This is part of chapter 5 of Bahram Khozairy’s first published book, “Jeet Kune Do to San Jieh Dao, From Darkness To Light”, released in 1995.
Taoism & Yin/Yang
By: Bahram Khozairy
Copyright © 1995 by Bahram Khozairy. All Rights Reserved.
OVER VIEW
The philosophy and the religion of Taoism started in China during the revolutionary era of the late Confucius, between the year 604 and 570 B.C. by a Chinese man name Lao Tze (an old child, in Mandarin Chinese). Contrary to the ethical and social teachings of Confucius, Lao Tze introduced mystical and religious ideologies to the people of China, and compiled his belief in a book of approximately 5500 words called "The Tao Te Ching" (or the bible of moralities, in Chinese). The word "Tao" itself means, "Way" or "Path."
The core of Lao Tze's philosophy was that everything in the universe has emerged from an impersonal force or energy, and therefore is in perfect harmony with which he called "Tao." But, within this harmonious world, there exist opposite but balanced and as equally important forces, which he labeled "Yin" and "Yang," or the concept of dualism. The Yin is known to be the negative side (i.e. passive, female, darkness, pain, death, down, earth, evil ... etc). The Yang is known to be the positive side (i.e. active, male, light, pleasure, life, up, heaven, good ... etc). Taoism dictates that as a result of these opposite forces and elements in the universe, a balanced and harmonious life can be attained for each individual human being, only if we were to become "one" with the universe or the Tao. The Tao is then recognized and referred, as an impersonal force or energy, which everything else has emanated from it. In order to be in a complete oneness with the Tao and to achieve a balanced circle of Yin and Yang in life, one must be willing to blend and fuse his entire essence or consciousness with the universe and all that exist in it. A very important and crucial point that must be emphasized here is that Taoism teaches; there is nothing inferior or superior in an independent and an absolute sense throughout the entire universe, such as a personal, distinct and Divine God. As a result, Taoism denies an absolute God who is purely Good apart from the existence of the devil which is purely Evil. Although, good and evil exist simultaneously in the realm of our universe, the "good" exists only as a result of the existence of its opposite, which is "evil." Consequently, good cannot exist without evil; neither evil can exist without good; good and evil are irrevocably dependent on each other. Now, the tenets and teachings of Taoism can be observed clearly, through the following excerpts from the book, "Tao Te Ching;"
(1) "The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.
(2) "He who knows the Tao does not care to speak about it; he who is ever ready to speak about it does not know it.
(3) "He who knows it will keep his mouth shut and close the portals of his nostrils. He will blunt his sharp points and unravel the complications of things; he will temper his brightness, and bring himself into agreement with the obscurity of others. This is called "the Mysterious Agreement."
(4) "Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes its law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is its being what it is.
(5) "Get rid of your preachers and discard your teachers, and the people will benefit a hundredfold. Root out your schemers and renounce your profiteers, and thieving will disappear.
(6) "The wise reject all extremes.
(7) "To the good I would be good, and to the bad I would be good; in that way all might become good.
(8) "The absence of desires brings tranquility.
(9) "In serving Heaven and in ruling men use moderation.
(10) "If you cannot advance an inch, retreat a foot.
(11) "All things are produced by the Tao, and nourished by its out flowing operation.
(12) "Conceived of as having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; conceived of as having a name, it is the Mother of all things."9
(13) "Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, non-action this is the level of Heaven and Earth, and the perfection of the Tao."10
(14) "To blend with the cycle (of the universe) without effort is to become one with the Tao and so find fulfillment."11
Note: the author added Numbers in front of the quotations for the reference purpose only.
Respond:
In order to give a systematic respond to the above quotations and overview, we must first focus our attention to the core axiom of Taoism, which is the doctrine of Yin/Yang, and put this concept of duality into test. Yin, according to Taoism is dependent on Yang and vise versa. This idea may hold true when we are dealing with a closed-system. A closed system is identified in science as a system, which its three dimensional laws cannot be altered. For example, the opposite of up is always down. Of course, because the idea of "down" can only be comprehended, when is placed in relation to its reference point, which is "up." Likewise, "up" can only be understood and recognized as such, when compared to its reference point, which is "down." In an easier term, there can never be an "up" without a "down" and vice versa. The same holds true for many equally opposite elements or abstracts within the physical three dimensions of time, space and mass, such as:
Left and Right
West and East
North and South
Push and Pull
Passing by and Standing by
The duality of all these abstracts can easily be comprehended and explained, only when each component is identified as a reference point for its opposite element. Now, the moment we implement this dualistic perception of equally balanced and opposite forces beyond our physical universe, the imposing postulate falls apart. Simply because, nature is placed within an open-system and not closed. One cannot place God, who is Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Sovereign, Eternal, Creator of all that existed and does exist in the universe, in an equal level with His adversary, the devil, who is a limited fallen creature and a sinful angel. And, since God is the Creator of all that exists in the universe, He is beyond everything, including his own creation. God, is the source of all righteousness, purity, holiness, and goodness, and can never be even compared to His opposite, the devil who is the source of all lies, unrighteousness, impurities, ungodliness and evil. Thus, theologically speaking, the concept of yin/yang becomes fallacious, unrealistic and un-functional, especially when we consider the personal God of the Bible.
Secondly, this brings us to the next fallacy, which is the nature of the Tao itself. If the concept of yin/yang holds true for everything in life, then Tao must have an opposite and equal force as well, which has a nature of “un-harmonious,” “unpeaceful” and “evil?" Yet, this fact is never taught in Taoism. Moreover, Taoism is strangely and extremely silent through its teachings, concerning the prince of darkness, the source of evil, Satan himself.
We also find internal contradictions in Taoism as with any other man made religions or philosophies. Statement No. 2 and No. 3 are in complete incongruity with the whole "Tao Te Ching" thesis. If Tao cannot be talked about, apprehended or comprehended, then we can raise the question, what gives Lao Tze the founder of Taoism the right to talk about the Tao? Isn't he contradicting himself by writing a 5500 words thesis, delineating and detailing his analysis, when he comprehensively and authoritatively talked about the Tao? Why didn't he obey what he said in the statement No. 3?
"He who knows it will keep his mouth shut and close the portals of his nostrils."
Also, statement No. 6 is inconsistent with the statement No. 7. How can any man attain goodness even in the face of evil, when he is told that, "a wise man is to reject all extreme?" Isn't attaining goodness and righteousness something Taoism teaches in the statement No. 7? How about, if one were to have a desire to be perpetually good and always act in righteousness? Is his desire and motive identified as an absence of wisdom according to the statement No. 6? The irrationality of Taoist's philosophy cannot be any clearer. As opposed to the Taoism's philosophy, the Bible declares in Psalms 111:10,
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,"
and the words of the Lord Jesus Himself, who commanded us to;
"...LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." (Matthew 22:37-39)
Christ avoided equivocations, when He expressed His Divine message, during His three years of public ministry on earth. He always used the most extreme terms and analogies imaginable in order to make understand the will of God; when He used the terms and statements like,
"Children of the devil" (John 8:44)
"Outer darkness" (Matthew 8:12)
"Eternal punishment" (Matthew 25:46)
"God so loved the world" (John 3:16)
"Woe or Woe unto you" (33 times in the New Testament alone and 106 times throughout the entire Bible)
"Truly or Truly Truly" with the double emphasis (148 times throughout the entire Bible, 78 times from Christ Himself)
"Love" (310 times throughout the entire Bible)
"Judgment" (294 times throughout the entire Bible)
"Hell" (54 times throughout the entire Bible)
Moderation is never employed, nor is it ever implied throughout the Scriptures, when it comes to the devotion, worship and the service of God. But yet, Taoism bluntly teaches, "In serving heaven and ruling men use moderation."
In summary, the philosophy and religion of Taoism inevitably can be categorized as:
(a) by-product of human efforts;
(b) what the Bible calls the "doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1)
God is neither schizophrenic, nor does He ever contradict Himself. Bible announces, that God never changes (Malachi 3:6), and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His message is consistent, only because He is a consistent being. Taoism, fails to provide rational solutions to the problems of life, death, evil, suffering, injustice and others of our time. In another sense, it can be classified as purely a subjective, self-centered philosophy, based on eastern irrationality and illogical mentality.
Following is Robert Hammiest summary of the Taoist's philosophy:
"It's not sufficiently personal and responsible Supreme Being. Its founder's positively ignoble example of withdrawing from difficulty; not organizing for reform. It's inadequate recognition of the evils in the world. It's inadequate appreciation of physical facts and resources, discouraging to scientific inquiry. Its over-emphasis on inactivity (W-We), belittling to human effort. It's lack of commanding enthusiastic principle for living; mostly negative advice. Its ethical ideal of indifference and irresponsibility. Its inadequate conception of immortal life; merely a protracted existence. Its lack of a program for the uplift of society; only return to an uncivilized simplicity. Its relapse into polytheism, demonolatry, and practice of magic."12
Based on our earlier and above examinations and analysis, the philosophy and the cult of Taoism must be dismissed as the way or even a way to the truth. Whereas, Jesus Christ stepped into the human history and uttered the promises and declarations
"I am the way, and the truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep...Truly, Truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep."
(John 14:6, 10:1-2, 7-13)
9. Quoted by Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today's Religions, pp. 343-345.
10. Max Muller is quoted by Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today's Religions, p. 342.
11. Maurice Rawlings is quoted by Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, Handbook of Today's Religions, p. 343.
12. Robert E. Hammiest is quoted by Josh McDowell & Don Stewart, The Handbook of Today's Religions, pp. 346, 347.