The pull of spiritual is often not direct by God and saints or the sacred texts but by men - more often those who are charismatic and can attract attention. Though men at the helm are just facilitators, the relation between the crowd and the men at the helm counts more than the relationship between men and God and saints.
Otherwise, there is no need for houses of God. We only need to go direct to God and saints. By right, there is no need for intermediary of crowd pull and men at the helm to attract more to the house of God.
Logically and mindfully speaking, there is no need for sermons when there are the written scriptures. Logically, the scriptures should be the Word and we should go for the Word and not what one man in flesh and blood feels about the Word and how he thinks we should read the Word.
Instead of guiding us how to read the Word, the man gives his own word to replace the Word, so much so that his spoken and written word in form of leaflets or video discs is more attractive than the Word as in the scriptures. This is such that he will write books which are more voluminous than the sacred texts and the crowd will read his books rather than the holy texts.
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| An example of the Word |
Instead of guiding us how to read the Word, the man gives his own word to replace the Word, so much so that his spoken and written word in form of leaflets or video discs is more attractive than the Word as in the scriptures. This is such that he will write books which are more voluminous than the sacred texts and the crowd will read his books rather than the holy texts.
When the crowd attends services purportedly to worship, what they somehow look out for is the magnetism and charisma of the monk, priest or man at the helm - not the direct attraction of God or his saints. This calls to question of what have become of men?
Are they going for the guidance of God and saints, the worship and affinity of God and saints? Men at the helm are supposed to be servants to serve this purpose but often end up making themselves as the very immediate purpose of going to a house of God for the many in the crowd.
Sadly this may appear to result in house of God being the house of man. The sacred texts as said seem to play second fiddle to the texts written by spiritual men at the helm. This state of affairs is not necessarily unwelcome. Rather it is more than welcome. Some say it cannot be helped as there are no better way of pulling in the crowd.
Well, this has become the norm and people are happy with this. As long as people benefit and there are checks and balance in place, let this norm continue but with more checks and balance. Even the writings of inner truth netizen 2 have become more interesting to read than the original simple translated messages of the good lord Lord Bo Tien. So it is a reality for us to contend and to accept as good in today's and future context.
Well, this has become the norm and people are happy with this. As long as people benefit and there are checks and balance in place, let this norm continue but with more checks and balance. Even the writings of inner truth netizen 2 have become more interesting to read than the original simple translated messages of the good lord Lord Bo Tien. So it is a reality for us to contend and to accept as good in today's and future context.
Even in ritualistic and popular Taoist temples, the people are attracted more to the personality of the one who is a medium or tangki (a Hokkien term, 乩童 pinyin jitong). This was so much a problem that necessitated the lord saint Lord Bo Tien at his temple in Singapore many decades ago to issue the caution that "man is man and saint is saint."
This advice is universal for all 庙宫 Beo Kengs (temples) where there are 神坛 sintuas or shrine where deities or saints descend in the bodies of mediums. Mediums often end up well taken care off with red packets and money meant for temples are often donated outright to the mediums than to the temples. This may be not desirable but is somehow the wish of the crowd and above board.
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| Lord Bo Tien |
In some of the more modern religious institutions and temples, funds will more than likely go direct into the institution accounts but how they are used by the management may be subject to scrutiny and may still cause disquiet.
So the culture of man idolizing man rather than God and saints takes new forms and may result in flow of funds away from the dollar potty of the house of God and saints. This may still occur.
If it is so, it is however no longer direct but indirect - often too in compliance with the regulations of the law of the land. But then, what matters is that the religious institution or temple is better off
There is also the need to reward the good work and sacrifice of the man at the helm. But the worth of a good servant leader is beyond measure of money though in reality of modern world this is still one important yardstick to encourage the clergy.
Alas regardless of Beo Kengs or what-have-we, the problem if any lies in the crowd and not the man at the helm if the crowd choose to worship (idolize) the man rather than God or saint.
The crowd must not be overtly attracted to man in the house of God. They must have affinity with God. They must where possible take interest in the Word in the original sacred texts and not the word of the current man at the helm. We need to know and see man from God and saints in any spiritual institution - be it Beo Keng 庙宫temple, or any house of God and saints.
But we still need such good men at the helm and promote them to be an even much better leaders of men somehow or other. We must have confidence that people have the capability of making better leaders out of men at the helm. They are at times what the masses make them out to be.
But we still need such good men at the helm and promote them to be an even much better leaders of men somehow or other. We must have confidence that people have the capability of making better leaders out of men at the helm. They are at times what the masses make them out to be.
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| Philip with Elder Ling Good pioneer leaders made better by good pioneer men of Bo Tien Mission  |
