Bottoms up or top down approach in religion?

No 846 of Living Life Series 1

Religion to be popular must be bottoms up and less top down. However, for religion to maintain the direction of the founding sage, it has to be top down. 

But then the people at the top may be there because they are there out of popular demand and not by virtue of their wisdom. Their charisma or whatever puts them at the top. 

Thus even if there is more top down than bottoms up, religion may deviate from the fundamentals of the founders. 

On the whole, it is better for religion to have more top down than bottoms up approach. 

The majority at the ground may not know as much as the ones at the top. The wise ones who know better must guide the flock and not the flock decide what they want and overrule the shepherd. 

Though this is true, let not the flock set the tune but alas, like it or not, do give some leeway to the flock if we do not want the prospect of a religion not having proper foothold on the present and the future. 

Too much change and leeway given to the flock may possibly result in significant change from the past. This would be not as ideal.

Thus a balance is needed but in the long run, there will still be some unavoidable dilution and change of focus of the original message of the founder. 

That is why there is need for the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) to be the messenger of God and all saints to bring out the inner or basic truth of all religions so that people will be better at what they already are or wanted to be. This inner truth or basics will always be there in the background regardless of changes.

Religions enable God and saints to save all souls through three standards - doctrine, good works and devotion. These are common and behind all religions. Doctrine refers to the truth of the need for inner peace and isn't this what all religions want us to have?

The global approach to life and spirituality

No 845 of Living Life Series 1

In life, it is good to be goal orientated and focused so that we can get what we want. But this must not be at expense of other needs of life. Then with myopic approach, there will be more to lose than to gain. This is what indulgence is all about. 

Well, we should not even indulge in spiritual. That may well be renouncing or giving up of life when in reality, spirituality means we must embrace life. 

We must however not indulge in any particular aspect of life. There must be a balance approach with no giving up or going for more. This is what true spirituality is all about. 

This balance is reflected in the image of the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) with feet resting on the elements of life. This is why the good lord says the Doctrine is the image and the image is the Doctrine. 

True spirituality is attainable anywhere and if so, there is no need to be in a temple or church once a week. But then, we must have fellowship for it is in fellowship or getting together that we strengthen one another. 

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that a collection of candle flames is better than the lone candle flame in lighting up our lives be it spiritual or otherwise. 

But even then there must be balance. We must not run away from the world or family we are in to be in a temple of God built by man. 

We must be plugged into the world. We must be in the universal temple of the world. Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says that the true temple is the universal temple with the sky or heaven as the roof and all are in the universal temple with religions as the pillars or rallying points for people of different inclinations.

We can be with the pillar of our choice but we must not be myopic. We must be mindful to live as one with the whole world in the universal temple. We must not forget our family, our friends and the world we are in. 

This is the moderated or balanced approach found in all religions and talked about by all saints. All religions are one in this respect and this is message of the messenger of God Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) . 

This is indeed the universal global approach in life be it spiritual or otherwise. The good lord reminds that any value that works for spiritual if applied to non-spiritual life will work equally well. 

Let us be balanced in approach to life and spirituality. Let there be no myopia. Let us believe in and have respect for all religions and all heavenly saints. This is stressed by Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). He gives us this universal prayer. 

"To all heavenly saints we greatly adore. We believe in your existence and thy glory is in the thought of men. We seek for thy protection and guidance so as to live better for the time to come."

Let there be the global approach to life and spirituality. It is that much more wholesome to be with God and all heavenly saints. It is so wonderful to be one with the world and to be in tune with yin and yang. 

It is simply great to be in tune with all religions and sects which give diversity, spice and color to life. Like the spokes of the wheel, they are centered on divine peace, love and God and saints. They rotate as one to save more souls. 

A religion must make the difference

No 844 of Living Life Series 1

The messenger of God and saints Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) wants us to know that religions are there to reach out to the world to bring peace to individuals, to the world and to all diversity of humanity. 

There must be peace at various levels and the ultimate is divine peace to save souls - all souls and not just select few. No one is forgotten and sidelined.

To achieve this, religions must have their own way to appeal to followers and to hold on to their following. This some know as dogmas. 

Each religion must make the difference and this is how any religion can stand out to those who are most likely to find it attractive and their choice. 

A religion must stand out by its distinctiveness without which there would be no richness in diversity of religions - diversity that will ensure that more of humanity will be attracted and not be left out. 

This individual uniqueness of religions make religions better able to complement one another. Religions in their respective ways enrich one another in their services to the world. 

There may be some conflicts along the way and this is because we are not perfect and we are humans. To err is human but to forgive is divine. Religion is all about love and to love is to include need to forgive.

We need to empathize and to forgive and forget. We must learn to love one another and to enlarge the common space of religions and cultures. 

That way we extend the divine love of God and saints to one and all regardless of religion and background. That would be not only wonderful and awesome but divine.

If at all, there are miseries afflicted to humanity in the name of religion by some men, it is because they have not empathized with fellow men and reach out enough with love not only for those who see eye to eye with them but also for those who don't seem to do so. 

Humanity need to win over one another's hearts without imposing their values on one another. This humanity must and ever should do so. 

If siblings in the same family can win over one another's hearts without imposing their individual values on one another, this surely can be realized in the wider society. 

All that is required is empathy and love within society and accepting others for what they are and for what they are not or yet to be. Humanity cannot make replicas of themselves in others even in the same religion. 

The gold, silver and copper standards for mission

No 843 of Living Life Series 1

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) is the messenger of Heaven to stress that all religions though different are the same and have the same God, share some basic common spiritual principles and objectives as well as common space. They may differ in dogmas, scriptures and practices. 

The mission of Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) is not just to show that all religions are one and same in God and saints. There is more than that. It is not just about being devotional through any religion. It is not just about doing good and helping others through religions. It is not about loving God and saints, loving self and loving others because of religion. 

The mission is beyond all these. It is about getting one and all regardless of religious persuasions to be at peace with life and be steady come what may. 

Life is imperfect and the only permanency is impermanence. 

The gold standard for mission of the good lord is to convince that all must go beyond devotion, beyond good works and beyond loving kindness to have the peace with life come what may. 

There must be the pervading peace in us amid the yin and yang in us and around us. This is the gold standard for the mission of the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). 

Go for the inner peace and this is reachable through any religion or even without religion. This is the gold standard.

Other standards are not gold standards but perhaps silver and copper standards. If we go for other standards, it is still mission related but not the gold standard.

In the early history of the mission, triplets of the scepter were made with one in gold paint, another silver plated and the third copper plated. 

Inner peace is the gold standard. Good work is the silver standard and devotion is the copper standard. This is but one way of looking at the mission. Inner peace, good works and devotion can be attained through any religion. 

These are the gold, silver and copper standards of the mission depicted by the scepter in the image of the good lord. The three standards are attainable through all religions. 

The spiritual common space for humanity

No 842 of Living Life Series 1

There is need for common space among men and the bigger the common space the better. This will enable the feeling of oneness among men and not show out the glaring differences. Let there be more room to enlarge the common space.

In a family, the common space is obvious and even if members of a family do not see eye to eye with one another, they live as a family and there is still camaraderie. But take away the same roof and when members of family especially extended family stay in separate homes, the common space diminishes and family oneness is not as strong as before.

People of religions must live in the same neighborhood and community and by so doing, they have to be sensitive to one another with regards to beliefs, needs and ways. They must not insist that they are right and others wrong. That would be bigotry. Bigotry foments ill-will and discord. There must be common space to give a sense of oneness and fraternity despite belonging to different religions. 

All that is the needed for people to be closer to God and saints is for them to grow the divine or saintly nature in them though through different religions. There are many ways to start off with for people to grow the inner peace or godly nature in them. There is one Divinity but many religions and ways to approach towards divinity and to better suit the varied taste for people in society.

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 refers to this as the inner truth common to and behind religions. It yields inner peace but the starting points and paths can be very different but the end point and path will be the same. 

The sky or roof is the same for all. Heaven is the roof of the universal temple. Religions are the pillars of the temple. The universal temple is the common space for people of all religions and sects. The pillars are just reference points for people to look out for. But once in the universal temple, they are in the same temple of God and saints. 

Temples and houses of God are gateways to the common space of the universal temple.  

This is a temple but not the universal temple

The universal temple is like the same home for members of a family living under the same roof.

The family that lives under the same roof, sleeps under the same roof, eats and lives under that same roof and prays under the same roof is a better knitted family than if members stay apart under different roofs. 

The mission of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 is to promote the oneness of people of religions though the reality of the universal temple as the universal common space for people of all religious persuasions. 

He is not your God or saint but the messenger
for you to be better at knowing God and saint
through your respective religion or sect.
This is so that you would be better at what you already are.
No need whatsoever to switch religion or sect
or even to belong to any specifically...

Be better at what we are through inner peace

No 841 of Living Life Series 1

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 urges us to be better at what we already are by knowing the inner truth of life.

We also can learn from the teachings of the sages of all religions and be better at the religion we are in and better at what we are.

We don't even need to belong to any and we can believe what we want to believe so long as we can move on and arrive.

The Inner truth is present in all religions and yields inner peace. There is the need to have inner peace come what may.

With inner peace, there is oneness with God and saints.

The truth is that there is the need to have peace with life and to manage the ups and downs of life.

We need to be with life and not run away.

We endeavor to be atop life and not be swept away by life contingencies. This is as depicted in his image with the feet of the good lord atop the elements of yin and yang.

The Word is His Image. His Image is the Word

No 840 of Living Life Series 1

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨)

It is in front of this image that the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) descended to give his many anniversary messages in the first phase of the mission.

It is in front of this image that he said that "The Doctrine is his image and in his image is the Doctrine." 

He who knows the Doctrine knows and sees him. He who does not know the Doctrine sees not him even if the good lord is in front of him. 

The near may be far and the far may be near. 

Man is like the candle flame. If sheltered by the saints, it will grow and glow. Those who seek in earnest, the saints do know and will come to bless them. 

Issues will end up as no issues. Even big issues will at least become small issues even if they cannot be no issue. There is however the element of fate. But the man with Doctrine will have peace come what may. 

A collection of candle flames is better at shining the way for not only one another but for others. It is good to help one another. Men of different capabilities and resources can be blessings to one another to complement the blessings of Heaven. 

All these the good lord tells us time and time again. 

He also adds that balance of yin and yang is important for inner peace. His feet on two elements reflect this. Storms do not last forever and calm will return. 

In a temple, the strongest of good men may be blown away in a storm even if they hold on to a big tree. But when the storm abates, good men will return. 

A temple is like a flower.  Ants and insects come to the flower for nectar. Blame not the flower for insects coming to it.

Even if some come to a temple to do good for personal good and gain, they may still get some good and blessings even if they do not cultivate spirituality and higher good beyond self good. They are still welcome. 

His scepter is the instrument of his mission. He is the messenger of God to show the oneness of religions. 

All religions are there to save souls. They have the same basic inner truth and teaches men in their own respective ways to have inner peace. The ultimate peace leads to enlightenment - harmony with God and all heavenly saints.

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) urges us to be better at what we already are by knowing this inner truth of life. 

We also can learn from the teachings of the sages of all religions and be better at the religion we are in and better at what we are. We don't even need to belong to any and we can believe what we want to believe so long as we can move on and arrive. 

Let there be common sense in running of any temple

No 839 of Living Life Series 1

Frankly speaking, there are temples who are run by those who are not doctrine inclined. But without them, there will be no sight and sound of the mission of the lord saints of such temples. 

They may be far from doctrine but yet they are near to the lord saints of such temples. Others who know more do little or near nothing. This brings to mind the comment that those who are far may be near by the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨).

While those running temples may be lacking in affinity for the Word or Doctrine and yet are admirably near to the lord saints of their respective temples, they will have to face the shortcomings of their lack of doctrine. This is unavoidable. 

Their aversion to doctrine or rather their lack of doctrine may lead them to manage their critics in worldly ways and not in spiritual ways. This is a mistake and they will suffer from this mistake. They should grasp the doctrine and act according to doctrine. They will learn to love their critics and embrace them. Then all will be alright not only for themselves but also for their critics. 

Rightly speaking men like us should not judge lest we be judged. Let us leave this to the lord saints. We all know that but yet we have loose tongues.

The good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) has this rejoinder for all in any temple to keep in mind. 

In any temple, the administrative and spiritual organs must stay distinct. They must be delineated from each other. Those working on spiritual should focus their minds and energy solely on spiritual growth and not meddle with administrative matters of a temple. 

Those interested in management of a temple and not into serious spirituality should focus on their field of interest in administration. They too can contribute and have blessings but must not dictate what the spiritual lot should and should not do. This is beyond their forte. 

But at times, in some temples, the administrators think they know better and take on both spiritual and administrative roles. They go it alone and do not heed spiritual instructions of the written word or of the men of spirituality. 

They heck care and go it alone. They think they are in charge and know best. They call all the shots. To put it bluntly, aren't they digging their own graves and are in for this? 

The administrators should just take instruction from the religious body who are usually the more learned and the pioneers. After the passing on of the founders,  pioneers of any temple should if they are still around form the religious body with the chairman from the administrative body to preside at the deliberations of the religious body. 

This was the advice of the representatives of Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) in particular for any temple of the good lord. This is also applicable to any temple and its mission. 

Effectively for any temple, the pioneers must stay on as the religious body to provide religious advisory for those who manage the temple in subsequent years. This will ensure continuity of the original direction of any temple. Isn't this plain common sense? Common sense must prevail in the running of any temple.

Sunset and sunrise are here to stay

No 838 of Living Life Series 1

Let us be mindful that death though different from life is in a way no different as death is like the change from today to tomorrow. A day well lived prepare us for a smoother and better prospect of tomorrow. A spiritually well lived life prepares us for death.

Today if not well lived in wise way will merely postpone problems for tomorrow and create more problems. We must be mindful not to live as though there is no tomorrow or as though today does not matter as much as tomorrow. 

There must be balance and this balance helps to iron out the creases in life and makes life more welcoming and pleasant somewhat. Religion should be like that. 

But some religions may be misunderstood for spelling out the stark reality of the harshness of life while others may paint a picture of happiness even now if we believe and have faith. Mind you, both are right. 

The best is to have the balance approach which is to be at peace with life and its vicissitudes and to want to be at peace with life even if some of these seem insurmountable. The gods or heavenly saints up there are here to help if we seek their shelter. 

Many issues will end up no issues but even big issues will end up as less issues though there is the element of fate. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) says. 

He adds that there will always be storms in life. Storms do not last forever and if sheltered by the saints, it would be easier to weather the storms till calm seas return. 

Death may be fearful but if sheltered by the heavenly saints, it would lead to life - a better life and even a happy state or paradise of sorts though a relative one at that

Life and death alternates like calm seas and storms. Be mindful therefore and do not live as though there will be no storms or death or that there will be no calm seas or life. 

Be mindful and be at peace. It helps more if we have the shelter and guidance of heavenly saints. 

Do not live for tomorrow as though renouncing today and do not live for today as though there is no tomorrow. Do not die to life today for life of tomorrow and do not live as though we are dead to tomorrow. Do not die to life and do not live to die.

Do not live as though the sun will never set nor live as though the sun will never rise. Be at peace with sunset or sunshine as both are here to stay. They are realities of life. 

Both are beautiful to the one who loves life and who is at peace with the yin and yang of life. Be mindful of the dual nature of yin and yang that is life. This too did the good lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) say. 

This truth is present in life and in all religions and cultures. Doesn't this make it the universal truth? All religions have the same universal truths. This is the message of the messenger of the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). 

Mortal obsession with immortality

No 837 of Living life Series 1

Everyone who is a mortal has to die but yet all live as though others can die and they won't. If only all are mindful that they will die and are not in denial, they will treasure life more and not ask for more. They will not be fussy with life, waste time and and create more problems for themselves and for others. They will be more peaceful and try to be at peace with life and with death.

Surely, those in the mission of the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) know that. If they realize that it is too trifle to disagree and to squabble, no reason enough to do so but more reason to agree to disagree, there would be more of "live and let live". 

There certainly will be more than ample space and capacity to accommodate people of differing stands. All have their way to fulfill the need to do some good though goodness for others is not their only intention. 

Ironically, there is the need to renounce the subconscious denial of mortality in their equally subconscious dream to be immortals and to embrace immortality even when they are still very much mortal. 

Let us be mindful of mortality if we want to be immortals one day. Well, even Gautama Buddha says that immortals up there are not immortals though they do have long life. 

Let us thus not be so obsessed with immortality but just be at peace with life and its mortal nature. This is the way saints handle life up there and down here. 

Mortal preoccupation with immortality is sure way to exacerbate the problems of mortality. People hold on to ideal of eternal life. This obsession merely promotes and exacerbates mortal woes. To approach even an inch closer to immortality, there must be the peace for the here and now with no strive or clinging to anything - immortality included. 

Then and only then will there be heaven here and now but of course, any heaven that we have (even the heaven up there) is far from eternity as life span in heaven though long is still finite. Eternity cannot be there when there is the caused, created and conditioned. It has to be Nirvana 涅槃 - enlightenment.

Nirvana 涅槃is beyond time, space and the senses. It is even beyond the mind sense which is the sixth sense beyond the five senses. It is beyond the caused, conditioned and created. It is that which is not caused, conditioned and created. It is beyond jhanas 禅 or mental ecstasies of the mind sense door that gurus experience and talk about. 

Mind you, Nirvana涅槃is beyond the heavens up there or down here. Heavens are created, caused and conditioned. Nirvana 涅槃 is not and is neither a place nor a state of mind. It is not a place for a place will be created caused and conditioned. It is not a state of mind as it is beyond the mind sense door. It is not nothingness. It is substantial beyond the five senses and the mind sense organ. 

Mortal obsession with immortality merely leads to more mortality issues. We must not chase after immortality through the five senses and through the mind sense. We must know there is Nirvana and cultivate the peace of the moment by eliminating hindrances or Nirvarana.  

The five hindrances are: 

Sensory desire   

Ill-will  

Sloth-torpor  

Restlessness-worry : the inability to calm the mind.

Doubt : lack of conviction.

Prosperity gospel of Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财

No 836 of Living Life Series 1

Is there the basis for prosperity if we follow the teachings of a religion? Religion does go beyond the worldly life of men but this does not mean that followers are denied prosperity. 

In fact, Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) the messenger of God for the oneness of all religions stresses that if the principles of religion enrich our spirit, the same principles if applied to spiritual life enriches us in mundane life. 

These principles are present in all religions and sects. The teachings of religions enrich us in both ways - spiritually and in worldly sense. We may say that prosperity gospel is common to all religions as religions teach us how to prosper in spirit and in body. 

In fact, many cultures the world over deal with the need to prosper and invoke the blessings of God and saints so that all will prosper. 

In Chinese culture, one central tenet is that we must prosper our neighbors regardless of their background and religion. Thus there is the call for prosperity for one and all during the Lunar New Year - the call of Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财. This supports the loving kindness religions refer to and is in all cultures.

Well, the culture even brings to life the wish of prosperity for one and all in the form of a pair of prosperity or wealth gods - one to congratulate and bless - Gong Xi 恭喜

and the other to prosper or give wealth - Fa Cai 发财

The pair embodies the spirit of Lunar New Year. This spirit of rejoicing and prospering must prevail beyond the festive season.

Wealth in wider sense is beyond material wealth. Chinese culture invokes God and saints to give us blessings and these blessings must transcend material gains. 

The gains are beyond material and even beyond the wealth of merits. Most importantly, there must be gains by leaps and bounds of inner peace that money and good deeds cannot provide us with. 

There must be abundance of inner peace. Then truly it is time to rejoice and congratulate people - Gong Xi 恭喜 and wish them more abundance of wealth and luck - Fa Cai 发财 . 

Prosperity gospel is an age old teaching. It is nothing new or revolutionary. It is championed by the ancestors of old in China and in many other cultures and religions. 

It is integral to the aspirations of humanity to scale the heights of success spiritually and mundane. In Chinese culture, we wish all to move up the ladder of achievement and progress - 步步高升. There again, there comes to life the success official or god of Heaven carrying the roll of honor. 

步步高升

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) adds that there is wealth of lessons we can learn from life, our own as well as the lives of others. Life can enrich us. Life is the prosperity gospel. 

Prosperity gospel prevails from ancient past. In life itself is to be found the prosperity gospel. 

God also reaches out to the masses to prosper the faithful through all cultures and religions. But they must believe and keep to the Word common to and basic to all religions and cultures. 

What stops people from prospering is their inability to have faith in the Word and make the Word come to life in their lives. Central to the Word is the cultivation of peace through yin yang balance which can proper us spiritually as well as in worldly mundane life. 

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) stresses on the dual blessings of cultivation of spiritual values through any religion. If we cultivate spirituality, we reap both spiritual and mundane success as the very principles of spirituality if applied to mundane life bring peace and plenty to mundane life in more holistic sense - not just in money terms but in all aspects of blessings. 

We are thus enriched in all aspects of mundane life when we enrich ourselves spiritually and be ever closer to God and saints. We achieve global prosperity through the prosperity gospel in life and in all religions.

No nation and no one can prosper without prospering together with others. Religions, nations and individuals must live as one and yet be distinct. This is the will of Heaven. 

This will go a long way to alleviate the problems of beings, to elevate them, to enrich and bring out more saints in their midst and ultimately to save more souls. The world will be richer and more prosperous in all aspects - holistically and that is great. Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财. 

While many do not find the prosperity gospel of Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财 in Chinese culture to be out of place and far fetched, some do find the same prosperity gospel in religion to be far fetched. But frankly, what is wrong in wanting everyone to prosper even if it may be too idealistic. 

The heavenly saints wish for every being to be saved but this too can be considered far fetched but we don't do think so. Isn't this true? 

Isn't it the case that prosperity gospel has been with men all along from ages past and is the same way all along? There is really nothing new and exceptional? 

The saints would rather provide the carrot of blessings of prosperity to as many as possible than to yield the stick of punishment to bring beings into the fold of religion and spirituality. This is the approach of all saints.

But when men started religions in their names, they somehow went overboard and make things difficult for fellow men. They ended up withholding and denying their fellow men the prosperity gospel approach that is captured by the phrase Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财 in Chinese culture.

A good illustration of this is with regards to the mission of Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) to show that the same inner peace can be achieved through any religion. 

Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨)

Even if some who come to any of his temples are not focused on mission but on personal agenda, they will get blessings and prosperity even if they do good like welfare services for their own good and glory. This is because they have done good and no one can deny that. They will still prosper in their own special way and at their level. 

But there are those who think they have erred in not doing mission proper and think they should not be blessed. They will still be blessed in keeping with the prosperity gospel for all beings. All will prosper if they are doing some good. This is stressed by the good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨). 

The pioneers

Elder Ling and all the pioneers of mission are well aware of this prosperity gospel approach. That is why all who come to the temple and do their part though not mission orientated and aware will ever be blessed as well. They will invariably prosper in some way. They deserve Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财. 

The good lord Lord Bo Tien (武天菩萨) is all for the prosperity gospel of God and all heavenly saints. He is after all one of the saints.

All religions have the same prosperity gospel to begin with but how this is packaged and presented over the centuries may often differ and are indeed unique to the respective religions and communities. Sometimes, it is the men of religions who are less open about this. At other times, they are too open on the prosperity gospel. 

But when it is integrated as culture like Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财 culture among Chinese, no one even will even think that this too is prosperity gospel. 

Isn't the giving of red packets prospering one another? It is but this is not the usual norm beyond the Lunar New Year.  

The prosperity gospel will always warm the hearts of men but it is only one aspect of life that men can fall back on. It is only one of the means to deliver hope to men. 

That is why in Chinese culture, the call of Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财 is in full steam only during Lunar New Year. For the rest of the year, for many it is on back burner but not forgotten. 

There is need to fall back to reality and be grounded to the grind and toil that is daily life. Dreams are necessary but humanity cannot live on dreams, fresh air and sunshine. On the other hand, humanity too cannot live by bread, sweat and toil alone. 

There is need for balance and this balance in Chinese culture is the yin yang balance. We need prosperity gospel to balance the grind of life. We need all to have hope and to believe in Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财 but not to ignore reality of life. Religion is an advantage to enhance the spirit of Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财 all the way in life and for that any religion will do. 

With regards to religion, it is the godly saints at the lower levels of Heaven who can help us more directly than those at the upper levels for they are better able to empathize with us. For the same reason, God needs saints coming to us in flesh and blood to be one of us to enrich us spiritually - Jesus, Gautama, Ji Gong (济公) are some examples. 

Ji Gong (济公) 

At human level, it is likely that those who are not rich who will be the ones who will help us to prosper than those who are super rich. This is a reality we have to live with. 

Temples and churches may offer prosperity but it is more likely that the ordinary devotees who will prosper the temples more than the temples prosper the devotees. When the temples and churches grow in prosperity, more people are attracted to them. Mind you, this is good as surely a good number who come will one day climb the ladder to higher spirituality so long as they stay on in the temples and churches.