LIVING LIFE SERIES 1

A BO TIEN (武天) MISSION INITIATIVE LAUNCHED ON 28TH SEPT 2010 BY INNER TRUTH NETIZEN 2. THE MISSION IS TO SHOW THE WAY TO HOPE, INNER PEACE AND ULTIMATELY SALVATION FOR ALL BEINGS. THE PURPOSE IS TO SAVE SOULS. IT IS WAY BEYOND NORMAL GOOD WORK LIKE CHARITY AND WELFARE ACTIVITIES. NO ONE SHALL BE SAVED BY GOOD WORKS ALONE BUT BY MORE THAN GOOD WORK. THERE IS NEED TO BE IMBUED WITH THE BASIC DOCTRINE COMMON TO AND BEHIND ALL RELIGIONS AND SECTS. LIVE IN DOCTRINE. DOCTRINE IN LIFE IS PARAMOUNT.

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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!.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Fellowship beyond home, school and work

No 261 of Living Life Series 1.

When Lord Bo Tien in 1975 anniversary message exhorted to all to be like the candle flame and come together as collection of candle flames to be better able to light up the lives of more men, the ramifications and deeper meaning of what He said did not sink in till the years flowed on in the river of time. Now in year 2011, the saying of the lord makes its impression in many ways. One such meaning surfaces when we look around at life of the young in society.

Lord Bo Tien

In this modern age of fast pace life and consumerism that consume and eat away the peace and joy of life, one consequence is that often our youths are left lonely despite having friends and despite moving on from family to primary school and then to high school, college and university.

Each stage of the youth's life is short, fleeting and packed, with precious little time to make enduring friends and have socialisation so very important to keep the peace and to keep a youth in one piece and not be wrecked by the savages of modern day life of youth which robs away the fairy tale world of youth.

Friends come and go and even before friendship can take root, friends part ways for next stage in life at school or at work. As though this is not enough, to make matters worse, the youth returns home from school to an empty shell of the paltry nuclear family home. Often, even if there is no shortage of cash or facilities for modern day indulgence, the home is empty because siblings and parents are taken away by the bidding of modern life.

In crowded cities, the home is no longer a landed house, not even a cottage but a flat that is shrinking in floor area and space to be akin to be but better than a pigeon hole or worst still a well stocked pig sty.

The loneliness of modern life gnaws at the heartstrings and can pierce the heart and soul of the youth with anguish. Little wonder, some just cannot take it and end up addicts of sorts or end up with drugs, recidivism, vandalism or just be public nuisance by painting the town red.

What can we do for our youth? Where can they find long term fellowship that traverses and can out last the many fleeting stages of his life. Loneliness amidst modern life especially city life can rob away the zest for life.

Thank God that there is the weekend or after school church activity to turn to. By church is not meant just the Christian church but any spiritual house of worship of any religion.

The church does not turn them into priests or monks but allow for good wholesome gathering of youth for fellowship and for growth of flesh and spirit. There is more than mere prayers and worship. There are many avenues and activities to cater for the youthful exuberances and excesses. They channel them to wholesome outcomes.

We should thank God for that. Youths find fellowship that outlast the fleeting stages of life and provide fellow youths to hold hands across the span of many stages of life.

It is not so much the substance of what the church preaches but more importantly, the form that will heal and nurture the mind and body of today's youth. All these, the modern youth somehow often cannot substantially have from nuclear family home, from nursery, from school, from college, from university or from work.

With the disappearance of the iron rice bowl, work too is short lived and a youth often changes bosses as often as he changes pants. Praise God that we have youth ministries and groups at churches and places of worship to bring together youths in healthy social circles to do things together that they often cannot do outside the church or place of worship.

This is in keeping with Lord Bo Tien's message for men to gather together like candles to light up one anothers' lives and the lives of others as well. Cheers and be good to our youths by letting them belong to youth ministries of any of the many religious institutions.

Fellowship beyond home, school and work is important. This is necessary for fruitful and appealing life to keep our head on our shoulders and not just lose our mind - not just in mundane worldly life but in spiritual life as well. The same principle of fellowship applies equally well to spiritual as well as to secular mundane life. This has always been reiterated by saints and Lord Bo Tien is no exception. After all, He too is a messenger of God. Praise God and lord.

Praise the churches / places of worship for their good wholesome work for the youths of today and the future yet to be. Certainly, Lord Bo Tien too will share similar sentiments.

The lord messenger of God Almighty

For fellowship and the three divine paths, go to post no 263

Fellowship and the three divine paths

For discussion on Quote by late Senior Bro P. Philip

in relation to issue of fellowship beyond home, school and work, go to post no 262 --- More on fellowship at religious institutions

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Lest you forget

Do not make the mistake of idolizing any man who tells you about the Word. He is in the same boat as you even if religion refers to him as a religious leader. Mere mention of a religious leader is as good as encouraging idolising of that man. Why must there be hierarchy in religion? Hierarchy is conventional but may end up as liability rather than a necessity or asset. There should be no caste or hierarchy system in religion. No one is to be considered above another in religion. A religious leader or follower is a servant to serve you and not a leader to be idolised. Do not put him on the pedestal and make a monster out of him.

MAY ALL BE WELL AND HAPPY

May all be well and happy. May they have peace. May our departed friends and kins be well, happy and have divine peace. The main writer wishes the best for all for those near and far. Our kins may be far when they had passed on to better lives but they are near though far. He remembers and wishes his parents Mr Siow Soo Koh and Mdm Tay Hung Siang, his uncles and aunties like Mr Tay Koon Huay, his cousins like Mr Tay Chong Sim and his friends like Mr Philip Png well and have abundance of life. May they be rich in spirit for without such ancestors, there will be no posterity - no us and no you and me. They have blessed us and we must blessed them in return forever and ever.