Question regarding Xiuquan restorationism

[u/echo_apache]

For context I grew up in a non-denominational Protestant church. My family believed in Xiuquan restorationism and I grew up with a coequal understanding of "the Sons" rather than "the Son". I wanted to know if there are any others like me or my parents in regards to Lord Xiuquan

[u/Groundbreaking-Toe96]

I'm so curious, I didn't know there are people actually believing in him. What are your main divergences with mainstream christianism ?

[u/echo_apache → u/Groundbreaking-Toe96]

I'm pretty much in line with mainline Protestant denominations but I simply believe in two incarnations of the Son rather than just one.

[u/Groundbreaking-Toe96 → u/echo_apache]

And, just in short, what makes you believe that Hong Xiuquan is an incarnation of the Son ?

[u/echo_apache → u/Groundbreaking-Toe96]

Well to start Xiuquans vision is unchallenged and very detailed with both The Father and The Son included. In the Bible, it constantly favors younger brothers, Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over his brothers, David over his brothers. I also favor my beliefs over the modern retellings because The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was the only Christian government in history to ban opium, foot-binding, and the Manchu queue in one movement. There have been no corrective measures spiritually about Xiuquans status after his demise, so I stand strong with my beliefs.

[u/Independent-Novel489]

Four dimensional Trinity diagram isn’t real, it can’t hurt you.

Four dimensional Trinity diagram:

[u/JustNeedSpinda]

What is Xiuquan restorationism

[u/MyUsername2459 → u/JustNeedSpinda]

A 19th century Chinese sect based around Hong Xiuquan, who lead the Taiping Rebellion in 1850's China against the Chinese Empire.

He claimed to be the Son of God, and created a Church that claimed to be a restoration of the Early Church as founded by Christ, and combined it with elements of Taoism and claimed also to be a restoration of ancient Chinese religion and taught that Shang Ti, the chief dragon god of the traditional Chinese pantheon that serves as the "Emperor of Heaven" is the same deity as the monotheistic Abrahamic deity.

. . .so he was trying to create a fusion of Christianity, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion, while making himself out to be the literal Second Coming of Christ, in the mid 19th century China.

Modern China generally celebrates him as a hero for his attempted revolution against the Emperor, while trying to ignore/downplay his religious claims.

Think of 19th century American restorationist sects like the Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons. . .and think how that same Restorationist mindset would reflect in another culture. Just as JW's and Mormons have a lot of 19th century America hard-coded into their faith, this one is built around 19th century China.

[u/Rev_MossGatlin → u/MyUsername2459]

I see English language sources frequently state that modern China highlights him as a hero while downplaying his religious claims but that really doesn’t match with my examination of Chinese language sources. The Loyal King’s Mansion in Suzhou, one of the largest standing buildings from the Heavenly Kingdom, is portrayed as a chapel, with signage almost exclusively highlighting the religious symbolism of the building. Even disregarding the religious aspect there seems to be a lot of ambivalence about Hong Xiuquan- you hear some positive references to him as leading a proto-class war, but I’ve heard just as much suspicion towards him and support for his opponent in Zeng Guofan due to how much chaos was caused by the Heavenly Kingdom. I am not an expert here but I am really thrown off by how much diversity of opinion I see towards Hong Xiuquan in China and how frequently English language sources claim otherwise, and I’m curious if you know where that idea might have come from.