What if the prophet of a religion is born today instead of yesterday? This is a hypothetical question. The religion that comes out from the prophet would still be basically the same in Word but not in outward orientation. Why is this so?
The prevailing social world scenario differs. While in yesteryears, science was so backward compared to today (2014 and beyond) and there was then obvious absolute monarchy with no democracy, today is so different.
The masses today dictate what the leader should do for them. If they want wealth in worldly terms, so be it. Religion today needs to say that the way to wealth and social mobility is through religion. This can indeed border on absurdity to some.
In days of old, the way to spirituality was to leave wealth and status and be free and liberated for spirituality. In today's world, money is king and this applies to, of all places, religion.
Spirituality is enhanced as many would believe if members of a religion are endowed with money and more of this if possible. This has led to the many mega-churches we know today. This is the way of the prosperity gospel. Money is king and can give purchasing power, even for spiritual recognition.
A prophet of a religion if he is born in modern days, would no doubt somehow have to empathize men's feeling of lack of wealth and promise more wealth to these men even the already loaded and wealthy though he would not do so in ancient times. This is not going back on his Word (doctrine) but doing things in context of the times.
He has somehow to placate the appetites of the modern materialistic men for more and more of money in the modern days of money. Money is no dirty word. Money speaks louder than the Word even if the Word is God. Money is power. Money is God to some. Money is the language of modern man even in spiritual.
The modern-day prophet has to dangle the carrot of wealth as an asset to the church or temple. He would welcome more of the rich as assets to the church or temple and even promise more wealth on earth for adherents (be they rich or poor) even before and in addition to Heaven.
He has somehow to placate the appetites of the modern materialistic men for more and more of money in the modern days of money. Money is no dirty word. Money speaks louder than the Word even if the Word is God. Money is power. Money is God to some. Money is the language of modern man even in spiritual.
The modern-day prophet has to dangle the carrot of wealth as an asset to the church or temple. He would welcome more of the rich as assets to the church or temple and even promise more wealth on earth for adherents (be they rich or poor) even before and in addition to Heaven.
In days of old, the king or emperor dictated on every issue in life and this control was suffocating to those who want to strike out and be different. The king did think for his subjects. Subjects just did the bidding of the king.
In today's world, the people think and the leader to be popular has to toe the line. This they refer to as democracy of sorts. Democracy instead of the absolute monarchy will mean the majority decide and not the ruler or leader who has to abide by the wishes of the majority. Whether this is wise or right is another issue.
"The issues of men are many and plentiful." said the good lord Lord Bo Tien. There will always be issues in whatever system we go by.
The leaders in democratic society are among the few who perhaps know more and want to do more, even so in the realm of spiritual society. To do so, they have to break away from the expectations, the grip and norms of the majority but can they?
In today's world, the people think and the leader to be popular has to toe the line. This they refer to as democracy of sorts. Democracy instead of the absolute monarchy will mean the majority decide and not the ruler or leader who has to abide by the wishes of the majority. Whether this is wise or right is another issue.
"The issues of men are many and plentiful." said the good lord Lord Bo Tien. There will always be issues in whatever system we go by.
The leaders in democratic society are among the few who perhaps know more and want to do more, even so in the realm of spiritual society. To do so, they have to break away from the expectations, the grip and norms of the majority but can they?
Thus while a good saint in the days of old had to contend with the likes of Chinese Emperor, Roman emperor or feudal warlords and kings of India, in modern times of 2014 and beyond, such a saint has to contend with the ways of the world.
If luxury, materialism and money are what the people want, he must go along with them to win them over before he can make any spiritual headway with them. This is the way to attract the men of today like attracting insects to the flower for nectar which was indeed mentioned by Lord Bo Tien in one annual message.
If luxury, materialism and money are what the people want, he must go along with them to win them over before he can make any spiritual headway with them. This is the way to attract the men of today like attracting insects to the flower for nectar which was indeed mentioned by Lord Bo Tien in one annual message.
The prophet and religion of today would be so very different in orientation compared to the prophet and religion of the past. It would no longer be a case of less with more and more with less....
Rather, it would have to be more with more. If you are rich and if you go to a church or temple, you would have more and you expect to have more. There is now the fad of prosperity gospel and it is gaining fast momentum.
In a very strange way though somewhat far fetched to some, this resonates with what Lord Bo Tien said that the far may be near and the near far.
The otherwise often or mainly far from Heaven because of their wealth and love for wealth will be near for they are the ones Heaven want to attract like insects to the flower for nectar. Blame not the flower for the insects coming to it. Lord Bo Tien did say this.
There should be no prejudice whatsoever against worldly success but empathy and sympathy for the (at times) spiritually disadvantaged positions they are in. They too need the help and love by Heaven as well but not be spoilt by Heaven in the long haul. That would defeat the purpose of getting them to the house of God in the very first place.
Rather, it would have to be more with more. If you are rich and if you go to a church or temple, you would have more and you expect to have more. There is now the fad of prosperity gospel and it is gaining fast momentum.
In a very strange way though somewhat far fetched to some, this resonates with what Lord Bo Tien said that the far may be near and the near far.
The otherwise often or mainly far from Heaven because of their wealth and love for wealth will be near for they are the ones Heaven want to attract like insects to the flower for nectar. Blame not the flower for the insects coming to it. Lord Bo Tien did say this.
There should be no prejudice whatsoever against worldly success but empathy and sympathy for the (at times) spiritually disadvantaged positions they are in. They too need the help and love by Heaven as well but not be spoilt by Heaven in the long haul. That would defeat the purpose of getting them to the house of God in the very first place.
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| Lord Bo Tien |
Give them more if they come to the house of God and they will stay. But one day, by just being in the very house of God, they will wake up and make good. They would then go for the Word and not the World.
The Word is God. Money is the World. But how far they can go spiritually, if it is mainly nectar or money they want? How far can men go if they go for the world in the house of God and in the name of Heaven?
Well, they can but the issue is how far......and are the odds stacked up against them. If so, they need help and more attention by Heaven. Heaven need to win them over and entice them with nectar to the house of God.
The Word is God. Money is the World. But how far they can go spiritually, if it is mainly nectar or money they want? How far can men go if they go for the world in the house of God and in the name of Heaven?
Well, they can but the issue is how far......and are the odds stacked up against them. If so, they need help and more attention by Heaven. Heaven need to win them over and entice them with nectar to the house of God.
The recourse to using the flower and the insects as a parable by Lord Bo Tien is amazing and awesome, isn't it? It is just amazing that what men of old considered distasteful is now surprisingly that more palatable, even somewhat tasteful and can work spiritually.
But the difference is how efficacious and how far... The good lord Lord Bo Tien did allude to this very indirectly and in discrete fashion. This is so refreshing and enlightening.
There will come a time when man of religion will realise money is good but for more in depth spiritual progress, it may not be good but lack of money can pose issues even for the monk or pastor. Such is the reality of the modern world. In the days of old, the institution of currency or paper money is non-existent or at best primitive or non-existent.
A prophet born today or rather of today has to know money, value it and the people with money but not encourage the worship of money but of God and saints. Since the Word is God, it is the Word or doctrine that matters, not money.
Religion or the house of God however has to contend with money and the many who come to it for worldly blessings in monetary terms. Do be forthright and frank. Who don't want money in some way or other?
The prophet or rather any monk, priest or pastor of today has to see money and deal with money. Do be open minded and be fair when judging them. Judge not lest ye be judged. Jesus did say, didn't he?
Those who know any of the two or three Bo Tien temples well and long enough will know that new devotees who came would often strike lotteries or had their prayers answered while those who were there for long seemed to have less of such worldly windfalls.
The answer is in this post. People do come to a temple like insects to the flower for nectar. But once they become protectors of the flower and long standing members of the house of God, they will no longer be besotted for nectar or any secondary gain but they will focus more on primary goal of salvation through the Word.
They will be accorded ample worldly support, financial or otherwise but at level that will give enough support and time for spiritual leeway but not in any more that will detract them from spiritual.
That is why Lao Tse as man had to leave his job as an imperial librarian in China to go to the world beyond the frontier so that he could have more spiritual but still had enough worldly life though not too much to spur and not regress his spirituality.
There must be that balance that sages of old refer to as balance of contingencies or polarities, the yin and yang as depicted by the feet of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien in his sitting pose image.
This is Tao or Way (Tou li) and the proportion of worldliness must come down with more spiritual progress. The worldliness must still be adequate to support them in this world not to have more of worldliness but to have more spiritual - the leeway for nurturing the spirituality of their souls.
Be like Lord Lao so as to have more with less. This is more so for those progressing in Tao. More is less and less is more. Far is near and near is far. Ain't they the same?
Ask the good lord Lord Bo Tien. Initially, there is more (by going to the house of God) regardless of more or less (one has) but with time and with progress in Tao, there is need to have less (of the world) to have more (of Tao).
The guiding tip for the wayfarer is to be less worldly as he makes progress with Tao (spiritual cultivation). He needs to have and to live more in the Word - to be less worldly but more worthy of the Word.
The Word is God. Live in the Word and that is same as living in God and in saint. God and saints live in us through the Word. We live in God through the Word.
The birth of a prophet be it today or yesterday is for the Word. How the Word is effected must be in context of the times. So a prophet of yesterday if born today may do what he would not do yesterday.
Prosperity gospel may indeed play more role in religion but should it or shouldn't it depends on the beholder. It is best not to be beholden to money but money matters in every aspect of life in the world we know today - 2014 and beyond.
Even the modern church or temple is never abashed about its dependence of money. But to say God is dependent on money is like saying men need the hell money Chinese burn as offering to the citizens of Hell.
God bless and will ever forgive the many who know not what they do. It is blasphemy of God if men make a money tree out of religion. The Word is priceless and beyond money.
It is and should never be a subject of monetary transaction. Do not be muddle headed. Mix not the means for the end and the ends for the means.
But the difference is how efficacious and how far... The good lord Lord Bo Tien did allude to this very indirectly and in discrete fashion. This is so refreshing and enlightening.
There will come a time when man of religion will realise money is good but for more in depth spiritual progress, it may not be good but lack of money can pose issues even for the monk or pastor. Such is the reality of the modern world. In the days of old, the institution of currency or paper money is non-existent or at best primitive or non-existent.
A prophet born today or rather of today has to know money, value it and the people with money but not encourage the worship of money but of God and saints. Since the Word is God, it is the Word or doctrine that matters, not money.
Religion or the house of God however has to contend with money and the many who come to it for worldly blessings in monetary terms. Do be forthright and frank. Who don't want money in some way or other?
The prophet or rather any monk, priest or pastor of today has to see money and deal with money. Do be open minded and be fair when judging them. Judge not lest ye be judged. Jesus did say, didn't he?
Those who know any of the two or three Bo Tien temples well and long enough will know that new devotees who came would often strike lotteries or had their prayers answered while those who were there for long seemed to have less of such worldly windfalls.
The answer is in this post. People do come to a temple like insects to the flower for nectar. But once they become protectors of the flower and long standing members of the house of God, they will no longer be besotted for nectar or any secondary gain but they will focus more on primary goal of salvation through the Word.
They will be accorded ample worldly support, financial or otherwise but at level that will give enough support and time for spiritual leeway but not in any more that will detract them from spiritual.
That is why Lao Tse as man had to leave his job as an imperial librarian in China to go to the world beyond the frontier so that he could have more spiritual but still had enough worldly life though not too much to spur and not regress his spirituality.
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| LAO TSE LEAVING THE FRONTIER FOR MORE SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION BUT HE DID NOT LEAVE THE WORLD BUT HAD LESS SO AS TO HAVE MORE Little if any is known about his life after that but as the story goes, he must have attained immortality and be with the gods. |
There must be that balance that sages of old refer to as balance of contingencies or polarities, the yin and yang as depicted by the feet of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien in his sitting pose image.
This is Tao or Way (Tou li) and the proportion of worldliness must come down with more spiritual progress. The worldliness must still be adequate to support them in this world not to have more of worldliness but to have more spiritual - the leeway for nurturing the spirituality of their souls.
Be like Lord Lao so as to have more with less. This is more so for those progressing in Tao. More is less and less is more. Far is near and near is far. Ain't they the same?
Ask the good lord Lord Bo Tien. Initially, there is more (by going to the house of God) regardless of more or less (one has) but with time and with progress in Tao, there is need to have less (of the world) to have more (of Tao).
The guiding tip for the wayfarer is to be less worldly as he makes progress with Tao (spiritual cultivation). He needs to have and to live more in the Word - to be less worldly but more worthy of the Word.
The Word is God. Live in the Word and that is same as living in God and in saint. God and saints live in us through the Word. We live in God through the Word.
The birth of a prophet be it today or yesterday is for the Word. How the Word is effected must be in context of the times. So a prophet of yesterday if born today may do what he would not do yesterday.
Prosperity gospel may indeed play more role in religion but should it or shouldn't it depends on the beholder. It is best not to be beholden to money but money matters in every aspect of life in the world we know today - 2014 and beyond.
Even the modern church or temple is never abashed about its dependence of money. But to say God is dependent on money is like saying men need the hell money Chinese burn as offering to the citizens of Hell.
God bless and will ever forgive the many who know not what they do. It is blasphemy of God if men make a money tree out of religion. The Word is priceless and beyond money.
It is and should never be a subject of monetary transaction. Do not be muddle headed. Mix not the means for the end and the ends for the means.
