No 62 of Living Life Series 1
Should we discard old cultural ways and practices e.g. Chinese religious tradition and bring in the new?
What we practice outwardly is not important.
No point being bogged down and buried by layers of traditions if they could not impart value to us.
It may be equally not worthwhile to discard the old and bring in new practices, which would not be new anyway but a duplicate or combination of practices of others.
Do not give up age-old originality and lose all semblance of identity in plainness of commonality (the so-called modern ways).
In short, do not discard age-old identity to exchange for non-identity.
Lord Bo Tien did not say ethnic cultural roots are to be discarded. We can reach truth of God while maintaining ethnic roots but there is nothing to stop us from evolving our traditions to keep with the times.
Traditions or culture do not prevent us from reaching truth of God but can provide the magnet to bring like-minded people together to explore Truth.
Without these, there will be no social togetherness or cohesion but just an empty shell in a temple.
God and truth must be presented to people of all walks, culture and traditions not by making them discard these but by showing them that the truth of God is to be found in all walks, traditions and culture.
A heavenly saint like Lord Bo Tien or any saint or prophet of any sect or religion is not here to change your roots or culture, and to say one culture is good and another not as good.
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The Living Life Series is dedicated to Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). The doctrine is in His image. The image is the doctrine. He who sees, understands and effects the doctrine sees and knows Him. He who does not see, know and effect the doctrine sees not and knows not the saint even if the saint or His image is beside him. The far may be near and the near may be far. Let the doctrine and the saint be part of our life. The lord saint in your life can be any heavenly saint of any religion, sect or school. The doctrine of truth is behind all and this is the Inner Truth that leads all (regardless of their religious affiliation or even if none) to inner peace and heaven on earth here and now and not just in the after life. The ideal worship and devotion is to know and effect the doctrine of God and the saints. The best gospel is the gospel of life. We learn from our life and the lives of others. The true temple is the world we live in. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions and sects are the pillars of the temple. All under Heaven are in the temple. Needless to say that all the saints we know are in this temple. Ji Gong Posat too is no exception. The whole wide world and web is the temple and must be regarded as a sacred place --- a temple for living and learning. It is more important that everyone that counts plays a role in this universal temple if due focus is to be given to the Mission of Heaven. Men must not be distracted by the agenda of men and end up serving the mission of man. That would be a far cry from the Mission of Heaven. We worship God and saints, not man however good that man may be. There should be no hero worshiping or idolizing of man whether he is a charismatic pastor, priest, monk, medium or lay leader. We don't even idol worship the image of any saint but reflect on what the image stands for. - the doctrine in the image. Omitofo 阿弥陀佛!.
