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!.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Always back to square one of cult culture

No 709 of Living Life Series 1

The attraction in a village or community is very much pivoted on the personality of the current human head and not the notables among the ancestors. But the village head to cement his support base has to marshal the people around him by aligning himself around the ancestors.

To put it more bluntly, he is actually placing himself in front of the ancestors, so that the people will see in him the whole lineage of the ancestors behind him. That is a smart move - a very streetwise and savvy one at that.

This is the way of society since time past and will be for a long time to come though not in the same setting. We just have to look around and look beyond what is presented to us - beyond what we see.

Modern day churches and temples are run in similar fashion. Though the declared emphasis is God and the sage or saint of God, the focus may still be in a living human figure.

If the human figure leading the flock is not charismatic and attractive enough, how good the saints of God or God is often does not help, and there will be no crowd. Some say that this is due to the cult mentality in humans and like animals, there is the pack or flock mentality.

There will be need for alpha figure to rally the pack or if you are using a flock of sheep analogy, there will be need for a sheep dog. That is why in scriptural history, there is reference to men as sheep and God as the shepherd with a saint of God as the sheep dog though the term dog is never used and may be derogatory.

In a traditional Chinese temple with medium culture and the invitation of a heavenly saint to speak to men through the medium, the attraction is supposed to be God and saint - not man. Like it or not, the people in the temple will end up seeing the God or saint in that man.

This seems innocuous initially but will grow to be what outsiders see plainly as cult practice - the adoration of a human being in place of God. It must be stressed that the cult leader will still refer to God and saint as his backdrop.

In time, his human weaknesses will of course break through, and disillusioned men will feel cheated somewhat. There will come the point that they blame all on medium practice and abolished this altogether, cutting off one known avenue to communicate with God and saints.

This will seem good and wonderful but then this may allow one or more adventurous or unscrupulous men to take over to rally people together. Among the few, one will try to be the master and he will be the one to speak for God and saints. Well, isn't this coming to square one?

It is and yet it don't seem to be. Take for example Santa Claus. He is on everyone's lip come Christmas but he is not Jesus or God. But no one will even say he is a cult figure and without him, the beauty of Christmas will be down by many shades.

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.