An Atheist meets his match!

I've been an atheist for about 6 months now & had got to the point where I realised that yes: it may have truth to it, but it doesn't translate into any kind of way of life. In fact, I'd go so far to say that it is very much a negative philosophy of 'I don't believe in something', rather than asserting something to believe in.



So I watched ?The Tao Of Steve? (after reading the peerless book ?My Friend Leonard?) & was intrigued enough to search up the subject, whereupon I discovered this & the book itself. I tried the ?Tao Te Ching? but the version I had is a little dense & ineloquent, requiring detailed study & reflection.



When I tried this, however, it was like pure spiritual truth. Each verse is a condensed, simple version of the Tao (if not 100% faithful) & the small essays elaborate on the important themes of each verse to aid understanding.



The weirdest thing is that most audio material relies on you hearing the majority of the words in order to understand the contents. Driving in a car, this is not always feasible but seems to work on a subconcious level, meaning the wisdom is not necessarily perceived although it is certainly acted on & absorbed by the mind.



My one criticism (if I might be so bold) is that the Tao does not seem at heart to be a Christian Theistic philosophy, but more Pantheist. This audio program relies heavily on the Bible & God to explain the Tao even though (as he Dr Dyer admits) the Taoist concept of God has nothing to do with reward & punishment.



That said, I did find the Biblical verses added understanding & Dyer is bold in proclaiming Taoist philosophy & that we all worship one 'God'.

I'd recommend this program as an excellent starting point for anyone interested in Taoism & I think it is an excellent way to balance ones life - between the relentless fierce logic of secularism, and the pure embracing (almost naive) love of the Tao.