Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lshaw@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (logan shaw) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: On Daoism, Buddhism & Confucianism Message-ID: Date: 5 May 91 02:50:14 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: The University of Texas at Austin Lines: 58 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article dhsy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes: > This is a interesting observation. Would any of the true Christians > here explain this: can we worship, pray and idolize our ancesters and > the same time be a christian? For example, pray to Jesus and Confucious > (or one of the ancesters of our specific root) for help at the same time > when we have a problem? I don't see why we can't. [ I guess by answering this, I'm claiming to be a 'true Christian'. I certainly try... ] Well, if you believe in Jesus, chances are you also believe where Jesus came from - that is, you also believe in Yahweh (Jehovah, the Father). If you believe in the Father, then you probably also believe it when He says: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:1-2) And, also in Ephesians 4:4-5 it says "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling. one Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." If you really want to worship Yahweh, you can't be worshipping anybody else. God is above all others. (Note: I'm _not_ saying that you can't respect you ancestors.) Later, Logan -- // # "He said that He had your number; you cut the telephone line. \X/ # You said you needed a reason; He said 'there ain't much time.' Logan # You kept trying to avoid it; He kept knocking on the door. Shaw # In a flash it was over; you were a prisoner of war." -Rez Band [Those who are familiar with the Protestant/Catholic discussions will understand that a lot hangs on what you mean by praying to ancestors. I'm afraid that I don't know enough about the traditions that venerate ancestors to know exactly what they mean by doing so. Of course making requests of any kind to people who are dead is a controversial practice, as our past discussions have made clear. If someone is coming from a tradition where ancestors are venerated in a manner not consistent with Christianity, this raises special problems. Many Christians would probably recommend special care in this case, simply to prevent falling into non-Christian practices out of habit. As many of you probably recognize, issues of this kind have often resulted in great controversy in the mission field. The Jesuits are particularly known for trying to maintain as much continuity as possible with past, non-Christian practices, whereas Protestant missionaries tended to emphasize the need to make a clear break. There are dangers to both practices. When taken too far, the first can leave populations that are only nominally Christian, but continue practices that are incompatible with Christianity. The other can lead to "cultural imperialism", that requires converts to reject all of their culture and traditions, and become imitation Americans or Europeans. --clh]