No 973 of Living Life Series 1
Religion should not be the very reason why we want to live life though it may rationalize the way of life we lead. Some will say it bluntly that religion provides the excuses.
Perhaps it is pertinent to say this. We do not live for religion. Religion is there for us to add meaning to life.
But like it or not, religion is more man-made than divined by God and saints. No saint will say that they are starting a new religion but any saint will be there to add to and vary the existing spiritual thinking of men which is very cultural.
There is therefore no divide and no reason for religion to be the prime mover of life till men drew clear demarcation of religions. This if we look carefully can be odd and bring religion to look silly and more like political parties.
But the institution of religion is here to stay. Let this be so but with one qualification. There must be the ever blurring of demarcation as seen in the cultures of men. Culture can absorb practices of other cultures and inject new meaning into the absorbed practices.
Christmas is one example and is now more of culture than religion. In fact, it is now a world culture. If more practices of religion can end up like Christmas, the demarcation between and among religions will disappear and this will augur well for harmony and oneness of men.
The oneness of men despite diversity is now more readily realized than before with globalization. Men are one though not one.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 upholds all religions and favor none. He starts no religion but his message is that all are one be it in life or in religion.
Love for one and all must transcend divides that are there because of demographic, geographical and historical reasons. Love for life is the same for all peoples and societies. Love transcends divides. That is why Christmas has become a universal event rather than an event of religion.
Religiosity must rise above divides for the very reason that men are one. But the fact remains that men are one though not one, more so in spiritual.
Perhaps it is pertinent to say this. We do not live for religion. Religion is there for us to add meaning to life.
But like it or not, religion is more man-made than divined by God and saints. No saint will say that they are starting a new religion but any saint will be there to add to and vary the existing spiritual thinking of men which is very cultural.
There is therefore no divide and no reason for religion to be the prime mover of life till men drew clear demarcation of religions. This if we look carefully can be odd and bring religion to look silly and more like political parties.
But the institution of religion is here to stay. Let this be so but with one qualification. There must be the ever blurring of demarcation as seen in the cultures of men. Culture can absorb practices of other cultures and inject new meaning into the absorbed practices.
Christmas is one example and is now more of culture than religion. In fact, it is now a world culture. If more practices of religion can end up like Christmas, the demarcation between and among religions will disappear and this will augur well for harmony and oneness of men.
The oneness of men despite diversity is now more readily realized than before with globalization. Men are one though not one.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 upholds all religions and favor none. He starts no religion but his message is that all are one be it in life or in religion.
Religiosity must rise above divides for the very reason that men are one. But the fact remains that men are one though not one, more so in spiritual.
