The Year The Water Dragon Roared

Carl Wieland

Published: 31 January 2012 (GMT+10)

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This year, 2012, is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar. It didn’t start on January 1, but 22 days later. January 23, 2012 marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year (sometimes referred to as the Chinese lunar New Year).

The Chinese year, the full delineation of which is based on the movements of both the sun and moon, has considerable significance not just for people living in China, or overseas Chinese. The Chinese calendar is also used by non-Chinese in several other Asian countries, though with modifications varying from country to country. Though the chronology of ancient China is not without controversy, the calendar in its present form appears to have been in operation for at least five centuries before the time of Christ; its origins are possibly several centuries earlier, perhaps not that long after the Babel dispersion.1

Only one of the 12 animals in this list seems to be missing from the roll-call of animals around today—the dragon.

In matters of practical commerce, Chinese businessmen today mainly use the Western (Gregorian) calendar. But the Chinese calendar still retains huge cultural significance, and is even used to denote birthdays. A person might therefore celebrate two birthdays in each calendar year—their Chinese birthday and their ‘western’ one. However, because the Gregorian and Chinese calendars will mostly line up at 19-year cycles, most people will find that in their 19th, 38th and 57th year, both birthdays will likely fall on the same day.

Chinese horoscopes and the like
In addition to being a time marker, with seasonal notations and festivals, the Chinese calendar is associated with what is sometimes called the Chinese Zodiac. Each new year is assigned to one of 12 animals, with an exact sequence, in a cycle of 12. Always in the same order.

Thus, the Year of the Rat is always followed by the Year of the Ox, and so on. This sequence is as follows, cycling over and over:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Goat (or Sheep or Ram)

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig (or Boar)

There are a number of fables concerning these animals in the calendar. Also, varying beliefs associate each particular ‘animal year’ with a number of matters of alleged significance, just as with the types of astrological superstitions westerners are used to. Again similarly to Western zodiacal nonsense, the year one is born in is claimed to affect one’s personality and outcomes in life—as well as having ‘matchmaking’ significance. Dragon years are supposed to be particularly ‘lucky’ ones in which to have babies. So, not surprisingly, there is a spike in the number of babies born every twelve years in parts of the world with substantial Chinese populations.

The conclusion to this article can be read at:

http://creation.com/chinese-new-year-dragon

And this has relevance to Christ and his redemptive work how.......???????

Blaine

"this has relevance to Christ and his redemptive work how.......???????...Blaine...[ martyr ]

Evidently the poster of this thread thinks that oriental horoscopes are a necessary part of our faith.

One of the more weird threads lately....as to Christian Revival.

This is a fine place to use that controversial edit button.

TW

by churinga on 2012/1/30 13:00:23

The conclusion to this article can be read at:

http://creation.com/chinese-new-year-dragon

Sister read the conclusion to the article. It is about as inscrutable as a Cbineese fortune cookie.

Blaine

I've been deep inland China during the New Year "witnessing", I guess...and still don't see how that affects the gospel what-so-ever.

These occult celebrations are just another enemy to the true gospel. Power in the Holy Spirit is your best ally.

This is the bottom line of why Dragon Year is so vital. This is so deep, and convicting, that I'd be surprised if it didn't come from Judson Taylor himself. Wow! Your going to need stadiums to host the believers that are saved from this gospel!

Excerpt from article about the year of the Dragon:........................

"Get people intrigued enough to want to find answers about, for example, the dinosaur-dragon conundrum that stumped Sagan."

"The Chinese Zodiac gives an excellent ‘opening line’. E.g.: “Have you ever wondered why the Year of the Dragon is the only one that does not refer to an animal you can point to as real and alive?”

"Let the conversation flow naturally to a point where you can ask whether the person concerned would be interested in finding out more of the amazing evidences of dinosaurs in human history.".................

...........BT; Have you ever had a conversation that flowed naturally with a peasant Chinese man? Do you speak Chinese fluently? Are you going to spend your brief time you may have with this seeker teaching him the fine points of Jurassic Reptiles?

The next step in this preaching event is to invite your target convert to a DVD event, that will associate the Dragons, historically and spiritually. Then, for sure, he will convert to Christianity.

This is beyond Pollyanna; it's absurd and alienated from any reality that concerns the gospel, and, in all due respect to you, borders the ridiculous.

I suggest that your next posts be something about the Gospel that interests you, or that you want to inquire about....question, or study...don't stop...but just bend it a little toward the Bible....Thanks for the post, though. Tom

The Brother ... https://www.sermonindex.net/userinfo.php?uid=78264

that posted this - found it on a Creationist website and must have a burden for souls to choose this one article over the others on that site.

If I'm on a bus and a Chinese person brings up what year it is - other than whatever you believe the Holy Spirit would bring to mind - who knows if He won't bring this topic up as well.
Do we have the mind of Christ 24/7 and do we know that He'd never touch this topic?

Paul said, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Paul was extremely educated, as we see him in Athens, etc..

I once needed to take the train to get to visit my parents. I asked the LORD where I should sit. He showed me a man in the back of the train car. Long story short, he was a car salesman. The LORD gave me an analogy about the car that is so fantastic that he wouldn't have to force it on anyone - it sells itself - in reply to his first statement that he never discusses religion at all. I told him that Jesus was too beautiful to shove down anyone's throat. For the next 4 hrs, he wanted to hear about Jesus.
Imagine comparing Jesus to a really great car? Blasphemy!

Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Sort of a New Year's resolution :)

Welcome to SermonIndex, Brother.