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, October 14, 2014

A very different perspective on God and worship

No 695 of Living Life Series

In the Western concept of God, God is the creator of all and the alpha and the omega. So men must fear God and comply or face consequences.

In the Chinese concept as also with many other Asian views, God is not the creator of all though he has some role in subsequent creation. He is God The Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝)

He is the ruler of the three realms of Earth, Heaven and Hell. But when he came into being, there was already the universe and life in the universe.

He is respected and men seek his help through prayers but he is not worshiped as in the monotheistic Western way.

Prayers are just men seeking for his assistance and blessings just like they may seek and petition for the assistance and intervention of the government of the day in their country.

Clasping hands in salutation is just a form of greeting like hand shakes introduced by the West.

Offering of incense sticks is like offering of perfumes to someone when they visit him or her to seek for assistance. Chinese do not go empty handed. They even bring along handy gifts such as oranges and some goodies. What they offer for their host when they visit him, they too likewise offer to God. Surely it is not out of order for them to offer to God whom they refer to as the Jade Emperor.

Chinese culture is not rooted in worship. They revere and respect or rather they pay homage but they do not worship.

They respect their seniors, their elders, their ancestors and their rulers but does such respect equate to worship? However when Asians like the Chinese are educated in English language, they take on the language and use terms like worship loosely.

This article serves to clarify on concepts of God and worship from the non-Western perspective so that there is less chance for bigoted views to create bad feelings and disrupt the peace of the minds of men and among men around the world.

As Confucius (孔夫子) aptly said so centuries back, "Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated."

Men should not use their own yardstick to measure the approach of other men, more so in religion - especially when referring to God and worship, otherwise they may complicate matters ...

The use of the word worship can be misleading and contentious more so with the term idol worship. Firstly there is no worship like it is used in the strict sense, but only respect.

Secondly if men can have statues for living and past iconic leaders for men to revere and evoke fond thoughts, what difference is this from those images for heavenly saints or for that matter God. But for God, even in Chinese culture, few temples have images of God. It is in the nature of men to judge and to complicate matters.

There is somehow that unavoidable and queer aspect of human nature. Men will ever try to impose their own thinking such as concepts of God and worship on others. The complications of misconceptions arising therefrom need to be understood, addressed and managed.

The good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) stresses to us that there is learning from life - from the strengths and weaknesses of men. Life is the living gospel and indeed it is and ever will be.

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨)

According to Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨), religions are pillars in the universal house of God with Heaven as the roof and all under Heaven are in this house. If there is misconception of those in any one religion with the others, this is due to lack of insight of the different perspectives like those perspectives on God and worship.

There may seem to be that many different backdrops and emphases in religions. Ultimately what matters is the same basic principles of respect for God and the need for more peace in the three realms and in individuals so that more will arrive at oneness of peace and love with God, saints and the universe of yin and yang.

Peace comes from understanding and managing yin and yang so that there is no conflict but synergy. The need for proper grasp of the different yin and yang perspectives of God and worship is one good example.

Cheers for the brotherhood of beings regardless of religions and differences.

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.