The Cross: Jesus the Christ in China*

Chinese author, scholar and sometimes dissident, Liao Yiwu, writes in Chinese about a topic of wide concern today, the growing interest in faith-based living in modern China. His book, God Is Red, gives a fascinating overview of the growth of faith in that land despite, and possibly because of, Communism as practiced there.
He asserts that several generations now, people have been living under enforced a-theism. Religion, especially all organized religion of any time is banned, forbidden and punished for the past 60 years, since the Communist Party came to power in 1950. With the help of a competent translator, his book is now available for readers in the English language, the most widely read language on the planet.

Now with this translation and other books also translated into English, Liao Yiwu is available to the many who read English, even though many of his books are banned in his native China. He writes that interestingly, it may be Communism itself which sparked and inspired the move towards religious practice after a generation of believers was forced into submission by the central government.
By creating an enormous void, today those young, new minds are like one big, blank slate, ready to absorb what has been lacking for a half century. Simple, intellectual patriotism is no substitution for spiritual awareness or practice.
Christianity, for one, has been present within the "middle kingdom" since the 10th century CE or earlier, brought there by early Catholic and Orthodox missionaries.

While he concerns himself principally with the growth of Christianity in modern China, he mentions the parallels existing with indigenous faiths and a bit about the Silk road which brought many ideas into ancient China. Meeting a number of persons practicing their faith in what are called "house churches" Liao Yiwu traces their development and their increase within Chinese society.
He writes a number of short stories and life accounts of those who have chosen to take the 'Way of the Cross'. The account reminds one of the early church fathers who were savagely persecuted by the non-believing Romans.

The author names several other English language books and a film, The Cross: Jesus in China. Other book titles are included in his book, such as: China From the Bottom Up; The History of Christianity in Dali; the writings of poetess Liu Shengshi; The Secret Visit by Xu Yonghai; Redeemed by Fire: The Rise of Popular Christianity in Modern China by Lian Xi.

*The Cross: Jesus in China
For more, follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3zK5nVyMN4

The Avataras of Vishnu

Vishnu, Hindu god, declares in the Bhagavad Gita that whenever dharma declines and the purpose of life is forgotten or set aside, he will manifest on earth. Vishnu declares he is born in every age, a human birth with human parents; his mission is to protect the good, to counteract evil and re-activate dharma for those fallen asleep in the world.

With this statement, Hinduism declares itself to be a salvific faith, a messiah not entirely unlike the Judeo-Christian belief. Vishnu carries out his intercessions innumerable times though not always in human form, of incarnations or avataras. Vishnu is thought to take on a disguise at times to bring dharma where it is most needed.The earliest avataras are most associated with the primeval ocean, water long seen as a symbol of life. Avataras also represent primordial chaos whose arising in Hindu philosophy is thought to be a prerequisite to the development of an orderly cosmos derived from earlier chaos.

The pantheon of avataras in modern Hinduism are: Matsya, the fish; Kurma, the tortoise; Varaha, the boar; Narasinha, the lion; Vamana-Trivikrama, the dwarf-colossus; Parasurama, Rama with the axe; Rama, the most famous of avatars, demon king-killer; Krishna, the most important of Vishnu incarnations, despot eliminator; Buddha, rids the earth of evil doctrines without exception; Kalkin, the final avataras, futuristic, will usher in a new age when manifest.

The Hindu sects of Vishnu follow a doctrine of a supreme being, a Brahman; his avatara is Rama who represents the epitome of manhood and human aspiration. In his female aspect, Vishnu is referred to as Shakti, who represents the goddess Lakshmi. As previously mentioned here, there are two distinct views of Vishnu delineated by geography.

Another important movement of believers are the Bhakti, the devoted ones. These persons see Vishnu with uncompromising devotion, a mystical, total union which may be attained by contact with the mortal intermediary of his avatara, Krishna. Typical devotions include sung or chanted expressions of adoration. The movement has strong links with Buddhism, primarily Tantric sects such as Sahajayana whose founder was Krishnacarya. Author Patrick Bresnan writes of this and more in his book, Awakening, the History of Eastern Thought.