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!.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Never end up Godless with God

No 673 of Living Life Series 1

The world is moving away from blind belief in God and the trend of men at pulpit at churches telling others to 'do this and that' in the name of God. The same applies too to religions where priests or monks tell people to do this and that and not to question why.

This was alright many centuries ago when countries were run by absolute monarchy and what the monarchs said was law. 'Do or die' then was the norm. 'As on earth, so also in Heaven' was the norm during the ancient Chinese dynasties. It is obviously due to the shallowness of thinking and the mentality of taking orders from the ruler.

In modern times, there is democracy and to ask men to do or die is somewhat archaic and not keeping with the times. Thus in 2014, there arose on 28th Sept 2014 in many cities no less than 40 new Godless churches where it is possible to be good and experience the good of men without the name of God and religions! This to many may seem unbelievable.

Does it necessarily mean that people who do not believe in the concept of God are evil and devoid of good - Godless? Far from it, they may be less Godless and more good and wholesome than many who are God fearing but simply narrow minded and bigoted in the name of God and religions.

玉皇大帝 God The Jade Emperor

The age-old concept of Chinese with regards to God the Jade Emperor is best. He is just the ruler of the three worlds, the Heaven above men, Earth where men are, and Hell where those less fortunate undergo reform.

Though no absolute creator, God, like any one of us, is the creator of goodness and of more life. But like us, he is not responsible for all that we know as life in the three worlds or in the universe. Blame not God for the woes and injustice in the world, just like what Bo Tien (武天) says that we blame not the flower for insects coming to it for nectar.

God can only try his best to make good the three worlds or realms under his rule. Like the ruler of a nation on Earth, his reign too is finite and not infinite though long and seemingly eternal.

He is there or rather here to serve the three realms and we should respect his appointment and the goodness he brings to all - not the person or individual that is him. He will never expect us to be crazy, to idolise or hero-worship him like crazy.

That would make us be riled by anguish and clinging, and leave us troubled with no peace of spirit. What God and all saints want for us to have is that peace that they have. Mind you, this is not for their own good but for own own good. How can this come about?

For one, we can be sheltered by them so that we can weather the ups and downs of life and have some semblance of peace. "Small issues will be no issue and big issues be small issues." This is what Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) said.

Alternatively and in addition, we can also cultivate the peace in us by religiously and zealously guarding and wanting the peace in us come what may - the ups and downs around in the world and the ups and downs in us. We can religiously guard the peace in us even without belonging to any religion. After all, admittedly religion is an institution of men for the like-minded.

There is Tao in life and in all religions. This Tao or Way in old China is the balancing and being atop the yin (passivity) and yang (activity). Buddhists refer to this as The Middle Way.

So what have all this to do with our being crazy over God and saints? On the contrary, we must be more calm and level headed to hear out what God and saints have in store for us.

It is men and lower beings who are so besotted with those far better than themselves who will be mad and head over heels over them. This is due to envy or craving which in Buddha's thinking is the cause of our suffering - the dissatisfaction with life.

We should never be besotted with God or end up Godless with God. This applies to the way we relate to all heavenly saints. No wonder, the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) reminds us that the near may be far and the far may be near.

武天菩萨
Lord Bo Tien

Mind you why is Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) addressed as 'lord'? Well it is us who do so and not his idea. Call him Bo Tien 武天 if you like or as some of us would refer to him as 'boss' as though he is a friend and one of us.

Never be besotted with God or end up Godless with God. Men who go to extreme end up doing the unthinkable. They wreck suffering in the name of God. They kill, plunder and create fear and terror in the name of God. They are more Godless than Godly compared to those who are good and peace loving but not crazy over God and heavenly saints.

Men can be Godly without idolising God. They are loving and peaceful. They are loved by all - God, saints and men. Never be besotted with God or end up Godless with God. It is not that God and saints are not there but what matters is to live right in the Godly way - the Word or Tao.

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.