Side note, there are a lot of spirit-writer people and videos on Tiktok.
And lots of local Taiwan religion activities in general.
This sounds interesting, because I want to learn more about this stuff. But I really, really don’t want to sign up to TikTok.
I get the impression that most of this stuff is pretty engrained in the culture and something like I-Kuan Tao is basically just a formalised version and, therefore, not seen as “cultish” by most Taiwanese people?
It’s pretty astonishing how little is written about this kind of thing in English. And nobody ever talked to me about it when I lived in Taiwan even though it seems to be such a massive part of the society.
The TikTok videos are short clips of people in temples smelling lots of incense, dancing around, appearing to write things in the air or on a piece of paper, move incense sticks around the body and pray, what appears to be exorcisms of some sort, etc.
Huffing insane amounts of the incense fumes seems to be necessary.
I just stumble upon them sometimes and then follow that person. The videos are not necessarily from bystanders, but also by participants right in the middle of the activities.
They probably sense the Demon of Atheism hovering over your shoulder, whispering rationalities in your ear. 
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I’m still upset that they built this huge complex with a giant 15-floor tall Chinese chubby maitreya in the middle of a reservoir conservation area in Miaoli…
I was there not too long ago. Weird place, I think it’s kind of a splitoff sect though.
Can anyone explain to me the main point they’re trying to get across there?
Everything in the US gets Protestantized. That’s why Mosques have Sunday school (or equivalent).
I’d (insert your own verb here) most of them.
I guess you have to be skinny, not fat, nice smile, to join this religion club. Good teeth optional.
Wow, must be some subliminal persuasion in that video, I almost converted.
Is it this thing?
Beautiful, I thought it was mostly a condo-grave.
Nature Loving Wonderland
https://goo.gl/maps/vqcCJj3ZmFCSAMXa7
That’s it!
I might just go join that religion, if the God of my religion doesn’t be a better god. He’s (it’s) not doing a very fucking good job. It’s like a real-life game of bullshit, hurt, pain, and death, including on a lot of innocent people and children and people that have no choice or voice.
Every city in Taiwan that you can name has a public temple. Nearly every neighborhood that you pass through has a house temple. The religion has at least three sects that are similar though slightly different lineage. Lots of books have been written in English though they tend to be rather repetitive.
That’s the one. I can see the attraction of that giant statue for tourists, but I can’t help but be reminded by how pristine the reservoir used to look, and the fact that it’s built in the middle of a reservoir…
If your God didn’t do a very good job in 2020, chances are all the other gods aren’t doing that great either.
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What is exactly is 飛潛動植?
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Living things. Birds, fish, animals, plants.
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Btw did anyone else get a strange craving for Scandinavian furniture after watching the video?
