No 807 of Living Life Series 1
But as the teachings are evolving over the centuries, they will cover increasingly many more new aspects of spirituality and more importantly be infiltrated by the culture of the people who profess and preach the religion as well as the cultural values of those who come into contact with the religion and embrace it.
Like it or not, with globalization, people will change religion like changing clothes. Even for those who do not change their religion, people will jump ship from one temple or church to another without changing religion or sect. The trend of great religious mobility will be ever more obvious. The teachings in a specific religion that are stressed or in focus may be very different from that of the past.
History will in time reveal that the teachings of a religion which were decidedly different from another religion in the past may well end up the same as that of that other religion but in name it is still the same old religion. There is no change in religion but only the change in the substance of focus. What was decried as wrong focus previously become dead right somehow due to need to change to attract the crowds and to stay relevant.
What was once regarded as of marginal importance becomes the center of focus. This is more so in 2014 and beyond when the focus is decided by the people. It is determined by the fancy of the people and not by the dictates of a more learned leader or ruler at helm of a house of God.
What was once regarded as of marginal importance becomes the center of focus. This is more so in 2014 and beyond when the focus is decided by the people. It is determined by the fancy of the people and not by the dictates of a more learned leader or ruler at helm of a house of God.
The change in a religion will be from control by the top to control by the people. The focus will be on freedom, love and tolerance rather than persecution, ridicule and fear. It is not that the old style is wrong but in fact, it may be more factually and fundamentally right though somewhat heavy handed by the top
A religion or sect which used to be negative and heavy in ridicule will end up permissive, liberal and accommodating, otherwise it will loose its shine. People who in the past will not be in the fold will then end up in the fold and in the mainstream of that religion. But this may lead to decadence but who really cares nowadays when the majority calls the tune, more so where western values rule the waves.
Thus it is the same religion or sect but the focus is different. In the past, there will be change of religion from one to another but in time, there will increasingly be change of religious substance and focus but not the religion. Any religion must keep up with the times otherwise many will drift away from the goodness of religion to be lost in the wilderness of modernity.
But the oldies or pioneers will lament that people have strayed and backtracked. It may be better for a religion to change and to be less religious in a way so as to bring in the people, like insects and ants to a flower. Ants and insects may come to the flower for nectar alone and nothing else but at least they come to the flower.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that we should not blame the flower for insects coming to it. At least, the people are still coming but the substance they come for may be more worldly than spiritual. But please point no finger at God or a heavenly saint for the seeming divergence or even decadence when men decide and not God and saints.
There is still hope for so long as more of men do come. Even if for that divine value of the love of life, many end up going to a temple more for love of worldly life instead.
What they and for that matter any man must really go for is the conservative more holistic love namely divine love that is beyond the flesh and the senses and more out of the purity of the spirit. How many can go for that alone?
But having said that, it may not really matter at all. Better for people to be in a temple than out, even if they come with not so fundamental or noble motivation. This is far better than for them not to be at all in a house of God and saints and to be lost and have little chance for spirituality.
What they and for that matter any man must really go for is the conservative more holistic love namely divine love that is beyond the flesh and the senses and more out of the purity of the spirit. How many can go for that alone?
But having said that, it may not really matter at all. Better for people to be in a temple than out, even if they come with not so fundamental or noble motivation. This is far better than for them not to be at all in a house of God and saints and to be lost and have little chance for spirituality.
The change in focus of a religion comes as no surprise. We too must not be surprised if there are indeed objections by some well meaning folks and pioneers but objections may be futile. This is simply because people are human and humanity will just flow with the downstream.
Only a scarce few who are wise will go upstream against the current to go for clear water at the source. This too did Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) say.
But we still need to attract people to the river and it is easier to attract them to the downstream even if the water there is polluted. Better for them to have water than not at all.
The fortunes of a religion depend on its ability to change to meet new expectations and to attract people. Sometimes, what is dead right may not attract people and what is not so may do so. There is need to change to bring in the numbers and this depends on focus of a religion in society.
The changing focus of a religion or house of God is to be expected. Even at a temple of the good lord, in initial years, there was the fear of doing wrong (the not so good) and being persecuted. There was fear of retribution.
But as the years pass by, there is openness and more come pouring in greater numbers, doing what they fancy and there is no fear of any sorts. So long as people who come do some good, they will be alright or rather seem alright.
However, a gentle reminder is that liberalism, openness and democracy are good values but too much of any good things can be bad. Didn't humanity over the centuries said so?
This liability is more likely to occur with the carried away western style of democracy, and when this happens in religion, you know what will happen. God and saints may have to listen to men instead.
God and saints may well go along with the antics of men just to get more to be in the houses of God so that they stand a chance to make good spiritually one fine day. Is this the wisdom of God and saints? God knows even if we or some of us don't.
