LIVING LIFE SERIES 1

A BO TIEN (武天) MISSION INITIATIVE LAUNCHED ON 28TH SEPT 2010 BY INNER TRUTH NETIZEN 2. THE MISSION IS TO SHOW THE WAY TO HOPE, INNER PEACE AND ULTIMATELY SALVATION FOR ALL BEINGS. THE PURPOSE IS TO SAVE SOULS. IT IS WAY BEYOND NORMAL GOOD WORK LIKE CHARITY AND WELFARE ACTIVITIES. NO ONE SHALL BE SAVED BY GOOD WORKS ALONE BUT BY MORE THAN GOOD WORK. THERE IS NEED TO BE IMBUED WITH THE BASIC DOCTRINE COMMON TO AND BEHIND ALL RELIGIONS AND SECTS. LIVE IN DOCTRINE. DOCTRINE IN LIFE IS PARAMOUNT.

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The Living Life Series is dedicated to Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). The doctrine is in His image. The image is the doctrine. He who sees, understands and effects the doctrine sees and knows Him. He who does not see, know and effect the doctrine sees not and knows not the saint even if the saint or His image is beside him. The far may be near and the near may be far. Let the doctrine and the saint be part of our life. The lord saint in your life can be any heavenly saint of any religion, sect or school. The doctrine of truth is behind all and this is the Inner Truth that leads all (regardless of their religious affiliation or even if none) to inner peace and heaven on earth here and now and not just in the after life. The ideal worship and devotion is to know and effect the doctrine of God and the saints. The best gospel is the gospel of life. We learn from our life and the lives of others. The true temple is the world we live in. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions and sects are the pillars of the temple. All under Heaven are in the temple. Needless to say that all the saints we know are in this temple. Ji Gong Posat too is no exception. The whole wide world and web is the temple and must be regarded as a sacred place --- a temple for living and learning. It is more important that everyone that counts plays a role in this universal temple if due focus is to be given to the Mission of Heaven. Men must not be distracted by the agenda of men and end up serving the mission of man. That would be a far cry from the Mission of Heaven. We worship God and saints, not man however good that man may be. There should be no hero worshiping or idolizing of man whether he is a charismatic pastor, priest, monk, medium or lay leader. We don't even idol worship the image of any saint but reflect on what the image stands for. - the doctrine in the image. Omitofo 阿弥陀佛!.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Religion is no money tree or is it?

No 419 of Living Life Series 1

Religion has nothing to do with money but money has everything to do with religion. God and saints do not need the money of men but without money, religion will come to a standstill. To have money, men must have the blessings of God and saints. Blessings come in many forms - as jobs, as business and as luck at lottery or casino table.

God and saints will not fail men. God and saints will meet the expectations of men but men may not meet the expectations of God and saints.

But all will agree that religion is not a money tree. Many however come to a religion like insects coming for nectar.

They ask for blessings from God and saints. That is their primary concern - to get worldly gains and not spiritual gains.

Even some of those who come to a temple or church to lead other men to God and saints end up exacting money and social gains in the process. After some time, these become the primary purpose, surpassing the spiritual purpose.

They peddle places in heaven at a price as though we can buy our way to Heaven. Have money and God will like us. If we have none, then that is our fate or bad fortune.

Who make such mistakes? Who default the spiritual mission? They are the insects or ants that come to the flower for nectar. This Lord Bo Tien did tell us. The lord added that the flower should not be blamed for insects coming to it for nectar.

Religion is no money tree but it cannot be helped if men make a money tree out of religion. What is seen is the money tree but not the pristine spirituality that is buried in the ground and from which the money tree of religion as organisation grew.

That is one obvious reason why despite the healthy propensity and florid presence of religions and sects, "the idealistic spirit and motive which prevailed during the founders' lifetimes disappeared after their passing on" and are no longer dominant. This the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say.

Religious organisations in many instances then would become burial grounds of truth and "become archaeological grounds for men to discover the past." Thus this and other factors are the basis for the mission of God through Lord Bo Tien so that men may rediscover the true spirituality behind the respective religions and sects.

With respect to the statement that religion is no money tree, special mention must be made of full time religious workers such as pastors or priests. They need to work for the temple and the worth of their work cannot be measured or quantified in monetary terms.

They work for God and saints. But they cannot work for free as money is needed for livelihood. They however need to show voluntarism to God and not exact money from those they help.

They are not salesmen. They should be pragmatic and go for half the worth of what they would get if they are doing equivalent work outside religion. This is even if their clients could well afford to pay through the nose and more then willing to do so. This will avert, if not at least minimize idolizing and cult culture centering on man rather than on God and saints.

They should not make fortune out of misfortune though they should not incur personal loss or misfortune by providing spiritual services. When there is the need and if feasible, they should accord free services to those in dire financial straits.

Like doctors, they need money to live but they should not make fortune out of others' misfortune.

Lord Bo Tien has advised us in the early 1970s to open our eyes and be wary of some leading men of religion. These men in name of God and saints might be able to con weak and unsuspecting men to part with money and with love ones. This would be pathetic and sad.

They like medical doctors are healers or doctors of the spirit or souls of men. It is simply taboo to make fortune out of others' misfortune. Such men have no qualms in abusing the trust men have in them. They obviously regard religion as money tree when it is not.

Lest you forget

Do not make the mistake of idolizing any man who tells you about the Word. He is in the same boat as you even if religion refers to him as a religious leader. Mere mention of a religious leader is as good as encouraging idolising of that man. Why must there be hierarchy in religion? Hierarchy is conventional but may end up as liability rather than a necessity or asset. There should be no caste or hierarchy system in religion. No one is to be considered above another in religion. A religious leader or follower is a servant to serve you and not a leader to be idolised. Do not put him on the pedestal and make a monster out of him.

MAY ALL BE WELL AND HAPPY

May all be well and happy. May they have peace. May our departed friends and kins be well, happy and have divine peace. The main writer wishes the best for all for those near and far. Our kins may be far when they had passed on to better lives but they are near though far. He remembers and wishes his parents Mr Siow Soo Koh and Mdm Tay Hung Siang, his uncles and aunties like Mr Tay Koon Huay, his cousins like Mr Tay Chong Sim and his friends like Mr Philip Png well and have abundance of life. May they be rich in spirit for without such ancestors, there will be no posterity - no us and no you and me. They have blessed us and we must blessed them in return forever and ever.