is a shaky proposition indeed.

What about Judiasm?

That belief system will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are have not figured out the Daoist belief system. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to process the Daoist belief system.  Instead, embrace the idea that continuing to do your research to learn for yourself what is ideal for you from an eternal perspective, should bring you harmony.

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
    They lead you into vanity;
they speak a vision of their own heart
    and not out of the mouth of the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:16 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 29: The Validity Of Daoism, Or Is It Daoism?

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither. (Alan Cohen)

Thinking about the musings from Day 27: Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?…

I would submit to you that it is important to take some rest.    

Just like the fourth week winding down at school, week 4 is winding down here.  I end with the quote: “I will give you Sunday’s off, it’s a God thing….”

The more I think about it, I don’t really know if it is really just a ‘God thing’.  I mean, don’t animals, insects, birds, plants, the rest of Mother Nature and even Atheists, believe in the importance of rest?  Whether they think it’s a ‘God thing’ or not, rest is necessary for all of us on this Earth, to restore, and to rejuvenate, our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.  I think, most importantly, because Monday’s can be brutal, on a good Monday….

Bottom line no matter where you stand on the issue of God…get some rest.

Spend some time if you want to do some reviewing, reflecting, and/or meditating, on the week that has just ended.  To be mindful perhaps of the following from last week:

Day 22: The Validity Of Hinduism. – At the end of the day, the fact remains that Hinduism is very similar in several ways as the polytheism/animism belief system.  With that being said, it stands to reason then that these facts regarding Hinduism must also then be called into question, in much the same way as polytheism/animism must be.

Day 23: The Basics Of Buddhism. – The third major belief system covered, Buddhism’s origin is on the Nepal/India border beginning around the 6th century B.C. whose focus lies with the Four Noble Truths, the Eight-Fold Path and if done correctly, reaching Nirvana, or one with the universe;

Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism. – The authenticity of the life of its founder Siddhartha Gautama is in question as evidenced by writings about him some 300 years after he lived.  Combine this reliability issue with the fact that in theory, based on your past life, (lives), your actions in the present may be futile, leaving you ultimately with a sense of dread and despair and hopelessness; 

Day 25: The Basics Of Confucianism. – Confucius created this philosophy to deal with the events surrounding him during his lifetime, the Warring States Period as the Chinese were dealing with the decline of the Zhou Dynasty as the Han Dynasty was taking over.  The focus was restoring order through the Five Social Relationships;

Day 26: The Validity Of Confucianism. – The idea of restoring and earning respect, order and structure in your life and those around you sounds great on the surface.  However, Confucianism was created as a philosophy and not a religion, and thus, the question of where your soul lands up for eternity is never really addressed;

Day 27: Daoism…Or Is It Taoism? – Created by Laozi during the Warring States Period, this philosophy addressed the issues that the Chinese were dealing with directly during that time period;

Are you ready to get some rest?

Do not feel discouraged if you don’t know how to rest. Do not feel discouraged if you power down your mind and body that wishes to forge ahead, so many things to do, so little time.  Instead, embrace the idea that rest is rejuvenating.  Embrace the idea that rest restores and recharges.  10-15 minutes.  Do nothing regarding the upcoming workweek…for 10-15 minutes.  Then, 7 days later, extend your rest time out 5 minutes.  Deep breathing exercises.  Simple yoga poses.  Watching cute little puppies on your social media feed.  All unrelated to work and your job(s).  Something, some things, to clear your mind.     

⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! For then I would fly away and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6 KJV

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 28: Rest…Relax…Reflect.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?  (Laozi)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 26: The Validity Of Confucianism…

I would submit to you that once you understand the history of Confucianism, you understand that it was originally created as a philosophy and not a religion.  I would further submit to you that once you understand this, it is the easiest belief system to cross off of your list when dealing with your soul and eternity. 

With 4 of humanity’s major, belief systems already covered:

Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism.

Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism.

Day 20: The Basics Of Hinduism.

Day 22: The Validity Of Hinduism.

Day 23: The Basics Of Buddhism.

Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism.

Day 25: The Basics Of Confucianism. and

Day 26: The Validity Of Confucianism.

It is apparent that not only are the choices for you being narrowed down, but determining which belief system makes the most sense from an eternal perspective for you, is also becoming clearer as well.  

The next, major belief system that we cover in class is Daoism or Taoism.   

Like Confucianism and Legalism, Daoism was a third viewpoint for the Chinese to consider during the Warring States Period of 403 – 221 BCE, during the transition of the decline of the Zhou Dynasty to the rise of the Han Dynasty. 

Legalism is just as it sounds, Chinese society being run under the weight of countless laws.  With that being said, it is not a belief system per se, especially when comparing it to the other seven belief systems covered during the Foundations period: Polytheism/Animism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Judaism, and Christianity.  That is why after this paragraph, there is no more need to discuss Legalism in terms of a religion because it has nothing to do with your soul from an eternal perspective.

Although it is possible to debate the founder of Daoism, from a traditional point of view, Laozi is the founder of Daoism…at least, as Daoism was intended in its original state. 

Laozi believed in the following:

1) People need to be aware of not only their own feelings, but the feelings of others;

2) Once someone has reached this awareness, they would be able to recognize that their own needs were not always of the best interest of those around them and;

3) Once someone has recognized this, living in true harmony can be attained.

Laozi grew impatient with people and with the corruption he saw in government, which he believed was the cause of the people’s pain and misery.  Unable to change people’s behavior, Laozi went into self-imposed exile.

Modern scholars in the West try to place Daoism into one of three ideologies:

1) Philosophy;

2) Religion or;

3) Both. 

On the other hand, Daoist’s themselves do not necessarily believe in these ‘either-or’ situations.  Instead, a Daoist would focus on one or more of the following:

1) The nature of reality;

2) How to increase their lifespan;

3) How to live a moral, orderly life;

4) How to rule and be ruled;

5) How to regulate your consciousness;

6) How to maintain a healthy diet and;

7) How humans interact with nature as a whole.  

‘Dao’, loosely translated in the West, means ‘the path’, ‘the road’, or ‘the Way’.  

Sort of… 

It kind of depends on which Daoist book you read or which Daoist expert you speak to.  

Daoism teaches that humans cannot possibly understand the Dao, because it is ultimately un-definable.  The Daoist believes that ‘the path’, ‘the road’, or ‘the Way’ has to ultimately be experienced.  This experience is unique for each individual who follows the Daoist path.

So that begs the question:

As a follower of Daoism, what is to be experienced…exactly? 

The Daoist believes in a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living.  In addition, this power is the harmony of opposites, for example, there could be no love without hate…no light without dark…no male without female, etc.. 

This idea of contradictory opposites, which actually attract and complement each other, can be visualized through the Yin and Yang symbol:

So, is this experience called life?  Nature?  The nature of things?  The Cosmos? 

Again, it depends on which Daoist you speak to…and even after speaking with them, in the end it is…undefinable.     

How do you apply Aristotle’s syllogism in order to come to a logical conclusion that the Daoism belief system makes sense when trying to figure out the universe and your role in it? 

Well, that will be covered after some rest.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the Daoism belief system. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided as whether or not the Daoism belief system is valid or not.  Instead, embrace the idea that you, if reading these writings in order, now have 5 belief systems to work with, to compare and contrast.  Embrace the idea that to continue seeking out knowledge to better your life now and in the future, is a good thing.

³And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their judgment, made long ago, does not linger, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:3 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 27: Daoism…Or Is It Taoism?

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned? (Confucius)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 25: The Basics Of Confucianism…

I would submit to you that for those who are believers of Confucianism, ranging anywhere from 6 million to 350 million, depending on which website you are looking at, it works for them.  I also submit to you that once you dig a little deeper into Confucianism, there is one basic logical conclusion that doesn’t seem…logical. 

What Confucianism does prove logically is the fact that…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.

So…is Confucianism a logical belief system?   

That depends on what your definition of a belief system is. 

If you believe that the definition of a belief system is dealing with humans living on planet Earth during their lifetime, then I would submit to you that the application of syllogism to Confucianism would flow like this:

PART A – A follower of Confucianism, will experience respect, order and structure in their life;

PART B – I follow Confucianism;

PART C – Therefore, since I follow Confucianism, I will experience respect, order and structure in my life.

At first glance, the logic seems reasonable. If you follow the basic tenants of Confucianism, you will then experience respect, order and structure in your life. Now consider what your life would look like if your entire family…neighborhood…workplace…state…and country…

All practiced Confucianism. 

On the surface, who wouldn’t want to be a follower of Confucianism? 

Who doesn’t want respect, order and structure in their life? 

When thinking about Confucianism under these conditions, it appears that we could agree that Confucianism sounds great for those who are searching for more: respect, order, and structure in their lives…

On a day-to-day basis.

However, what about Confucianism as a belief system?

If you believe the definition of a belief system is dealing with what happens to your soul, (or atman, as explained in Day 20 The Basics Of Hinduism), after your physical passing here on planet Earth, then I would submit to you that Confucianism most certainly does not pass as a belief system at all.

I know that there is information out there that tries to justify Confucianism as a religion at least 4 different ways:

1) Confucianism is both a philosophy and a religion;

2) Confucianism is built on ancient religious foundations that were intended to establish ultimately Chinese society;

3) Confucianism is a “civil or diffused religion”, (“a sense of religious identity and common moral understanding at the foundation of a society’s central institutions.”) and;

4) Confucianism as a part of “the Chinese social fabric and way of life…everyday life was the arena of religion.”

The problem with these 4 attempts to justify Confucianism as a religion is the simple fact that these viewpoints come from other people, not from the founder Confucius.  When other people, (who, we do not even know if they even practice Confucianism themselves), in other time periods, and in other parts of the world, attempt to apply their ideas onto past historical events, is known as presentism.  

For details on presentism, please refer back to:

Day 15: Are You Guilty Of Presentism?

Day 16: Does Presentism Affect The Way You View The World? and;

Day 17: The Dangers Of Presentism.

No matter how much presentism is applied to those who currently endorse and follow Confucianism, this fact cannot be changed:

The founder of Confucianism, Confucius, never intended to found a new religion. 

Instead, Confucianism was intended to address the moral and ethical dilemmas that were facing China during the transition from the Zhou to the Han Dynasties during the Warring States Period. 

Confucius was dealing with the immediate issues concerning Chinese society during his lifetime.   

In other words, Confucianism is a philosophy not a religion.

Consider the context of what Confucius was dealing with during his lifetime.  He was concerned with how humans were treating other humans in China during the Warring States Period from 403 – 221 BCE.  Now there is an ancestor component for those who have passed on however, Confucianism revolves around the fact that how you respect, (or disrespect), those ancestors, those actions will affect your present life on Earth. 

Confucianism was founded on the idea of how to deal with Chinese society during their lifetimes, and thus, he wanted to fix that immediate concern.

It is one thing to discuss what constitutes corruption, dishonesty, and immorality in a society.  It can be quite another determining the most effective, beneficial and efficient ways to return to a respectful, orderly and structured society.

These discussions however all revolve around the here and now.  These discussions do not address dealing with your soul, for eternity.   

If we apply syllogism to Confucianism as a religion, perhaps it would look like this:

PART A – If I follow Confucianism, I am following a philosophy and not a religion;

PART B – If I follow a religion, I am following steps needed regarding my soul for eternity;

PART C – By following Confucianism, there is no guarantee as to what will happen to my soul for eternity.

At the end of the day, the Confucian belief system is a philosophy, not a religion.  Once you accept the fact the Confucius intended his ideas to deal with the trials and tribulations of those living among him during the Warring States Period in ancient China, trusting it as a religion is a stretch indeed. 

The idea of following Confucianism as the best avenue for getting my soul to where I want it to be for eternity, knowing it is a philosophy and not a religion, is a shaky proposition indeed.

Do not feel discouraged if you are have not figured out the Confucian belief system. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to process the Confucian belief system.  Instead, embrace the idea that after gaining some simple knowledge on now 4 of the earliest belief systems known to man, your logical conclusions as to the validity of these belief systems should be more focused and clear.

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 26: The Validity Of Confucianism.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Education breeds confidence.  Confidence breeds hope.  Hope breeds peace. (Confucius)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 24: The Validity Of Buddhism…

I would submit to you that once the students have been exposed to the first 3 belief systems that I teach in the first 3 weeks of school:

Day 18: The Basics Of Polytheism/Animism, and Day 19: The Validity Of Polytheism/Animism;

Day 20: The Basics Of Hinduism. and Day 22: The Validity Of Hinduism and;

Day 23: The Basics Of Buddhism, and Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism,

I begin to notice an overall rising interest level in the content that I am presenting.  I would submit to you that the students at this point are truly beginning to understand that there are belief systems that have been floating around humanity for thousands of years. 

Ideas that help to solidify the concept that in fact…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.  

In class we have now reached the halfway point with the 7 belief systems that began in the 8,000 BC to 600 AD time period.   

The next, major belief system that we cover in class is Confucianism. 

From 403 – 221 BC, China was descending into chaos as the Zhou Dynasty was on the way out and the Han Dynasty was on the way in.  This was known as the Warring States Period.  

With this chaos, three ideologies were created in order to try to restore order in China:

1) Confucianism, founded by Kung Fuzi, (Kongzi or Confucius);

2) Daoism, founded by Laozi, (Lao-Tzu or Lao-Tze) and;

3) Legalism, founded by 3 individuals, Shang Yang, Li Si and Hanfeizi.

Confucius concluded that the reason why China had fallen into chaos, was because the emperor had lost the will of the people, known in China as the ‘Mandate of Heaven’.  In other words, the ancestors hanging out in heaven that were around during the Zhou Dynasty’s glory years, were trying to get the attention of their descendants living in the current Zhou Dynasty, that a change in government was necessary. 

I would submit to you that in China, Confucianism, combined with its ‘Mandate of Heaven’ concept, helps to solidify the universal concept that Someone Upstairs Runs The Show. 

Arguably, the greatest concern facing Confucius was how to restore order, real-time, to the citizens living in China during the Warring States Period. 

Confucius believed that perhaps the greatest issue facing China’s decline was the fact that he believed that the citizens of China had culturally fallen apart.  The social order was collapsing and it could be argued at the time, that it had already collapsed.  He believed that China, starting with the Emperor, all the way down to its citizens, were immersed in corruption, dishonesty, and immorality.  

Confucius believed that China lost its harmony, or lost its ‘proper attitudes’.

Confucius believed that once you address the building blocks of society, then China will get out of the Warring States Period.  Confucius believed that the Five Social Relationships was the answer to save China: 

1) Emperor and subject.  The emperor was to be kind, benevolent and generous to his subjects. They in return were to be loyal, obedient, and dutiful to their emperor;

2) Father and son.  At the family level, the father was to be kind, benevolent and generous to their son(s).  They in return were to be loyal, obedient and dutiful to their fathers;

3) Older brother and younger brother.  At the sibling level, the older brother was expected to be considerate to their younger brothers.  In return, the younger siblings were to be respectful of the older siblings;

4) Husband and wife.  The husband is supposed to be good to the wife.  The wife is to be obedient to the husband.  And the last social relationship is;

5) Friend and friend.  On the surface, it appears that they are the most equal.  In reality, Confucius would reply that you refer to the older/younger brother relationship and apply it here.   

Another important component that was important in Confucianism was reverence for ones ancestors.  The idea was simple, your ancestors are your family, both the ones that are alive, and the ones that are dead.  To show your respect to your dead ancestors was to worship them in your home with altars and having special family occasions.  Confucius believed that: “To serve those now dead as if they were living is the highest achievement of family devotion.”

The big takeaway that I try to teach my students is that Confucianism places a heavy emphasis on: respect, order and structure, which is evident in the first 4 of the 5 Social Relationships.  It is also possible to conclude that Confucianism endorses inequality in the first 4 of the 5 Social Relationships, with the friend and friend relationship, at least on the surface, implying equality.

A second, big takeaway for Confucius was simple. The family is where the Mandate of Heaven needed to be restored.  Once respect, order and structure were repaired at the family level, then the Mandate of Heaven would be restored with the families on both sides of you…and then throughout the entire neighborhood…and throughout the rural and urban areas…throughout all of China.

The Mandate of Heaven would once again return to China. 

At that point, all of China would be a respectful, orderly, and structured society.  A society that would live in harmony and thus rise above all of the corruption, dishonesty, and immorality currently hampering Chinese society during the Warring States Period.

And end the Warring States Period once and for all….

How do you apply Aristotle’s syllogism in order to come to a logical conclusion that the Confucian belief system makes sense when trying to figure out the universe and your role in it? 

Well, that will be covered next time.

Do not feel discouraged if you are having a difficult time understanding the Confucianism belief system. Do not feel discouraged if you are still undecided as whether or not the Confucianism belief system is valid or not.  Instead, embrace the idea that you, if reading these writings in order, now have 4 belief systems to work with, to compare and contrast.  Embrace the idea that Knowledge Is Power and Reading Is Fundamental, and to never stop in either of these pursuits.

²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 25: The Basics Of Confucianism.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?

Work out your own salvation.  Do not depend on others. (Buddha)

Thinking about the musings from DAY 23: The Basics Of Buddhism…

I would submit to you that for the almost half billion believers of Buddhism, it works for them.  I would also suggest that once you dig a little deeper into Buddhism, there are some basic logical conclusions that don’t seem…logical. 

What Buddhism does prove logically is the fact that…

Someone Upstairs Runs The Show.

Is Buddhism a logical belief system?   

I would submit to you that in many ways, Buddhism is comparable to Hinduism.  There are (at least) 6 reasons for this conclusion and they are listed below, in no particular order:

1) Geographically, they originated in the South Asian region;

2) The concept of Karma – Good deeds vs. bad deeds; destiny or fate; or “What goes around…comes around…”;

3) The concept of Dharma – Nature of reality; cosmic law and order; use the gifts that you have been given;

4) The concept of Reincarnation – a rebirth; soul that has been reborn; a do over;

5) The concept of enlightenment – To know what is known; to abandon what needs to be abandoned; to develop what needs to be developed and;

6) The concept of Moksha/Nirvana – Release from rebirth; release from pain and suffering, ‘heaven’;

So, applying syllogism to Buddhism, the logic would flow like this:

PART A – If I follow Karma and Dharma, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eight-Fold path, correctly, I will no longer be reincarnated;

PART B – If I am no longer reincarnated, I am enlightened and reach Nirvana;

PART C – If I follow Karma and Dharma, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eight-Fold path, correctly, I am enlightened, and thus I have been released from all selfishness and pain, as I have reached Nirvana….

The logic seems reasonable, follow the Four Noble Truths…follow the Eight-Fold path… and you will then stop being reincarnated.  Once you have stopped being reincarnated, then you can get to Nirvana or ‘heaven’. 

There are however some facts that must be considered when thinking about the validity of Buddhism:

Little is known about the life of the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, particularly in these three areas:

1) The Early Buddhist Texts contain no consistent facts relating to the life and death of Siddhartha Gautama;

2) Biographies written about Siddhartha Gautama start appearing in the region sometime in the 1st or 2nd century CE, or at least 300 years after he was born;

3) The authenticity of these biographies is suspect as they contain embellishing items with mythological component(s) in addition to lacking consistency;

In other words, there is much debate as to the validity of the life, and death, of Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha.

A second item to consider is the issue dealing with Karma and how it relates to reincarnation. 

Remember what Karma is, good deeds vs. bad deeds, or in the West, what is knows as the golden rule:

“Do unto others as you would wish they do unto you.”

For example, let’s say for sake of argument, I am a Buddhist monk and I teach in a Buddhist school, teaching Buddhist students.  A student comes to me for help with poor test grades which is hurting his/her semester grade and thus is concerned about his/her GPA ranking among their peers.

To me as a Buddhist, the explanation as to my students’ poor test grades in this lifetime is due to actions in a prior lifetime.  Perhaps in his/her prior life, they were a gang-banging thug who dropped out of high-school at about the same time chronologically that my student is experiencing these issues.  From a Buddhist perspective, when applying syllogism, this makes perfect sense:

PART A – In their last life, my student was a gang-banging thug who dropped out of high school;

PART B – This negative Karma from their prior life, is affecting my student and their test grades in their current life;

PART C – The student’s current learning issues to succeed on tests in high school this lifetime is due to their prior life as a gang-banging thug.

Now as a practicing Buddhist, I suppose explaining this rational for poor test grades my high-school, (or say college/university), student may make some sense, assuming of course that they are Buddhist. 

Consider trying to apply this Buddhist logic if the student is having academic issues in the 3rd grade.

Regardless of age, how would you feel personally, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, if someone told you that it would be futile to improve your current study habits to improve test grades, because your actions in a prior life have already pre-determined your academic achievements in this lifetime?

There is definitely a self-esteem issue that I would imagine would need to be dealt with regarding my Buddhist student college/university, high schooler, or 3rd grader, knowing that whatever he/she tried to accomplish to improve test scores, it wouldn’t matter, due to his/her performance, (or lack thereof), in a prior life.

A third item to consider deals with enlightenment, the goal that must be attained in order to be released from the cycle of birth and death, to be at true peace with oneself, also known as achieving Nirvana. 

Consider the following quote by Buddha:

“There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires.”

Now consider these 16 basic, human desires that I have placed in alphabetical order:

Acceptance.  Curiosity.  Eating.  Family.  Honor.  Idealism.  Independence.  Order.  Physical Activity.  Power.  Romance.  Saving.  Social Contact.  Status.  Tranquility.  Vengeance.

Take the first basic, human desire on the list, acceptance.  Now, let’s apply syllogism and Buddhism with acceptance:

PART A – Buddha says that there is no fear when a mind has no desire;

PART B – Acceptance is a desire;

PART C – To not fear being accepted is one step closer to achieving Nirvana.

Now, take out the word acceptance, and then plug in the next desire on the list, curiosity.  Then, re-read parts A, B, and C to yourself. 

Go ahead and plug and play the rest of the 14 basic, human desires after completing the first two on the list…

When you are finished, ask yourself three questions:

1) Is it humanly possible to deny in a single lifetime, all of these 16 basic, human desires, (let alone half or even one), knowing that: “There is no fear for one whose mind is not filled with desires?”;

2) Knowing this, and knowing how reincarnation works, what happens when that Buddhist cannot overcome and gives into, one or more of these desires, whether in their first year, middle year, or final year of their current lifetime?

3) Buddhist or no Buddhist, how can a human ever possibly break this cycle on their own, let alone with the help of others, in order to reach Nirvana?

I would suggest to you that at the end of the day, Buddhism is just too vague of a belief system.  Knowing that there are at least 16 basic, human desires to overcome, I cannot see any possible outcome to where my soul could ever possibly reach Nirvana…

In this, or in any lifetime. 

The idea of following Buddhism as the best avenue for getting my soul to where I want it to be for eternity, is a shaky proposition indeed.

Do not feel discouraged if you have not figured out the Buddhist belief system. Do not feel discouraged if you are still trying to process the Buddhist belief system.  Instead, embrace the idea that you are gaining background knowledge to come to your own, logical conclusions.

³ For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, having itching ears, ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV)

Was today’s blog a little confusing at times? Was the content perhaps a little overwhelming? Did you feel lost not understanding some or most of the subject matter?

Those feelings are totally understandable and it is ok to have one or more of those feelings. Remember that you are reading Day 24: The Validity Of Buddhism.

If you haven’t been in class since the first day of school…or when the project began…or when the contract was first signed, etc., these feelings make perfect and logistical sense.

Please feel free to go back to where all of this began:

Day 1: What Is A Mid-Life Crisis?