Culture of Religion

This weekend, a friend took me to an old temple, built in the 1680's. She wanted me to see the heart of Taiwanese culture. I saw it, but perhaps differently than she expected. My heart broke for these people. They are SO BLIND to the truth. They don't know the Jesus that would set them free. There are so many things I wish I could tell them. With a heavy heart, I prayed through the night for these people to see the truth.

Upon entering the temple, I encountered rows of people paying obeisance to their god. 

The carvings (like our old paintings in great buildings) tell a story, usually religious related. The blackness is an indicator of the "success" of a temple due to the amount of smoke.

Huge gongs, hung from the ceiling, strike an eerie demonic rhythm.

The women in yellow are medians who can communicate directly with the gods.

Praise the Lord! I don't need a median. I can talk directly to God.

Gifts for the gods: flowers, fruit, and money. They give only the best, and many of them give up livelihoods and necessities to accommodate their god. 

This puts Christians to shame. I am often so tempted to give after I have what I need, or only a little. What God could do with Christians FULLY and WHOLEHEARTEDLY devoted to Him, who freely surrender all to His capable hands.

To them, the more smoke, the better. The smoke is what carries their prayer to the gods in heaven.

Jesus knows my heart. (Romans 8:27) I don't need anything or anyone to carry my requests to Him.

They choose the god that protects or blesses how they need, dress it, care for it, and carry it from place to place. It was raining, so the temple worker prepared an umbrella to protect his god from the rain. 

My God made the rain. He doesn't need protection- He gives it! I can't choose how I want Him to be or what benefits He gives. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Candle burning relates to afterlife somehow (I didn't understand it all, but this part reminded me a little of Catholicism.)

Convention of the gods. Their caretakers have brought them together for a visit.

The Almighty God is omnipresent, (everywhere at once) and does not need someone to transport Him. He inhabits the praise of His people.

Originally, the temple received it's name from a purple cloud that would descend and demonstrate the presence of the god.

'Sounds like a Bible story... The glory of God's presence over the Temple in the form of a cloud...

The woman in yellow (just off-center) is holding an object over the incense. She must douse it four times, and then it will be empowered to protect whomever or whatever it is tied around.

I don't need an object in this life to help me. Jesus is powerful enough that He can protect me without help.

Little boys filling the role of worshiper of the family, to protect their homes and loved ones.

This just breaks my heart.

 "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14)

She is imitating one of the gods, hoping to gain favor.

God loves me immensely. It does not matter what I do or say; God will not love me any more or less. (Ephesians 1)

This couple is burning letters, so the smoke can carry the words to heaven.

In the end, my friend told me her conclusion: "If you have an open mind, you can accomplish many things. These people all believe different things and worship differently, but they can exist peacefully together. Christians shouldn't be so narrow-minded."

Knowing where she stands with Christians, I knew speaking in defense would have only strengthened her resolve against Christ, but my heart replied: "I can't apologize. I'm not ashamed of being 'narrow-minded,' because I have what all these people are so desperately trying to achieve- a personal relationship with God."

"...Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)