No 62 of Living Life Series 1
Should we discard old cultural ways and practices e.g. Chinese religious tradition and bring in the new?
What we practice outwardly is not important.
No point being bogged down and buried by layers of traditions if they could not impart value to us.
It may be equally not worthwhile to discard the old and bring in new practices, which would not be new anyway but a duplicate or combination of practices of others.
Do not give up age-old originality and lose all semblance of identity in plainness of commonality (the so-called modern ways).
In short, do not discard age-old identity to exchange for non-identity.
Lord Bo Tien did not say ethnic cultural roots are to be discarded. We can reach truth of God while maintaining ethnic roots but there is nothing to stop us from evolving our traditions to keep with the times.
Traditions or culture do not prevent us from reaching truth of God but can provide the magnet to bring like-minded people together to explore Truth.
Without these, there will be no social togetherness or cohesion but just an empty shell in a temple.
God and truth must be presented to people of all walks, culture and traditions not by making them discard these but by showing them that the truth of God is to be found in all walks, traditions and culture.
A heavenly saint like Lord Bo Tien or any saint or prophet of any sect or religion is not here to change your roots or culture, and to say one culture is good and another not as good.
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