No 1044 of Living Life Series 1
If in going to a temple we need to please men in charge of the temple before we can get near to the spirituality of the temple let along God and saints, then it is best to have second thoughts. Is this the temple of men ? Is this the temple of God and saints?
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that man is man and saint is saint. See not the saint in man and the man in saint.
Often the inner core members are the ones with the problem and they see the saint in man and the man in saint. They are near and yet far.
The devotees who come only on festive seasons see not the men running the temple and only the God and saint of the temple. They are far and yet near. They thus get more blessings.
Men running a temple can get carried away and think that their control of a temple makes them great and they blow up their ego and think they can act for God and saint. Aren't they near and yet far?
They can control the concrete building but not the temple of God and saint. The good lord says that the sky or heaven is the roof and religions are the pillars. In fact, men of diverse interests and persuasions are the pillars.
Then wouldn't it be odd for a group of men to want a concrete temple for themselves and exclude other groups. They are just not in line with the doctrine or Word of the good lord. Moreover the good lord says that in his image is the Word and in the Word we see him.
Balance of yin and yang is the way as depicted by the feet of the lord on elements There must be co-existence and harmony of opposites and diversity.
The temple of the lord must embody diversity and not monopoly of one group. All groups must flourish and not be diminished by other groups. Be it religions or groups of men, this applies.
In a family too, the father cannot dominate and rule out the mother or children, worse still expel them. The mother or child too cannot do likewise. They can work as separate and yet complement and be one whole. This is as should be and ever should be.
Men are family but when it comes to worldly inheritance, then they may go for one another's throat. They are supposed to love one another but end up hating one another.
What has become of the loving kindness eschewed by God and saints? What has become of their faiths in God and saints and their teachings on universal love when they don't even care for love for their brethren?
When the sky rains, it would be like heaven shedding tears that matters have become like that. This the good lord says.
The problems of men have eclipsed the goodness of God and saints. Men keep the goodness of the temple of saint to themselves and hold on to the temple for their own selfish good. How good can such good be? The good lord says that the problems of men are many and plentiful.
The resulting disrespect for men and elders of differing views can be so bad that they deny and rewrite history they have a hand in writing. They end up not respecting not only elders and others but degrade their claimed respect to God and saints.
It is for good reason that respect for elders is one of the universal precepts put up by the lord saint and em-placed for posterity on the wall of his temple. If there is no respect for the precepts, how can there be respect for God and saints.
The precepts enshrined the doctrine of God and saints. If there is no extension of iota of love to elders and others, how can there be spirituality in such men. What has become of them and their spirituality?
Do take a leaf from any temple of the lord saint where no group of men will overshadow and eclipse other groups, let alone elders and pioneers. By doing so, they uphold the good name of God and saint.
But at times, men can get carried away and need to be mindful that this will not happen. After all, it is in men to have problems. The problems of men are many and plentiful and can happen even in any temple or holy place. God bless them and will be with them regardless of the failings and transgressions of men.
Of course, there will be other temples who are better and shining examples and they in fact may be nearer to the good lord than any temple bearing his good name. The far may be near. This did he say.
Well, people do differ in opinion. This is alright and there must be no love lost for those who differ. This is the way of the spiritual.
That is why we have not just one religion or sect but many religions and many sects with any religion. There must still be the oneness amid the diversity that characterizes religion. This is the central message of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨.
But somehow, despite the clarity of this message, many may not practice it. They are carried away by ego and ego creates problems. The problems of men after all are many and plentiful. No temple or man will be spared from this.
So what if they are carried away by the ego. This does not make them less worthy of God and saints.
In fact, they too are the very ones who need more guidance if they are receptive enough. God and saints can wait for them to be receptive. Meanwhile, what better place can they be than in a temple though it may be true that they may overshadow and eclipse God and saints.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that man is man and saint is saint. See not the saint in man and the man in saint.
Often the inner core members are the ones with the problem and they see the saint in man and the man in saint. They are near and yet far.
The devotees who come only on festive seasons see not the men running the temple and only the God and saint of the temple. They are far and yet near. They thus get more blessings.
Men running a temple can get carried away and think that their control of a temple makes them great and they blow up their ego and think they can act for God and saint. Aren't they near and yet far?
They can control the concrete building but not the temple of God and saint. The good lord says that the sky or heaven is the roof and religions are the pillars. In fact, men of diverse interests and persuasions are the pillars.
Then wouldn't it be odd for a group of men to want a concrete temple for themselves and exclude other groups. They are just not in line with the doctrine or Word of the good lord. Moreover the good lord says that in his image is the Word and in the Word we see him.
The temple of the lord must embody diversity and not monopoly of one group. All groups must flourish and not be diminished by other groups. Be it religions or groups of men, this applies.
In a family too, the father cannot dominate and rule out the mother or children, worse still expel them. The mother or child too cannot do likewise. They can work as separate and yet complement and be one whole. This is as should be and ever should be.
Men are family but when it comes to worldly inheritance, then they may go for one another's throat. They are supposed to love one another but end up hating one another.
What has become of the loving kindness eschewed by God and saints? What has become of their faiths in God and saints and their teachings on universal love when they don't even care for love for their brethren?
When the sky rains, it would be like heaven shedding tears that matters have become like that. This the good lord says.
The problems of men have eclipsed the goodness of God and saints. Men keep the goodness of the temple of saint to themselves and hold on to the temple for their own selfish good. How good can such good be? The good lord says that the problems of men are many and plentiful.
The resulting disrespect for men and elders of differing views can be so bad that they deny and rewrite history they have a hand in writing. They end up not respecting not only elders and others but degrade their claimed respect to God and saints.
It is for good reason that respect for elders is one of the universal precepts put up by the lord saint and em-placed for posterity on the wall of his temple. If there is no respect for the precepts, how can there be respect for God and saints.
The precepts enshrined the doctrine of God and saints. If there is no extension of iota of love to elders and others, how can there be spirituality in such men. What has become of them and their spirituality?
Do take a leaf from any temple of the lord saint where no group of men will overshadow and eclipse other groups, let alone elders and pioneers. By doing so, they uphold the good name of God and saint.
But at times, men can get carried away and need to be mindful that this will not happen. After all, it is in men to have problems. The problems of men are many and plentiful and can happen even in any temple or holy place. God bless them and will be with them regardless of the failings and transgressions of men.
Of course, there will be other temples who are better and shining examples and they in fact may be nearer to the good lord than any temple bearing his good name. The far may be near. This did he say.
Well, people do differ in opinion. This is alright and there must be no love lost for those who differ. This is the way of the spiritual.
That is why we have not just one religion or sect but many religions and many sects with any religion. There must still be the oneness amid the diversity that characterizes religion. This is the central message of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨.
But somehow, despite the clarity of this message, many may not practice it. They are carried away by ego and ego creates problems. The problems of men after all are many and plentiful. No temple or man will be spared from this.
So what if they are carried away by the ego. This does not make them less worthy of God and saints.
In fact, they too are the very ones who need more guidance if they are receptive enough. God and saints can wait for them to be receptive. Meanwhile, what better place can they be than in a temple though it may be true that they may overshadow and eclipse God and saints.
