No 1127 of Living Life Series 1
The combination of meritocracy and bottom up policy can spell trouble for a religious organisation.
In the old days, the elders call the tune even if they are in the minority. This is the top down system.
This is the system of the old days when emperors and dynasties ruled in ancient China. Likewise, there was and is the top down management of a religion.
The ancient saying is that what is on Earth, so also in Heaven. What applies to secular world applies to the religious world.
Alas, the world of 2016 and beyond is a world where there is increasing push for civil rights and bottoms up policy. Of course, the elders end up as the minority and that is a problem.
A young upstart can easily mobilise the predominantly young majority to contradict and override the elders. To show that they have better ideas, they propose new thinking and ways in religion.
As long as the new thinking produces immediate results, they will be hailed as good never mind if a few years down the road they unravel the fundamentals of religion and cause derailment of the teachings of the saint of that religion.
Often, the elders stand firm with the fundamentals. They are like sticks in the mud and stand up like sore thumbs to the young. To the young, they are a stubborn lot.
The young being better educated though less seasoned by life will not agree with the old. All they need to do is to capitalize on their better education to criticize the old and discredit them in a religious organization. They carry the crowd and win the votes.
In the old days, this would not be possible. The elders are like the ruling royal family. Their word is the law.
Thus religion has evolved to where the majority are in no mood to just follow the elders. They push aside the elders and the only propose revolutionary ways of doing things that sway the crowd.
The young upstarts with impressive education credentials behind their names become popular but in their keenness to be in control, to be in limelight and to displace the naggy elders, they propose new thinking which catches on but which plainly pollutes the original teachings of the founder saint.
What happens is like the river. Many flow with the downstream. But the downstream is polluted. To taste clear water, one must go upstream against the current to the upper source. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 reminds us.
The good lord also reminds that there must be respect for and guidance by elders. Elders will not pamper to the fancy of the young but will stand firm and provide guidance.
But in modern society, this may be regarded as autocratic and unyielding. A young upstart with better education can easily step in and with his scholastic ability can easily tear down the integrity of the elders.
With the call for say "by the people for the people", the elders would be isolated and ostracized. The young upstart can easily distort teachings of religion to catch on immediately with the majority, never mind if in the long run, time will tell that they are wrong.
That is why religion will deteriorate and the teachings changed. To be able to get at the original teachings, people must dig away at the layers of corrupted teachings and dig out the original pure teachings. If this is no longer possible, then there will need for the second coming of saints.
Alas, the corruption of religion is inevitable. That is why the good lord descends in 1969 at Woodlands Singapore to show the need to go for the original teachings of all religions.
He also pointed out the oneness of religions in the original teachings. This is basic and common to all religions though not as apparent to many. There is oneness of God and goodness. Do good, not bad and purify the mind.
In modern days, people rather go their own ways than listen to the old hags. They corrupt the teachings and they think they know better.
They prefer to follow the charismatic but enigmatic and highly educated young leaders who can make them swing along in life. The young leaders provide immediate satisfaction and that is what counts - never mind if they cause the corruption of religion down the road of time.
The precept of respect for elders is in all religions. This is pointed out to us by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. This precept will entrench the leadership of the elders in religion and for good reason.
But the young will decry that this will foment dictatorship of sorts - no democracy. But is religion or spirituality meant to be democratic and decided by the majority who are not as enlightened and informed?
What can be done when this is the way of the world? People rather go along with the way of the world rather than the way of above.
Perhaps in the eyes of some, the elders must be put away in retirement villages and nursing homes. They are unsightly and obstacles to the young. But how can this enter the picture of religion? Alas, the corruption of religion is inevitable.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 has an unenviable job entrusted to him by God and saints. Oh lord, please let us know how we can be of help to you.
This article or post has been flagged as a leading article of the Living Life Series.
In the old days, the elders call the tune even if they are in the minority. This is the top down system.
This is the system of the old days when emperors and dynasties ruled in ancient China. Likewise, there was and is the top down management of a religion.
The ancient saying is that what is on Earth, so also in Heaven. What applies to secular world applies to the religious world.
Alas, the world of 2016 and beyond is a world where there is increasing push for civil rights and bottoms up policy. Of course, the elders end up as the minority and that is a problem.
A young upstart can easily mobilise the predominantly young majority to contradict and override the elders. To show that they have better ideas, they propose new thinking and ways in religion.
As long as the new thinking produces immediate results, they will be hailed as good never mind if a few years down the road they unravel the fundamentals of religion and cause derailment of the teachings of the saint of that religion.
Often, the elders stand firm with the fundamentals. They are like sticks in the mud and stand up like sore thumbs to the young. To the young, they are a stubborn lot.
The young being better educated though less seasoned by life will not agree with the old. All they need to do is to capitalize on their better education to criticize the old and discredit them in a religious organization. They carry the crowd and win the votes.
In the old days, this would not be possible. The elders are like the ruling royal family. Their word is the law.
Thus religion has evolved to where the majority are in no mood to just follow the elders. They push aside the elders and the only propose revolutionary ways of doing things that sway the crowd.
The young upstarts with impressive education credentials behind their names become popular but in their keenness to be in control, to be in limelight and to displace the naggy elders, they propose new thinking which catches on but which plainly pollutes the original teachings of the founder saint.
What happens is like the river. Many flow with the downstream. But the downstream is polluted. To taste clear water, one must go upstream against the current to the upper source. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 reminds us.
But in modern society, this may be regarded as autocratic and unyielding. A young upstart with better education can easily step in and with his scholastic ability can easily tear down the integrity of the elders.
With the call for say "by the people for the people", the elders would be isolated and ostracized. The young upstart can easily distort teachings of religion to catch on immediately with the majority, never mind if in the long run, time will tell that they are wrong.
That is why religion will deteriorate and the teachings changed. To be able to get at the original teachings, people must dig away at the layers of corrupted teachings and dig out the original pure teachings. If this is no longer possible, then there will need for the second coming of saints.
Alas, the corruption of religion is inevitable. That is why the good lord descends in 1969 at Woodlands Singapore to show the need to go for the original teachings of all religions.
He also pointed out the oneness of religions in the original teachings. This is basic and common to all religions though not as apparent to many. There is oneness of God and goodness. Do good, not bad and purify the mind.
In modern days, people rather go their own ways than listen to the old hags. They corrupt the teachings and they think they know better.
They prefer to follow the charismatic but enigmatic and highly educated young leaders who can make them swing along in life. The young leaders provide immediate satisfaction and that is what counts - never mind if they cause the corruption of religion down the road of time.
The precept of respect for elders is in all religions. This is pointed out to us by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. This precept will entrench the leadership of the elders in religion and for good reason.
But the young will decry that this will foment dictatorship of sorts - no democracy. But is religion or spirituality meant to be democratic and decided by the majority who are not as enlightened and informed?
What can be done when this is the way of the world? People rather go along with the way of the world rather than the way of above.
Perhaps in the eyes of some, the elders must be put away in retirement villages and nursing homes. They are unsightly and obstacles to the young. But how can this enter the picture of religion? Alas, the corruption of religion is inevitable.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 has an unenviable job entrusted to him by God and saints. Oh lord, please let us know how we can be of help to you.
This article or post has been flagged as a leading article of the Living Life Series.
