Art by　　　　　　　Jerome Chia-Horng Lin

Oil on Canvas 油畫 100P(112x162cm) 2014 I have been pondering the issue of Monotheism and Polytheism now and then for a period of time. I remembered the conversation with an American who explained to me the religious difference is part of why their discriminate Asian people. He further declared the Christians in general as the majority monotheists consider polytheists as pagans. Buddhism in particular is an mysterious religion to them which could easier be sorted as a devious religion. Monotheism inevitably leads believers to despise other gods as well the Polytheism in the end. No matter how the result of debate turns out to be. I don't think God creates us to discriminate each other. According to Chinese philosopher Lao Zi: The highest level of ethics is like water, which is beneficial for all things, without striving for fame and gain. Water always serves all without getting involved with these arguments. If there is a God or gods who want to teach us mercy and love, we all should learn from water. The image on the left is the St Peter basilica in Rome, Italy. The right is the entry gate of Emei mountain which marks the Buddhism prime time in Chinese history. 我斷斷續續地思考一神論和多神論有一段時間。我記得曾經跟一個美國的對話，他告訴我他們對亞洲人的歧視一部份是來自宗教的不同。他進一步說明基督教作為最大的一神論信仰認為多神論為異教徒。特別是佛教對他們而言是一個神秘的宗教，因此他們自然會任為那是一種異端邪說。結果是一神論者總是無可避免地引導他們的信徒看輕多神論和多神論所崇拜的其他神明和偶像。但是不管這個爭論的結果為何，我始終不認為神創造我們是為了讓我彼此歧視。 老子說: 上善若水，水善利萬物而不爭。水總是服事一切而不涉入這些爭議。如果有一個神或多個神想要教育我們慈悲和愛，我們都應該先跟水學習。 畫面左邊是羅馬的聖彼得教堂，右邊是中國峨嵋山的入口，該處代表了中國歷史上佛教的一個顛峰時期。