No 725 of Living Life Series 1
In the days of old during the times when countries in the world are ruled by absolute monarchy, people who committed wrong and displeased the monarch were executed by being beheaded or hanged. The mistake might be just one crime but the punishment was even more worse than the crime. The offender had to pay much more than the harm he had caused. The harm to him was manifold that of the harm he caused.
In current times of 2014 and beyond, it is increasingly rare for capital punishment to be imposed because it is more that the law cannot be more criminal in approach than the criminal himself. But this is still very much a matter of contention. Keeping the criminal alive and put away in jail for soul searching and reflection seems to be more rational and humane than killing him. If we do not want others to kill, how can we not hesitate to kill them for their act of killing.
From the spiritual angle, this seems not right but the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that we should not confuse the laws of the land with that of Heaven. We should comply with the laws of Heaven as well as those of the land.
The overkill mentality of men had for centuries past crept into the world of religions. This is a mistake. We need to be mindful to give to God and saints what is due to God and saints, and to men what is due to men.
Often, those who somehow fail to believe and have done wrong are considered transgressors. Men at the helm at the houses of God and saints seem to be ruthless in pronouncing eternal damnation in hell.
Men who transgress appear to have to pay manifold more for the wrong they do. Heaven is made to appear to be merciless and vengeful. Heaven is made to exact punishment manifold more than the weight of the wrong men have committed.
Often, those who somehow fail to believe and have done wrong are considered transgressors. Men at the helm at the houses of God and saints seem to be ruthless in pronouncing eternal damnation in hell.
Men who transgress appear to have to pay manifold more for the wrong they do. Heaven is made to appear to be merciless and vengeful. Heaven is made to exact punishment manifold more than the weight of the wrong men have committed.
So is the concept of Hell odd? It is but yet it is not. It is not as what men sow, they must reap. But must God and saints be more fierce and unrelenting in exacting more harm and hurt from the men who had transgressed?
The obvious answer is a definite "No" and if this is so, the concept of eternal damnation in Hell is inhumane, odd and far from what we expect of loving and merciful Heaven.
The obvious answer is a definite "No" and if this is so, the concept of eternal damnation in Hell is inhumane, odd and far from what we expect of loving and merciful Heaven.
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is already bad enough. Why go beyond this and condemn a man to many human life times in hell - worst still for eternity?
It is not surprising therefore that in the Four Noble Truths taught by Gotama Buddha, the belief in eternal Hell is one of two false views that will bring about suffering. Damning a being, be it a man or beast, to eternal punishment is rooted in ill-will or anger. God and saints would not do that as they are above ill-will.
Likewise, is it possible for a man to be in eternal Heaven for a few good he has done or because he believes in so-and-so. The belief in eternity of Heaven (eternal life in heaven in afterlife) is the other false view that Gautama Buddha says can mislead men. Men will be disappointed once they fail to go to Heaven or even if they do, they find that there is no eternity.
As far as the house of God and saints are concerned, Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that it is like a flower. A flower will not stop insects and ants coming to it for nectar. Blame not the flower for insects coming to it.
If men come to the house of God and saints to do the not-so-expected in the house of God and saints, this is to be expected and do not point fingers at Heaven. Do not fault God and saints. Well, such men are not right but they are better off in the house of God and saints.
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| Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) |
A house of God will never frighten away such men but will allow them to be associated with the good and hopefully, they will one day mend and be better. No way will a house of God condemn and damn such men to hell on earth let alone hell in afterlife.
If at all, men end up in Hell, it is through their own deeds. Even the judges of Hell do not damn but help the newly departed to reflect, to mend and bend so as to make good. Their suffering in hell is the consequence of their actions and is their own making, not the making of God and Heaven.
There is no eternity in hell as there is limit to the bad fate of being in hell. They have erred and their fate is to suffer from what they erred. But they do not need to suffer beyond what they have to, do they? The suffering cannot be out of proportion and for eternity.
Hell is not the creation of God and saints but the creation of men and beings who cannot make more of the good than bad. By the consequence of their bad, they end up where they are but the little good they too had done will one day be their saving grace. No man is all good or all bad.
That is why insects can come to the flower for nectar and we should not blame the flower for insects coming to it. This saying from Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) echoes in our minds.
There is no eternity to the woes of men even if there seems to be endless rebirths as men and beings can exit from rebirths through enlightenment. Hell is just one of the many places of rebirths. The same applies to Heaven.
People who commit wrong create their own hell even in the present life even before the afterlife. People who do good but do good more for personal agenda may not end their life well because figuratively speaking, they too dig their own graves.
Such spells of hell are not for eternity more so if they can be more good than before. There is no eternity of hell in the present life.
The notion that hell in afterlife is for eternity is ill-conceived. Only the wickedness of men can ever subscribe to eternity in hell for those who had done wrong.
God will never damn a man let alone put him in hell. Worst still, it is inconceivable that God will put men in hell for the duration of many lifetimes of men, let alone eternity.
If God and saints have their way no one should be in hell. Beings who did wrong create hell for themselves. God and saints will try to reach them and help them to be good and make good so as to be released from hell these poor souls have created for themselves.
The idea, if any, of judgement day is threatening and arose from the vindictive nature of the inhuman minds of some men. God and heavenly saints are loving and certainly not vindictive.
Let not men use the name of God and saints in vain to wrought fear and terror of hell for fellow men. Such men must be forgiven for they know not what they do. Let us be kind to them even if they are not to others. Let us bless them and not curse them though they might have used God's name to curse and damn others to eternity in hell when this is never the case and never will be.
Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that the ways and thinking of men are often not the same as those of God and saints. "Man is man and God is God."
There is no eternity in hell as there is limit to the bad fate of being in hell. They have erred and their fate is to suffer from what they erred. But they do not need to suffer beyond what they have to, do they? The suffering cannot be out of proportion and for eternity.
Hell is not the creation of God and saints but the creation of men and beings who cannot make more of the good than bad. By the consequence of their bad, they end up where they are but the little good they too had done will one day be their saving grace. No man is all good or all bad.
That is why insects can come to the flower for nectar and we should not blame the flower for insects coming to it. This saying from Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) echoes in our minds.
There is no eternity to the woes of men even if there seems to be endless rebirths as men and beings can exit from rebirths through enlightenment. Hell is just one of the many places of rebirths. The same applies to Heaven.
People who commit wrong create their own hell even in the present life even before the afterlife. People who do good but do good more for personal agenda may not end their life well because figuratively speaking, they too dig their own graves.
Such spells of hell are not for eternity more so if they can be more good than before. There is no eternity of hell in the present life.
The notion that hell in afterlife is for eternity is ill-conceived. Only the wickedness of men can ever subscribe to eternity in hell for those who had done wrong.
God will never damn a man let alone put him in hell. Worst still, it is inconceivable that God will put men in hell for the duration of many lifetimes of men, let alone eternity.
If God and saints have their way no one should be in hell. Beings who did wrong create hell for themselves. God and saints will try to reach them and help them to be good and make good so as to be released from hell these poor souls have created for themselves.
The idea, if any, of judgement day is threatening and arose from the vindictive nature of the inhuman minds of some men. God and heavenly saints are loving and certainly not vindictive.
Let not men use the name of God and saints in vain to wrought fear and terror of hell for fellow men. Such men must be forgiven for they know not what they do. Let us be kind to them even if they are not to others. Let us bless them and not curse them though they might have used God's name to curse and damn others to eternity in hell when this is never the case and never will be.
Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that the ways and thinking of men are often not the same as those of God and saints. "Man is man and God is God."
