A Beatnik's Guide to the Galaxy

Over the course of today and tomorrow I'm going to share with you some short expositions by someone I only know as Brother Beatnik. The gentleman hailed from England and was one of many participants (as was I) on a Taoist forum approximately 5 years ago. I communicated with him briefly via email and then one day his email address started bouncing. So, needless to say, I don't know what happened to him nor much of anything else about him.

What I do know is that he was an excellent writer on topics concerning and related to philosophical Taoism. He impressed me so that I've saved on my computer many of his commentaries. I read them every so often and they always inspire me.

Tao is Beyond Religion
By Brother Beatnik
Feb. 25, 2004

Tao is beyond religion/irreligion, beyond definition, beyond conception. The infinite, nameless, living Tao cannot be imprisoned in the finite bottle of religion. The one Tao covers all. Tao cannot be imposed, enthroned or dethroned, by force. Tao does not require armies because it is Truth and truth does not require an army to defend it, only falsehoods, like 2+2=5, require armies. Nothing can threaten Tao because Tao is the Real. Tao does not demand tribute in terms of belief, worship or prayer. Tao freely provides for all and does not expect to be thanked. Tao is not a possession or personal property of anyone. Tao is not a person. Tao does not have the prejudices and biases of a person. Tao is impartial. Tao is impersonal. Tao exists whether you acknowledge Tao or not. Tao is. That's all.

Tao cannot be taxed, organized, monopolized, turned in to a business to make money. Beware of those who say that their way is the only way to Tao. There are as many ways to Tao are people. There are many entry points to Tao.

• Teachings that promote compassion are in harmony with Tao.
• Teachings that promote love are in harmony with Tao.
• Teachings that promote wisdom are in harmony with Tao.
• Teachings that promote tolerance and co-operation are in harmony with Tao.
• Teachings that promote freedom, justice and equality are in harmony with Tao.
• Teachings that promote peace are in harmony with Tao.
• Teachings that respect the natural world are in harmony with Tao.
  

Therefore teachings and practices that contribute to human misery and oppression run contrary to Tao.

Any teaching, no matter who the teacher is, that promotes compassion, wisdom and peace is in harmony with Tao. It does not matter whether the teacher is ancient one like the Buddha or modern one like Eckhart Tolle. It does not matter whether the teaching is Western or Eastern, Northern or Southern; if it promotes peace, human happiness, compassion, wisdom, justice, freedom and equality, it is in harmony with Tao and is a teaching of Tao. The same goes for political practices and ideologies. Tyrannies and dictatorships run contrary to Tao. True democracies, as opposed to sham ones, are in harmony with Tao. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document that is in harmony with Tao.