Why low profile inception and take-off of mission?

No 853 of Living Life Series 1

In the early years after his first descent in 1969, the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) made it clear that more than anything else, it is doctrine of life in life that is important. But the pioneer group of men were more devotional and more attracted to his being able to talk and communicate with men through medium in the person of P. Philip. 

Elder Ling standing and in white with Philip sitting. 
The good lord spoke through Philip

So year by year in the first decade, he passed down to the pioneers his doctrine which seemed so that simple and common sense that people take it for granted and never give it a second thought even till this day. 

What they wanted were blessings and miracles of whatever form. There were miracles but the good lord stressed that the greatest miracle is when men can realize the doctrine that is common to and behind all religions and sects. There must be this awakening.

People must see the sameness of peace they can cultivate through any religion or sect. The good lord was asked by God and the divinity of saints up there to show to men that this is the case as there had evolved in our world the danger of ever increasing discord among men not just in secular matters but in religious matters. Peace has often become threatened and fragile not only in men but among men.

In the near to 50 years after his descent in 1969, there had and have been some untold miseries in the name of religion. People even of the same religion at times may never see eye to eye and instead of fostering peace in men and among men, there are problems and issues. 

The good lord had to be innocuous, inconspicuous and not ruffle mankind by coming down off all places in Singapore. He came down not among the elites and the well-off but among young men and women many not even yet working. For those who were working, they were mainly in national service with peanut pay then. 

The good lord had to gather the sheep together and in one police Inspector, he was able to have a shepherd for the sheep. He is Elder Ling, then in middle age. 

They were sheep because they were mainly far too young and unexposed to the rigors and harshness of life. They were far too uninitiated to the ways of the world to give more legitimacy and credibility to the infant temple. 

With Elder Ling at helm in tandem with Philip, the good lord could also bring about devotion by young English educated to Chinese culture in a temple. This was unthinkable in those days. 

Without this innocuous and rather low profile inception, the flame of the mission would not be able to grow and glow. Unnoticed and inconspicuous, it grew and become accepted as a special one of its kind Chinese temple. 

People developed more devoutness and piousness to all heavenly saints and even to traditional Taoist deities. Of all people, there were the more English educated in the era where many in temples were not English educated.

Then came good works and charity in his temple. This attracted the notice and nod of the secular leaders of the land. This good works enabled the low profile take-off of mission so as not to cause misunderstanding in some of those who did not know his purpose. His temple and His Mission would then be more welcome. 

But it is the doctrine that needs to strike out not with a big bang but in as inconspicuous manner in every way so as not to cause upsets and so as to be acceptable by the masses. 

There is however the arising of pockets of religious problems and issues around the world often not just between religions but rather within the same religion or sect. That is when the doctrine of the good lord will come in handy and in timely manner. 

The doctrine is on the truth of the oneness of God and saints and the need for peace in men and among men. This has become more poignant and important for all of mankind. 

Thus it is not surprising that the pioneers at the temple of the good lord are not more into doctrine but more into devotion and good works. This is so that they can merge peacefully into the landscape of religions of the land and the world. 

After all, the good lord is not out to start a new religion or sect but to bring out the importance and effectiveness of existing religions and sects. He is out to show that the same peace is reachable through all religions. 

Let all realize the importance of peace in men and among men through their existing religions. Let men be better in whatever they are - in whatever religion they may be in. This is the mission of God and saints with the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) as a mere messenger. 

With this divine intention, the good lord stays in the background with the doctrine in the fore. He says that the doctrine is him and he is the doctrine. 

The men of the lord more so the pioneers must take a leaf from the lord saint by staying in the background and let the doctrine be at the fore. 

Temple, mission and people must be guided by doctrine as the gold standard but ever substantiated by devotion as copper standard and good works as the silver standard. 

In any temple anywhere, the human obstacle will come to pass if there is no doctrine push behind devotion and good works. The reason is that without the primacy of doctrine, there will be ego conflicts, turf guarding and closed door approach. 

The cliques in such a temple will result in more turf guarding and many will stay off the temple, leaving only one clique to run the show. Then in time with the realization of futility of ego and turf guarding, there will be the awakening on the need for doctrine. Doctrine approach will bring about love for all men. This will then give social impetus to bring in more men and accommodate men of various views.

With that, there will be welcoming attitude to embrace people of various persuasions and views. But too much of doctrine push may be in bad taste for those who are not ready and could not agree. 

Thus the low profile inception and take-off of mission of the good lord was necessary but at some point in time, doctrine primacy must still be in the forefront. This however must be discreet and carried out correctly for the mission to be on the way like the ocean to reach out to many a land. 

The love and compassion for fellow men out there in the world may be mistaken as intrusiveness and even be offensive if doctrine push becomes distasteful to others. Thus doctrine push must still be fleshed out with plenty of good works, human fellowship and devotion. 

Do not be too direct but befriend others first and win them through friendship and warmth. Doctrine can then be brought into the picture once there is fellowship and less sensitivity. Thus in the temple of the good lord, the Four Pillar Doctrine that all religions are one in truth and in God hangs on the wall but is usually not even discussed or talked about. 

Elder Ling quietly expressed his concern when the Living Life Series was initiated in 2010 in the world wide web. 

Dealing with the Doctrine too openly and too widely may not be prudent and may at times not achieve the desired results in promoting peace and oneness of religions and sects. 

But not doing so will not be right either. Thus there is need to fall back on the reminder by the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) on the need for a more peaceful and pleasant way through yin yang balance - the advice of sages of old in old China.