No 768 of Living Life Series 1
In just less than the span of three quarters of a century from 1950, the cell group culture of churches has taken over the vacuum left behind by disappearance of extended family, the clans association and the old mutual self help groups among Chinese in South East Asia.
While self-help groups have struggled to stay relevant, there is no problem with the tight nit and often ad-hoc self help cell groups which become more relevant, more so with families being ever more nuclear and parents having children in middle age.
The spirit of the good brothers (好兄弟) often seen also in the hungry ghost seventh month festivals take on new and better forms through cell groups, more so that marriage does not come easily for the young men and women of today who stay mainly unmarried till well past age 30.
Humanity takes pride in being innovative and resilient but what is claimed as something new - the cell group culture of churches is actually the repackaging of the good brothers (好兄弟) mentality of the ancestors in Chinese migrant community in South East Asia.
It is also consistent with the need during the days of Jesus as man on Earth when his following comprising mainly the humble and common folks faced persecution and often were the downtrodden. They had to contend with the anointed priestly establishment of the rabbis of the synagogues and mighty Rome.
They had to have fellowship and band together for strength to practice and live up to the values eschewed by Jesus. They faced persecution by Roman Empire before Roman Emperor Constantine embraced the church for the empire.
It is also consistent with the need during the days of Jesus as man on Earth when his following comprising mainly the humble and common folks faced persecution and often were the downtrodden. They had to contend with the anointed priestly establishment of the rabbis of the synagogues and mighty Rome.
They had to have fellowship and band together for strength to practice and live up to the values eschewed by Jesus. They faced persecution by Roman Empire before Roman Emperor Constantine embraced the church for the empire.
Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) in 1975 made reference for the need for fellowship and banding together of humanity like the particles that made up the concrete pillar so as to weather the vicissitudes and contingencies of life - the yin and the yang.
This is good for brotherhood and fellowship so that humanity can look after one another in both secular and religious aspects through the institution of a house of worship and its cell group culture. Temples have now become somewhat archaic, less relevant and taken a back seat with churches taking over the lead.
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| Those who pray together stay together |
This really comes as no surprise and should even be embraced wholeheartedly. It shows the indomitable spirit of Chinese and Asian culture that has even taken root and colonized the churches in Chinese and Asian societies to spread its wings to soar to greater heights.
This allows the age-old good brothers (好兄弟) culture to re-exert and re-establish itself even that much more effectively and efficiently. As it is now church based, the culture too has caught on globally. This augurs well for the good of one and all.
The old early communist regimes in China made full use of cell or care groups to have great influence on the minds of the people. The cells replaced and sidestepped even the extended families in those days. The young were sort of raised and nurtured more by the state than by the family. This allowed the state to have a better hold on the people through enabling a socialist culture.
In modern era of 2014, with many Chinese families in South East Asia being not of one religion or sect of a religion but rather comprising of members from different religions or sects, it does also become increasingly a necessary good to have cell or care groups replacing the family institution so as to strength the hold of a religion or the sect on its adherents. Religions that are able to do so have a better prospect and see better days than those who are not able to do so.
This cell group culture is at times better referred to as care group culture so as to distance it from the same in early days of communist state of China.
Well, perhaps we should use the common Chinese phrase of good brothers (好兄弟) culture in place of cell or care groups. It originates naturally in any society, more so in Chinese society and is not exclusive to religion of men or the political ways of the government of the day.
Isn't the village spirit of mutual help of rural communities the world over, more so in Asia the manifestation of good brothers (好兄弟) culture as well? Cheers and have a good day. Have beautiful thoughts as well.
The old early communist regimes in China made full use of cell or care groups to have great influence on the minds of the people. The cells replaced and sidestepped even the extended families in those days. The young were sort of raised and nurtured more by the state than by the family. This allowed the state to have a better hold on the people through enabling a socialist culture.
In modern era of 2014, with many Chinese families in South East Asia being not of one religion or sect of a religion but rather comprising of members from different religions or sects, it does also become increasingly a necessary good to have cell or care groups replacing the family institution so as to strength the hold of a religion or the sect on its adherents. Religions that are able to do so have a better prospect and see better days than those who are not able to do so.
This cell group culture is at times better referred to as care group culture so as to distance it from the same in early days of communist state of China.
Well, perhaps we should use the common Chinese phrase of good brothers (好兄弟) culture in place of cell or care groups. It originates naturally in any society, more so in Chinese society and is not exclusive to religion of men or the political ways of the government of the day.
Isn't the village spirit of mutual help of rural communities the world over, more so in Asia the manifestation of good brothers (好兄弟) culture as well? Cheers and have a good day. Have beautiful thoughts as well.
