No 713 of Living Life Series 1
It is strange that men are like the blind men and the elephant. Each blind man will think that the elephant is what he felt and nothing else. The one who feels the flank will insist that the elephant is like a wall and the one the tail will think it is like a rope.
So with religion, be it with regards to God and the after life, each will vouch that his experience is the correct one when the reality is that every one just has a limited but not complete experience. So one will say he is right and others are not.
So isn't it pathetic that society may argue till kingdom come with regards to religion and God. Perhaps all could share their views and try to reconcile their combined views to better know life, God and religion. To be better in one's religion may well mean one has to know and be better in others religions.
In the world of today, this seems to be the answer and the only way to know God better and to have better grasp of life . But there will still be some who thinks they can see for others and if others do not agree, then woe be to them. Isn't this the way of ignorant men?
Even for the same one religion, there are many perspectives and as such, many, in fact numerous sects and denominations. People cannot even agree to what to believe even for the same religion. How on earth can people say that their one religion is exclusive and others are misleading to men?
This is perhaps one added reason to admit that no one religion or sect can claim exclusivity and say they alone are correct and others not so. Even people of the same religion do not see eye to eye.
The very presence among men of denominations can be telling about a religion. Even with any specific religion, people can have varying perspectives. This again is evidence of the blind men and the elephant phenomenon.
To know a religion better, it is good to compare notes and know the various sects or denominations. This is far wiser than to hold on to view that one's denomination is correct and others' not so.
To further know religion better, it is better to know others' religions in addition to one's own. That way, one can value add and be better informed and wiser.
Learn from one another's strengths and weaknesses and that way we can be better off. Life is the living gospel. This is the exhortation of Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) who says that religions are the pillars of the universal temple with heaven as the roof and all are in this temple.
Like with other aspects of life, if we want others to believe, respect and love us, we must believe, respect and love others. There is oneness despite pluralism of society. This oneness is unmistakable.
So with religion, be it with regards to God and the after life, each will vouch that his experience is the correct one when the reality is that every one just has a limited but not complete experience. So one will say he is right and others are not.
So isn't it pathetic that society may argue till kingdom come with regards to religion and God. Perhaps all could share their views and try to reconcile their combined views to better know life, God and religion. To be better in one's religion may well mean one has to know and be better in others religions.
In the world of today, this seems to be the answer and the only way to know God better and to have better grasp of life . But there will still be some who thinks they can see for others and if others do not agree, then woe be to them. Isn't this the way of ignorant men?
Even for the same one religion, there are many perspectives and as such, many, in fact numerous sects and denominations. People cannot even agree to what to believe even for the same religion. How on earth can people say that their one religion is exclusive and others are misleading to men?
This is perhaps one added reason to admit that no one religion or sect can claim exclusivity and say they alone are correct and others not so. Even people of the same religion do not see eye to eye.
The very presence among men of denominations can be telling about a religion. Even with any specific religion, people can have varying perspectives. This again is evidence of the blind men and the elephant phenomenon.
To know a religion better, it is good to compare notes and know the various sects or denominations. This is far wiser than to hold on to view that one's denomination is correct and others' not so.
To further know religion better, it is better to know others' religions in addition to one's own. That way, one can value add and be better informed and wiser.
Learn from one another's strengths and weaknesses and that way we can be better off. Life is the living gospel. This is the exhortation of Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) who says that religions are the pillars of the universal temple with heaven as the roof and all are in this temple.
Like with other aspects of life, if we want others to believe, respect and love us, we must believe, respect and love others. There is oneness despite pluralism of society. This oneness is unmistakable.
Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) descended in 1969 as messenger through the late P.Philip not to start a new religion but to show the oneness of God and divine inner peace through all saints and religions.
How can men of any religion be credible enough if they go round telling others that only their religion is the only religion for men? They are no better than the blind men in the story of the blind men and the elephant. They are as credible as the blind men could be. We must accept them for what they are and understand why they are like that.
Like what Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says, we can learn from the strengths and weakness of fellow men and they are not just our fellow men but our brethren. There is therefore ever the more reason for us to learn more through them.
God is great to afford us this opportunity to learn and to be wiser from the learning. We can be a blessing to them in that respect and one day we can enlighten them as much as they can enlighten us in the same way each of the six blind men can add to the knowledge of what the elephant is like in the story of the blind men and the elephant.
How can men of any religion be credible enough if they go round telling others that only their religion is the only religion for men? They are no better than the blind men in the story of the blind men and the elephant. They are as credible as the blind men could be. We must accept them for what they are and understand why they are like that.
Like what Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says, we can learn from the strengths and weakness of fellow men and they are not just our fellow men but our brethren. There is therefore ever the more reason for us to learn more through them.
God is great to afford us this opportunity to learn and to be wiser from the learning. We can be a blessing to them in that respect and one day we can enlighten them as much as they can enlighten us in the same way each of the six blind men can add to the knowledge of what the elephant is like in the story of the blind men and the elephant.
