To be spiritual is to seek calm and have confidence in life come what may. Good tidings are welcome but taken calmly for the man of at least some spirituality knows that what are of the world are like the world - never satisfy for long and may turn out not so wonderful in time to come. They may one day be no more.
The best good tiding is the gift of the Word or Doctrine and the man of spirituality wants to share this with others. Sharing is one thing but imposing and cowing others into accepting what is wholesome to the man is yet another thing.
It would only reflect on the mentality of the man who decides to peddle what has inspired him. It is certainly wholesome to share but not wholesome to impose or when others are not seeing things at his level or perspective.
Even for others of the same faith, it is important to be prudent in sharing more with them. Are they ready or receptive? It would be counter productive for say a Buddhist to talk about the Abidharma Higher Doctrine in depth to one who is comfortable with The Sutras or Conventional Teachings of the Buddha. He may be cheesed off.
Thus one must know oneself and the other party as well. This requires insight and insight is something lacking in many men of religion.
Instead of effusing others with peace, calm and love, the man with lack of insight can be nauseating, intrusive and irritating - very much ungodly. That man may certainly know not what he is doing. Instead of being of service to God and men, he is of disservice.
Such men are the ones who are passionate about what they believe. But to be passionate on religion is different from being passionate in worldly matters.
One must end up more calm, more pleasant and have more empathy of others. One must allow others to be different and enable them to be better men. It is often better that the others be better at their religions than to change to the religion one is in.
The beautiful attitudes are often common to all religions. They are invariably there in any religion and they constitute part of the inner truth common to all - as was said by Lord Bo Tien. Therefore, do attempt to know the religions of others and rejoice with others the beatitudes in life common to all religions.
This is the more peaceful way and is better able to bring out the God in man, as opposed to the forceful and intrusive way which brings out the ugly side - the devil in man. It is the latter than makes religion ugly with the ultimate being terrorism.
Why would religion want to terrorise and instill fear in men? Religion should bring out the God in men and not the devil in man. It is the good that matters not the bad. We can do with more good and less with the not-so-good.
The ones who are peaceful and away from the crowd of those who disturb the peace in the name of religion are near and dear to God and saints even though far. They have less of the ego or 'I' thought. The far may be near and the near far. This did the good lord Lord Bo Tien say.
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| Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 |
Many may not know who the good lord is. This is not important. He would rather that they not know him but know how to be peaceful in their respective ways and religions than to be crazy over him as a heavenly saint.
It is the doctrine men live by that gives them peace. If men do not have peace, they know not the religion they are in and are less worthy and wholesome to be good and able ambassadors of their faith. Ambassadors do not take over but are emissaries of goodwill and detente. They win hearts and not crush goodwill and life in the name of God.
