Can the Godly be Godless? Is this absurd?

No 1504 of Living Life Series 1

The Godly can be Godless. The Godless can be Godly. 

Aren't this absurd? But can this absurdity become no longer absurd? In a way, this seems to be so. 

Previously centuries past those of God go out to help all regardless of which religion, temple or institution they belong and regardless of whether those in need of help share what they believe. 

The worrying concern is that there is the growing trend that of those who insist that those whom they help must be integrated with them otherwise there will be no help. They seem to adhere literally that others must believe before they will be saved. 

Won't this cause divides? Won't the so-called with God who proclaim they are Godly be near and yet far from God. 

Thus it is not too far fetched to say that the Godly can be Godless. 

In fact, there is another trend for many with no preference for any specific belief and whom others refer to as Godless to be more Godly if they help others in need with no strings attached. 

Yet another aspect of the Godly who can be Godless can be seen in the hypocrisy they show. They will help others and do charity or welfare but care not for closed kins as there is no good name or standing in society that comes from doing so.  

Then there can be the brother in a family who has say a sister going to the same temple. But the sister couldn't agree with the peers there and has social weaknesses which results in her being ostracised. 

That brother also joins in the fray to isolate her effectively condemning her and insist that she must learn the hard way. Won't that make the brother who is Godly somewhat Godless - much the same as those in the temple? 

Many who are near may be far and the far may be near. This did Bo Tien 武天 say. He also say that there is much to be learnt from life and the truth is in life. 

These apply to people of all religions, races and cultures. There is need to make people be enlightened and be better than what they are. No need to change religion, race or culture.

The God dependent or independent approaches in God believers

No 1503 of Living Life Series 1

Religions are all the same but are different in the ways they put forth what is the same.

For instance, there is confession to God in some religions to seek the chance to redeem oneself so that one will not repeat it again. 

The need to confess is already the payment for wrong one has done. 

The willingness to confess reveals one is aware of his fault. One who confesses is even willing to accept penance and in return, he is assured that though he is far from spiritual correctness, he is near so long as he is willing to confess and sincere about this. 

This echoes what Bo Tien 武天 says about the far can be near and the near far. 

For example if active member of religious institution has done wrong but is happily continue to do wrong whilst in the house of God or saint, he is near but far from being spiritual. There will be more heavy consequences for sure. 

Doesn't this same as the belief in Cause and Effect in some religions? 

With respect to Cause and Effect, if one knows one is wrong and realise this, he will be less likely to do more of the wrong. Also, by realising, he will likely not do the same wrong again or at least do less. Thus, he will face less consequences. 

Do note that he has to face some consequences even if he can make amend. But while the Law of Cause and Effect and the Confession and Penance system are similar, the great difference is that the Law of Cause and Effect has nothing to do with God. This does not mean there is no God. 

Really the basic principle is that no matter what, one has to be responsible for what one does and faces the reality of the effects of his actions. We reap what we sow. 

This is one aspect of the basic or inner truth that is behind all religions, cultures and society. Bo Tien 武天 is set in his mission to point this out to all beings. 

The issue is not which is better or more right, but that the principle behind is same. The presentation takes on different forms or religions so as to meet the taste of different societies and reach out to more and more not in one way or religion but in many ways and many religions. 

Confession and Penance is God-centered but the Law of Cause and Effect is Godless - nothing to do with God but people still revere God. This is the difference in religions - religions who believe in God and saints as arbitrator - the God dependent approach, and those where god is not arbitrator though still can be blessing to men - the God independent approach.

Bo Tien 武天 inner truth message is in Ji Gong 济公

No 1502 of Living Life Series 1 

Do you find Ji Gong 济公 a source of inspiration. I do. 

He is a saint of above to be with God and Buddha. But he chooses to be roaming among men and even with animals and the spirits. 

He wears rags with patches because they are torn and actually for beggars. 

He would rather give what he can to those who want than to keep for himself. 

He never helps blindly but would teach those with wrong intents to learn from their wrongs, only to help them once they have learnt. 

He teaches us to be right not by word or doctrine but wakes us to know where we go wrong and learn from life. 

Then he helps us with a little help here and there. This little help goes a long way so make us learn further from life. Life is the holy texts. We learn from life. 

He drinks but never gets drunk. This is not to encourage us to drink but to point to us that what matters is what is in our heart and not the outward show. 

This outward show is to be seen everywhere. There is allot of pretense on the surface and to impress others. 

Many religious leaders act as though they are like God and even speak for God when in reality they are far from what they want others to believe that they are. 

They seem near to God but are far. Bo Tien 武天 says that the near may be far and the far near. 

Ji Gong 济公 acts as though he is far from God, far from being a saint and he is like a beggar roaming the world and not even behaving like a monk. He sings, dances and has jolly time with beggars, children and animals. He even eats meat. 

But mind you, he is better than many who act holy and civil but are rotten at heart. He is at peace at heart. He has inner peace that Bo Tien 武天 says all should have regardless of who they are, regardless of whatever religion or culture they are in. 

Be resurrected here and now - not in afterlife

No 1501 of Living Life Series 1

The problems of man are many and plentiful. Why did Bo Tien 武天 say this? 

Man expects the world to be what he wants it to be? To such a man, life will be complete that way. How can this be? 

Well, man is like that and man expects that God or saint will see to it that he gets it. Is God or saint for only one man and yet for everyman? If that is so, then who gets what and who don't get what he wants? 

Won't that create headaches and problems for God and saints? Well, this is the point we must know, and the earlier the better. 

God or saint cannot be like man and man cannot make man out of God or saint. Man is of the flesh - the physical body. The body merely flesh out the ego of man and like the flesh or body, the ego will last as long as man goes for the body. 

If the body ends up as no body in matters of decades, the ego searches for a new one. This will trap man in rebirth after rebirth. 

The ego needs to flesh itself as a physical body or form. When will man learn to have no ego and to let the spirit be pure and surface over and above the body. 

This some refer to as the resurrection of man as the spirit . When there is no ego, there is no extinction. Man thinks that he will be no more. He continues to go for the form or physical body. 

But man will never find inner peace with ego and the fleshing out of the ego as a physical body or for that matter as a form. What must man do? 

He must have inner peace by giving up the ego and realise that he is not just his physical body or form. The physical body or form does not last as with anything in the form realms or in Earthly realm. 

But with realisation of the pitfalls of ego, man can have inner peace and realise the spirit as the reality that is him. This is resurrection. 

We can be resurrected even before death of the body. We do not wait till afterlife to be resurrected. 

Resurrection is here and now and not in afterlife. This is the reality that can be reached through all religions or even when one has no religion. 

This is the basic or inner truth that Bo Tien 武天 set out to let all know when he descended in 1969 in Singapore. All can realise this through all religions and through lives of those who belong to no religion so that all can be better at what they are in life, in religion and in whatever they are in.

Others are not us and we are not them

No 1500 of Living Life Series 1

What is the choice of God? What is the choice of man? Often the choice of God is not the choice of man. Also the choice of some men is not the choice of other men. 

The issue is must man do the bidding of others beyond the laws of the land. Has man not the free will to decide how to live and what man wants out of life? Has God ever need to give in to man what man wants? 

The answers to such issues and questions are not 'yes' or 'no' but both 'yes' and 'no'. There must be plurality in life and all must respect all views and live together. Chinese culture refers to this as polarities in life - the yin and the yang. 

Do not impose on others what you believe in. Using sheer might, be it financial or otherwise such as overwhelming big numbers or psychology will never work in the long term. 

Since when can society ascribe to uniformity and discard plurality. If a religion or sect tries to do so, this will only create unrest. Some may go along just to have whatever worldly carrots they can get. 

But in the heart of hearts, they know they do not buy what they are told to believe but will view life and beliefs in their own differing ways. 

Outwardly they identify with the dominant voice or the power that be. But in their own private lives, they live out their own perspectives of the exhortation by the leaders at the helm. 

If they have changed religion or sect, they may give magnificent testimony to tell the world but somehow they cannot change the culture and the festivals that they are brought up in life. 

There will be many aspects of the old religion and culture they will practice in the new religion. Isn't that contributing to plurality in people of the same religion. They are in the new religion  but yet go along with many aspects of the old religion and its culture. 

There is always no uniformity but obvious plurality. Thus God knows that this is the true nature of man. There must be plurality and if so, there must be not one religion or sect but many religions and many sects within the sane religion, many schools within any one sect, many temples within the same school, many groups within the same temple. 

Thus can one religion sue another religion for being wrong just because that other religion is different or even not logical to them? For that matter can one group sue another in the same temple? 

Can the temple prevent others who disagree with the current management from calling themselves as ardent followers of the same temple saint or of God? 

Surely this is not correct. God or saint will not go along with them. 

The choice of man is never the choice of God and the choice of God will be for more views, more religions and more sects, schools, more temples and more groups within same temple. 

Plurality is the choice of God but this may not be the choice of man. Plurality holds sway. This is for real. This is one aspect of the yin and yang philosophy which Bo Tien 武天 wants all to realise, regardless of religion. 

Yin and yang result in diversity. There must be diversity in plurality. When plurality embraces diversity, there is balance and peace. When there is not, chaos will result.

Any religion must accept plurality and diversity for there to be more peace and less strife - for there to be more calm and less storms in the sea of life. 

Religiously accept plurality to have better life and a better world. Do not be busy bodies. If we want others to accept us, we must accept others. 

Accepting and embracing plurality and diversity makes us closer to God and saints as well as to others. Others are not us and we are not them. 

If some still not agree, this in itself is proof of plurality is here to stay. But you may suggest in jest that they sit not under the fig or Bo Tree but the oak or angsana tree will do - or for that matter, any other tree or in comfort of solitude in cushy nest of sofa set in quiet time to reflect... Call this meditation, quiet time or soul searching if you like. 

Choice of God not man be in the RAM of religion

No 1499 of Living Life Series 1

Let us meditate on this. When our phone hangs or works slow, we delete all unwanted pics, files & data. In the same way, when our life hangs or slows down, let us delete unwanted memories and experiences of our life and get some extra space to focus on correct living... Life is short. Let's live it to the correct way. 

Likewise, when the mission of Bo Tien 武天 does not seem to make any headway in terms of doctrine and is headed in the wrong way and worse still even detracting from the devotional and welfare activities, what must be done? We must delete the egos of men so that no man makes use of the mission to promote his own ego and standing in the eyes of other men. 

That is why the saint Bo Tien 武天 says that in his mission to promote the goodness basic to all religions, a religious leader is his choice and not the choice of men. even if the appointee has poor habits for if the saint so decides, he can choose to train even a criminal to lead. But of course, there will be strong points in such an appointee. There will be the yin and yang in such appointee.

When it comes to choice of men, sometimes and very strangely, the choice can be from the very one who wants to promote himself as the director and the rest just toe his line. 

Then mission of doctrine of promoting the good in all religions will never be. Even there is little of the mission of devotion and charity but the personal mission by a man or two to further his or their own standing in society which is his or their individual ego. 

In the early years of the mission, senior brother Philip and Elder Ling were the choices of Bo Tien 武天 - not the choice of man, be the man - be the man himself or other men. 

Many a leader of religious institutions are actually not even the choice of God and saints but the choice of the man himself who wants to get worldly acclaim and use the name of God and saint in vain. 

We can see this in the world. They make themselves idolised by other men when men are not even supposed to idolise God. 

When traditional Chinese culture makes sculptures out of God or saint, they frown at this as unbecoming. But it is worse to make other men idolise and sing praises of the man who chose himself to lead the flock through sheer charisma and wit. 

We should delete such practices from the RAM of ongoing religion. The choice of God and not man must run the RAM of religion.

The wrong approach to religion can bedevil society

No 1498 of Living Life Series 1 

No point going to religion and be religious when sizable number of those who go to religion think only they are worthy of God or saint and those who don't agree with them are unworthy. 

When others help them and bless them, they thank God or saint instead. 

They think the help comes from God and not men. 

They think that without God or saint, others will not help them. 

If everyone thinks like that what will become of society? 

They think the blessings come from God and not man. 

When others do not help them, they think that others are bedeviled by Satan or Evil One. They ask God or saint to punish these others. 

This is the wrong way to approach religion and will create problems upon problems. The problems of men are many and plentiful. Bo Tien 武天 observes that this is the case.

The wrong approach to religion can bedevil society and can result in splintering within the ranks of any religion, sect, denomination or even a temple. 

What has Bo Tien 武天 to say on this? 

Well, Bo Tien 武天 teaches that we learn from the weakness and wrongs of others so that we will not have more of the same. 

This is applicable to anyone in any religion or even if none. Those who have no religion are the free thinkers. 

The free thinkers can be religious but not of any religion. They too could have wrong approach. They are often designated as free thinkers. 

Please do not point fingers at religion when any religion is only the means and not the end.

From behind the curtain for human face to mission

No 1497 of Living Life Series 1 

The big day of Bo Tien 武天 falls on the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month and this is about one month after the annual Mooncake Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival* on the fifteenth day of the eight lunar month. 

Mooncake is the face of the festival but many not sure the purpose of the mooncake. Likewise religions are the manifestations of the doctrine of basic or inner truth God wants all to know. Many see not the purpose of many religions and sects. They see only the differences but not the common tread behind all religions.

The big day of Bo Tien 武天 commemorates the sending down by God the saint Bo Tien 武天 in 1969 to show the world that there must be many religions and sects, many temples and places of worship to reach out to the many so that more can be saved. 

Bo Tien 武天 has not provided us any knowledge of who he was and is. He only gave insight pointers and emphasis on the common tread behind religions and sects

This is so that no one can idolize him but the mission by Heaven needs to have a divine face to it. This takes the form of his image - to give a face to the mission that all religious and beliefs are one - one in the basic or common need for goodness and inner peace regardless of race, culture and faith. 

But without a face to the mission, humanity may not be able to focus on this message. 

At the the Earthly level, there too needs to be a face or faces to this mission, not to champion any religion or sect but to show that all are one in need for inner peace by balancing the yin and yang - the diversity we have come to have since infinite time. 

There is need to present the finite focus in otherwise the infinite. Thus there too must be human faces and they take the role of religious leaders. 

Inner Truth netizen who initiated the Living Life Series was previously nameless and anonymous but this cannot be for long. 

Inner Truth netizen will be not just one but will grow to be at least a few. He was behind the curtain of anonymity but when he accepted the appointment by above to be one of the religious leaders for the world wide web mission only in Oct 2016 during the big day of Bo Tien, there needs to be a marked difference - a change to strategy or mode of approach to mission to create better impact. This means he can no longer hide behind the curtain of anonymity. 

There is need to be open and not be shameful of doing so for benefit of the many - for the mission. If there is any, then hiding behind curtain of ignominy is admission of inadequacy or weakness. But if he has not been tainted and done any wrong to be ignonimous, there is no need to hide behind the curtain. 

There is however the need to be humble and to show that like the many, he too is not perfect and has two sides - the yin and yang, the good and not so good which need to be balanced to bring out more peace in him if he is to bring peace to the many. No need to wait to be a saint before he or anyone can do so. 

Even God and saints are not perfect in the eyes of the many but they still do what they can for the good and welfare of the many but many more will still be in the wilderness and far from having any inner peace

The risk of coming out from behind the curtain is that others may idolise him when they are not even supposed to idolise God or any deity. He has to serve and not be served. There will be more like him for the world wide web, and that will be and should be ... 

There are already significant others who have done good for the mission to promote as many to be better than what they are in their respective religion, sect, temple or culture. 

They are firm, humble and meek but in the roughness and harsh reality of life, they may even be derided by detractors and smeared with dirt and tarnished but they try to be steady, calm and at peace and equanimous (not affected by storms and calm seas, the ups and downs, the upheavals and the sinking feelings not once but on many occasions). 

But yes they are no saints but aren't everyone are, otherwise they and we will not be human. 

Judge not lest ye be judged. Learn from life not only of others but ourselves and be better at what we or they will be. This is exhorted by Bo Tien 武天. We can find perfection in imperfections

*Mid-Autumn Festival is an inherited custom of moon sacrificial ceremonies. The ancient Chinese observed that the movement of the moon had a close relationship with changes of the seasons and agricultural production. Hence, to express their thanks to the moon and celebrate the harvest..."

For a good journey in life, job and religion

No 1496 of Living Life Series 1 

Go for not what we want from God, people in society or at work place. 

Know what we want and ask why, what and when we can have it. But be mindful that others too have what they want from us. They may even insist that their opinions are that of the top, be this company we work in or God above in the case of spiritual. 

They may be not right and what they tell us are often more of their views than those of the top. We cannot off hand say that they are wrong. We have to go along, be with them, yet not be misguided or led by the nose. 

But we cannot afford to tell them off in the face. We have to be tactful, friendly and appreciative and that way we can learn from them both their resource knowledge and their flaws which can make us do the wrong they do. 

We have to be not blind but open our eyes to know more. This will not upset them but go a long way to bond with them. Then they will welcome us and be in our side. 

Many a tactless person think he knows better and rush in to correct them. That if we do, will be the end of our job, commitment to religion or to work place. 

They must feel good about us to want us to be on their side, be asset to them so that we lighten their jobs and be team players with them. 

We have to learn the ropes from them, not make life and job onerous to them. If truly we know better, they will in time learn from us. 

But first we must learn from them before we can impress on them what they can learn from us. 

Never mind if we look stupid initially but at no time they must think we are threats to them. 

This is what we can learn from life or a job. 

Know the plus points and the minus points as well. Just be mindful and know how to be at peace and harmony with others. 

Remember all that start well end up well. If we start with no love for others and on hostile note or wrong footing, life will swell against us and there will be storms and no calm seas. 

Always remember we must be good listeners and not shoot off our big mouths. That is how we can have peace when there seems to be undercurrents under the calm surface. 

Stir not the water and whip up a storm especially storms that are more than storms in tea cups. Be at peace and go along with the flow. Not our time to control or change the flow till they want us to do so. 

That will have to wait and sometimes the wait is long as though forever. Keep the peace and with good luck, detente and providence, that chance may just come suddenly and be a pleasant surprise.

The need to be mindful and learn from life and others is in all religions. We can learn from the plus and minuses of men. This is a reminder by Bo Tien 武天 and he stresses that this is in all religions, in all cultures and in all societies. 

No one is perfect not even the best. Normal to be not perfect

No 1495 of Living Life Series 1 

Nobody is perfect even for those with big following of a million or more fans. 

They may see him as perfect. But the truth is that no one is perfect and imperfection is normal. 

If we accept this truth, we can accept others who are imperfect and others can accept us if they realise that it is abnormal for individual to be perfect. 

Even God and saints are not perfect but those who idolise God, saints or man cannot accept this. 

They even think that God and saints will not tolerate imperfections of humanity and this will incur the wrath of God or saints. 

That will give the wrong impression of God and saints. If they have wrath for the weaknesses of men, then by being angry and exacting fear in men, God and saints will be exactly not what they are deemed to be. 

This will make them appear more imperfect than humans. This will be demeaning and creating devils out of God and saints. 

Give this issue some reflection and we will come out better from realising the reality of imperfection and appreciate God and saints even the more. 

We will not fall into the bad habit of idolising anyone, be he God, saint or man. 

We will learn from what good they want to share with us and not expect him to be good in doing good he shares or tells us. 

Nobody is perfect even if their followers and admirers think he is so. The earlier one realises this, the better one will be. 

If such people are in religion, they will be better in whatever religion they may be in. This is the sharing from Bo Tien 武天.

Normal to be imperfect. We do not wait for others to be perfect before we can work with them or before we can be friends with them.  

Never judge lest ye be judged. Learn from the good and not so good of others and be better than what we are. 

Be mindful that we too have the good and the not so good in us. We can learn from this as well. 

Life is the best gospel or holy texts. Life is God. Life is the truth. 

Bo Tien 武天 shares this with everyone whatever religion he or she may be in or even if none. Everyone can then be better than what he or she is, in life and in whatever religion he or she may be in. 

No one is perfect not even the best. Normal to be not perfect. Only if we accept this can there be the mission by Bo Tien 武天 to enable people to be better than what they are. 

The two appointed elder pioneers of Bo Tien 武天 mission, Philip and Ling are good examples. 

Bo Tien 武天 says that if he so decides, even an offender or criminal can be chosen as leader of mission and has the right pre-requisites. 

Bo Tien 武天 can train him in many ways. No one should judge what he has decided unless that one is someone who needs more help.