An interesting subject

[silviawang]

An interesting subject

When I began to read bible and seeking some information about the Jew ,I find an interesting item that some ethic imply in the bible and some ethic of archaic Jew are very similar to the archaic Chinese, like:

1. the status of concubine(I mean the legit life but not the formal wife,)in the family was very nidering, even the offspring of the concubine can not be counted in the term of heir(except the formal wife without any offspring)----the story of Abraham

2. the title of the eldest son is very very important.

3. can not read and write the name of the VIP, like emperor, the mother and the father

to Jew ,is can not read and write the name JHVH,and G-D(when the archaic Chinese must write the name of VIP, they must subtract some letter, just like GOD----G-D)

etc.

and some Chinese theologist assume that one of the 3 oriental doctors is an famous archaic Chinese philosopher named laozi because his doctrine is very mysterious, and the last story of him was been to western for some cryptically goal and never been back.(and there are some other reasons but I am not very professional and do not remember).

The immemorial Chinese worship the sky, they can feel the GOD of the universe but can not say it clearly(of course , they were out of the choose)

the Chinese mythology indicate the human being was being created by the dirt by god, and it record the huge flood, too.

Chinese has 5000 year

[nebula]

Hi, Silvia!

Something I have learned is that on the broad (note, broad) scope, there are two types of thought in this world: Eastern thought and Western thought.

The Hebrews (people of the Old Testament) and the other peoples of the Mid-East were of the Eastern thought. So, it makes sense that their mindsets were similar in these ways.

Interesting points you present!

I need to ask you about "one of the 3 oriental doctors is an famous archaic Chinese philosopher named laozi."

What are "the 3 oriental doctors?" I appologize, my knowledge of Chinese culture and religion and all is rather sparce, and I did not understand what it is you said about him.

Do you mind explaining and clariflying, please? Thanks!

[ayin jade]

Magi is what she means I think. It is an interesting thought. I will have to look that up. Of course, who the Magi are in the long run has no real impact on who Jesus is and what His life, death and resurrection mean to us in the long run. Thank you Sylviawang for this bit of information.

[Botz]

Dear Sylvia.

The idea that Laozi/Lao Tzu might have been one of the oriental doctors/wisemen

at the birth of Jesus would be extremely speculative for several reasons...the first being that he was supposed to be the founder of Taoism and to have lived between 200 and 600 years before Jesus/Yeshua was born. Secondly many people do not know if he was ever a real person in the first place.

He is famous for the idea of 'just going with the flow' and being mellow and chilling out no matter where life leads...Hippies loved him.

It was interesting to hear of the Chinese Myth stories of the flood...so many countries from all over the globe have a similar tale to tell which seems more than just a coincidence.

Don't forget that several tribes of Chinese Jews have been rediscovered recently.

Regards. Botz.

[silviawang]

Oh botz ,I must say you are expert of china, you are so familiar with laozi ,even lots of Chinese do not know that!

On the other hand ,in Chinese mythology ,the god of whom created the human being whose face is a woman and with the tail like snake instead of the leg, it makes me think the snake in the Eden

the flood of Chinese mythology is not very similar to the record in the bible,it said the flood had been conquered by the people, and the hero in it became the emperor(do you know da yu?)but

Edited March 4, 2005 by silviawang

[Botz]

Hello Sylvia...Actually I know very little about your lovely country and its history...I have just studied a few areas of interest...and part of my job has involved buying and selling Chinese porcelain...so I tend to do a little reading up about things....but my main pre-occupation lies with Israel and the Jewish people.

I think what the flood myths of other countries show is that although people may have elaborated on them and made them very strange...the fact that there are so many can only point to the strong possiblity of a world-wide flood...because the 8 survivors in the Bible would have told the story from generation to generation as the earth was re-populated and the people dispersed to its four corners.

There is much information that will help confirm your belief when you allow the Holy Spirit who lives in you to be the teacher...above all He will introduce you to the Father and to the Son so that you may know the love of G-d always.

There are many religions in the world some of them with a huge following...and some of the things they teach are age old truths that actually originate in the heart of G-d...but many of the other things they teach are not true and are a snare to those who believe in them...There is only one who died and rose again through whom we might be forgiven and have eternal life and His name is Yeshua/Jesus.

I include a short article that you may find interesting.

Kind Regards. Botz.

Chinese Jews - History of Jewish Community in China

Archaelogical evidence suggests that Jews were in China as early as the 8th Century, having arrived from Persia along the Silk Road. In 1163 the Emperor ordered the Jews to live in Kaifeng, where they built the first Chinese synagogue. Marco Polo recorded that Kublai Khan celebrated the festivals of the Muslims, Christians and Jews, indicating that there were a significant number of Jews in China in the 13th Century.

A Ming Emperor conferred on the Jews seven surnames - Ai, Lao, Jin, Li, Shi, Zhang and Zhao. To this day Chinese Jews will only have one of these seven names. Christian missionaries also recorded meetings with Chinese Jews. At least one synagogue was constructed, and the community was active for about eight centuries. Currently, the Vatican holds letters from Jesuits in the 18th Century describing the daily life and religious practices of Jews in Kaifeng, and drawings of their synagogue.

Westerners lost touch with Kaifeng Jews in the mid-1700s. It was not until 1900 that an effort was made to re-establish contact.

In the late 19th century, Russian Jewish communities were founded in Harbin, Tianjin and elsewhere. The project to construct a Russian railway to East Asia was centered in Harbin. Anxious to populate the city, the Russian government provided incentives to minorities, including Jews and Karaites, to settle there. In the early years of the 20th century, Jews fleeing pogroms in the Pale of Settlement and demobilized soldiers from the Russo-Japanese War joined them, raising the Jewish population of Harbin to approximately 8,000 by 1908. The Russian Revolution of 1917 practically doubled the size of the community, and served as a stimulus to Zionist activism. Japanese annexation in 1931 brought increased restrictions on many facets of life, and many Jews left for free countries. Most of the Russian Jews remaining at the end of World War II emigrated to the West. Some were repatriated, both voluntarily and involuntarily, to the Soviet Union.

The development of the port city of Shanghai as a Jewish center parallels that of Hong Kong. Sephardi families from Baghdad, Bombay and Cairo, including the Kadoories, Sassons and Hardoons, established a communal structure in Shanghai in the 19th century. By 1903, there were three synagogues in the city, and the number of Jews totaled to 30,000. However, most of them fled when the Communists took over in 1959.

The Chinese government now recognizes Jews as an official Chinese ethnic group. On Sept. 29, 2000, Rosh Hashanah services were held at the Ohel Rachel Synagogue for the first time in nearly 50 years. There are also a Jewish library and a Jewish museum in the city.

[silviawang]

There are many religions in the world some of them with a huge following...and some of the things they teach are age old truths that actually originate in the heart of G-d...but many of the other things they teach are not true and are a snare to those who believe in them...There is only one who died and rose again through whom we might be forgiven and have eternal life and His name is Yeshua/Jesus.

yes ,i think so