Are you certain? Including questions that an atheist will most likely ask?

This post has been edited by Hoka Nobasho: Oct 16 2016, 12:06 PM

Yes, absolutely.

Go right ahead; I'm all ears.

1) What's the difference between a person who believes in the Chinese folk religion and a person who does not?

2) Should your answer is "no difference" for question #1, why then, would it be necessary for you to be a follower of the folk religion as opposed to those who don't?

1. A person who believes in the Chinese folk religion is one who believes in the Chinese folk religion. A person who does not believe in the Chinese folk religion is one who does not believe in the Chinese folk religion. The distinction isn't hard to make; it's self-explanatory.

2. My answer to question #1 is not 'no difference', so question #2 is moot.

Anything else?

Yes. I'm afraid I may have misphrased my questions.

Let me rephrase those questions again.

1) As opposed to the other religions in the world, why did you choose yours?

2) Why not choose the other religions as well, or the absence of it?

1. I love ancient Chinese mythology, classic Chinese ghost stories, theatrics, cosplay and gallows humour. My religion contains all of these great elements and so much more, including granting its devotees the opportunity to meet-and-greet its deities. No other religion, with the possible exception of Haitian Vodou, allows for such personal and frequent deity-devotee interaction. It's awesome.

2. The other religions don't contain any of the aforementioned aspects that appeal to me. As for the absence of religion, that strikes me as dull and boring. I find it much more fun to believe in magic and mystery.

This post has been edited by nachtsider: Oct 16 2016, 01:11 PM

I applaud at your honesty of answering the questions. I used to be a Christian before I am an atheist, and you have no idea how it felt when you were with a religion that threatens you to go to hell when you do not believe in it.

Well, my religion says that EVERYONE goes to Hell, no exceptions, so it ain't a big deal and you feel nowhere near as bad about the whole thing, if at all.

We play no favourites.

A trance video to blow off the monday blues

tomorrow marks another big day for guan yin , lunar 9th month 19th day .

Indeed it is.

This day marks the day she took her vows as a nun.

Here is a picture of Tua Ya Pek joining Guan Yin in the celebrations.

A lovely temple in Pontian where Guan Yin is enshrined.

The unearthly green light of a small shrine to the Hell deities pierces the night gloom.

Some similarity with the ancient Greek belief - everyone will go see Hades.

It feels like the meeting of the Asgard immortal with the Hulk, no offense, but they all came from different universes and a jarring gap in history. To see them come together it makes me feel watching the big screen. And it has been ages for me to gaze upon serenity and compassion of Avalokiteśvara. Nice

No offense taken; it's a very apt comparison.

This lady medium embodies Guan Yin's radiance, grace and unpretentiousness very well, I feel.

Does Guan Yin has century meeting wif Jesus or Zeus or similiar?

Just curious is there a collaboration between different faith, believe, religion.

This post has been edited by dp82: Oct 21 2016, 08:04 PM

What's the history of guan yin ?

Once upon a time, there lived a cruel king called Miao Zhong.

He had three daughters.

The first two, Miao Yen and Miao Yin, were as black-hearted as their father.

The third, Miao Shan, was a virtuous and devout girl who wanted nothing more than to spiritually cultivate herself as a nun in Buddha's service and bring salvation to the needy.

Miao Zhong desired to marry off his daughters to three of the most influential lords in his court.

Miao Yen and Miao Yin conspired with their equally wicked husbands to depose their father and seize the throne.

Miao Shan's betrothed was the mighty general Wei Tuo, whom she grew up with as a longtime childhood friend.

Wei Tuo knew that Miao Shan could not marry him due to her spiritual goals; he promised to instead love her as a brother would, and protect her from her father's wrath.

When Miao Zhong came to know of Miao Shan's refusal to marry in favour of becoming a nun, he was furious and disowned her, banishing her from the palace.

Wei Tuo he retained only because the general was too valuable to him; his punishment would come soon enough.

Miao Shan joined a Buddhist convent and became its most pious and compassionate nun, renowned for how dutifully she tended to the sick and the poor.

She began to work miracles of all kinds, and the convent became renowned throughout the kingdom, causing Miao Zhong to become all the more angry.

He ordered Wei Tuo to burn the convent to the ground and massacre its inhabitants; this would be the general's punishment.

Wei Tuo was clever; he spirited Miao Shan and the other nuns to safety before destroying the convent and telling Miao Zhong that everyone within had died.

Miao Shan and her fellow nuns hid out in the forest and eked out a peaceful life, aided by the forest creatures.

In the meantime, Miao Zhong came down with a terrible illness that left him bedridden and close to death.

The only cure for this illness was medicine that had to be made from the eyes and hands of a blood relative.

He begged Miao Yen and Miao Yin to assist him in this regard, but the two princesses and their husbands responded by throwing him into the dungeon to rot and declaring themselves the new rulers of the kingdom.

Wei Tuo marshaled the palace guards and managed to put down the rebellion; the princesses and their consorts were placed under arrest.

He brought Miao Zhong the required medicine, which cured him almost instantly, and solemnly asked the king to contemplate just how it was possible for the medicine to have been made.

Who, asked Wei Tuo, could have contributed their eyes and hands to make the medicine, considering that Miao Zhong had no living blood relatives apart from his three daughters, two of whom had left him to perish?

With a shock, Miao Zhong realised that Miao Shan was not dead, and that SHE had used her eyes and hands to save his life.

Miao Shan's spirit of forgiveness and self-sacrifice left Miao Zhong, Miao Yen, Miao Yin and the princesses' husbands utterly ashamed.

They tearfully declared how wrong they had been, promising to embrace the path of Buddhism and turn over a new leaf.

The kingdom thus entered a new age of peace and harmony.

As a result of their good deeds, Miao Shan and Wei Tuo became Bodhisattvas.

She is now known as Guan Yin, 'She Who Hears the Cries of the Needy'.

And he is now known as Skanda, Protector of the Dharma and guardian of Buddhist temples everywhere against evil influences.

Oh, interesting story. Thanks. When I was journey to the west drama by tvb , the story of guan yin was that she was a man that chose to become a woman . Something like that. I guess got many variations .