The Beo Keng of yesterday will continue to be the temple of today but runs the risk of being out of the mainstream as long as it is resistant to changes to Chinese culture to accommodate the English educated and westernised young.
The Beo Keng represents the common cultural practices of the common folks in Taoism as opposed to the philosophical Tao which in old days was the purview of the minority at the apex of Taoism.
What matters is to preserve the good and remove the superstitious aspects. The good is that there is communication between man and the deities at a Beo Keng. The not-so-good is that those who patronize such services are from the older generation and may give it a lack luster image. The young will stay away...
This means the Beo Keng may be a thing of the past unless there is attempt to make good so that it will appeal to the young and educated in English. Beo Keng must rope in the young and English educated and let them have the say in matters and make changes.
There is need for more than the usual consultation activities provided by mediums. There must be that push to depart from traditions and rituals that no longer appeal to the young. Mediums must take on pastoral roles.
But the problems lie in the old. How can there be change when many or some of the old are apathetic and individual orientated? They are resistant rather than resilient.
Also, how are they to to pass the baton when there is no baton to pass? How to bring out more of the teachings of the saints or deities when the old folks do not know the doctrine themselves?
Thus it seems that the Beo Keng may have to face more problems than that faced by Chinese clan associations which at least have made some headway and some would say considerable headway.
But a temple or two in name of Lord Bo Tien have made the difference in having doctrine and English educated to run the show. But alas though it does not look like a Beo Keng, it is slow in making changes and despite welfare services, it runs the same risk of just being a Chinese cultural organisation with stress on charity.
It has to be that much more of a model for other temples or Beo Kengs to follow. It has succeeded to some praiseworthy extent but tends like any Beo Keng to be complacent and to be out of tune to the young and educated.
The many young who were with the temple 50 years ago are now elderly and losing touch, group cohesion and push due to old age. There is for sure doctrine by the good lord Lord Bo Tien but hopefully this is not put on the shelf and accumulating dust.
While much has been done, do not be mistaken that they will not do more, for they will do more if they can overcome human obstacle after overcoming fire and water obstacles - the burning down of the first early temple shed and the inundation by flood water at Woodlands old temple site. This was predicted by the good lord.
The present temples with one in majestic concrete have sustained good commendable charity work in addition to doctrinal work. This is to extent that the one in concrete found that there was the need to have an independent non religious welfare society to run all the charity services.
The temple can then focus on maintaining the shrine and run a few festivals a year as well as providing vegetarian lunches for devotees on new moon and full moon days. Other than that, there are the usual sessions for meditation and chanting services which like in many temples do not appeal to the young - perhaps yet to do so.
However good the doctrine and charity work of a temple, there is a need to engage people and their hearts so that they are attracted to come to have spiritual fellowship. No temple can go on without bringing in more to be the faithful. It is people who are spiritually committed that count and not just charity and some literally written doctrine.
Of what use is a temple, doctrine and saint if these cannot reach out spiritually to people and their hearts. Might as well just run a charity shelter and not have a temple but just an adjunct shrine in the welfare body premises.
It may be that the intention of the management of such temples is less spiritual and more welfare orientated than temple orientated. That need not be a bad thing but can be good as well.
But this is a matter of contention. It all depends not on the saint and doctrine but in people who run the show. Are they more spiritual or worldly orientated or both? But they must be given some rope and time. They do show some promise of being better than the good they have produced.
The good lord and all saints or men will lend their support where support is due. They can make it if they want to make it.
If the problem if any lies in the fact they are in the present age more English educated and more attuned to western thinking that medium mode is outmoded way to communicate with the gods or deities, then there is cause for concern. The third generation English speaking management of a Beo Keng will somehow distance themselves from mediums because they think mediums may be not up to the mark.
Many temples perhaps would rather transform the premises from Beo Keng to welfare organisations - effectively putting an end to the centuries of rich culture of Beo Kengs. It is not that the option to end medium mode is shortsighted but that the more correct route is to continue with the Beo Keng culture - but make it more meaningful to the English educated and helpful even to the non-Chinese. This is indeed more relevant and in keeping with global and multiracial reality.
How many can communicate with the gods on their own and many who claim to do so only actually could not but believe they could through the written gospel, the likes of the Bible. The few leaders at the pulpit of a church who claim to speak to God do not have their experiences authenticated.
Other leaders would invariably run them down with quotes from the texts to justify their stand. Thus the problem faced by mediums are faced by pastors and priests at the pulpit.
The age old institution of mediums is still relevant but need to be better managed and understood. How else can men speak to the gods more so as a group? All can witness what is going on at the same time but yet there is still speculation and doubt. This is unavoidable.
But to put down the usefulness of medium as one way to talk with the gods or deities is high handed and unwarranted. The few who doubt, more so in a predominantly English educated temple will put an end to medium mode just to let the whole world know they too cannot be misled by wolves in sheep's clothing in the form of mediums.
But this is an over generalization as the Beo Keng with medium still has useful role in society as it had over the centuries. So please do not dismiss the Beo Keng and have some respect for the gods and for the many who still believe and need the Beo Keng.
If there are the few who don't want to believe, do remember that many others still do. May be the Beo Keng is not the place for them, so please go elsewhere and not close down the Beo Keng by transforming it into a welfare shelter.
This article or post is a tongue in cheek review of a temple as a Beo Keng. May the flags of a Beo Keng fly high and may the gods be heard at a Beo Keng. Do not silent the gods for men cannot do so for long as they will grow old and cannot live forever and will be replaced by others who believe.
The gods want to speak for themselves and not through men or through texts written by men. The gods are not gone and of the past. The gods or deities are here and of the past and future. Hear them out and not silent them or speak for them.
Even at the main Bo Tien temple, the good lord Lord Bo Tien did say he will speak to men there once more when the time is ripe and there is more wholesome unity and harmony. He has yet to do so. Does this imply that all is yet to be good beneath the surface? Or has He spoken? Go there and draw your own conclusion.
Please note that the views and the discussion aired in this post are independent of any temple. But remember thus. Blessed are the meek and the humble for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
When God and deities speak, they listen. But for the exalted, when God and deities speak, they doubt and do not listen.
The humble will be exalted and the exalted humbled. Lord Bo Tien said this in another way. He says that the near may be far and the far near. Doesn't this ring a bell?
If the problem if any lies in the fact they are in the present age more English educated and more attuned to western thinking that medium mode is outmoded way to communicate with the gods or deities, then there is cause for concern. The third generation English speaking management of a Beo Keng will somehow distance themselves from mediums because they think mediums may be not up to the mark.
Many temples perhaps would rather transform the premises from Beo Keng to welfare organisations - effectively putting an end to the centuries of rich culture of Beo Kengs. It is not that the option to end medium mode is shortsighted but that the more correct route is to continue with the Beo Keng culture - but make it more meaningful to the English educated and helpful even to the non-Chinese. This is indeed more relevant and in keeping with global and multiracial reality.
How many can communicate with the gods on their own and many who claim to do so only actually could not but believe they could through the written gospel, the likes of the Bible. The few leaders at the pulpit of a church who claim to speak to God do not have their experiences authenticated.
Other leaders would invariably run them down with quotes from the texts to justify their stand. Thus the problem faced by mediums are faced by pastors and priests at the pulpit.
The age old institution of mediums is still relevant but need to be better managed and understood. How else can men speak to the gods more so as a group? All can witness what is going on at the same time but yet there is still speculation and doubt. This is unavoidable.
But to put down the usefulness of medium as one way to talk with the gods or deities is high handed and unwarranted. The few who doubt, more so in a predominantly English educated temple will put an end to medium mode just to let the whole world know they too cannot be misled by wolves in sheep's clothing in the form of mediums.
But this is an over generalization as the Beo Keng with medium still has useful role in society as it had over the centuries. So please do not dismiss the Beo Keng and have some respect for the gods and for the many who still believe and need the Beo Keng.
If there are the few who don't want to believe, do remember that many others still do. May be the Beo Keng is not the place for them, so please go elsewhere and not close down the Beo Keng by transforming it into a welfare shelter.
This article or post is a tongue in cheek review of a temple as a Beo Keng. May the flags of a Beo Keng fly high and may the gods be heard at a Beo Keng. Do not silent the gods for men cannot do so for long as they will grow old and cannot live forever and will be replaced by others who believe.
The gods want to speak for themselves and not through men or through texts written by men. The gods are not gone and of the past. The gods or deities are here and of the past and future. Hear them out and not silent them or speak for them.
Even at the main Bo Tien temple, the good lord Lord Bo Tien did say he will speak to men there once more when the time is ripe and there is more wholesome unity and harmony. He has yet to do so. Does this imply that all is yet to be good beneath the surface? Or has He spoken? Go there and draw your own conclusion.
Please note that the views and the discussion aired in this post are independent of any temple. But remember thus. Blessed are the meek and the humble for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
When God and deities speak, they listen. But for the exalted, when God and deities speak, they doubt and do not listen.
The humble will be exalted and the exalted humbled. Lord Bo Tien said this in another way. He says that the near may be far and the far near. Doesn't this ring a bell?
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| Lord Bo Tien |
