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, July 5, 2015

Respect for elders is a precept for good reason

No 920 of Living Life Series 1

Meritocracy has crept into culture and religion. The young who are the up and coming elders are in the fore. They know more and want to do more. They rightly should have the say and have been taking the lead in many frontiers of family and society.

While they respect the elders, they would prefer the elders stay in the background to support what they do and not the other way round. If the elders choose to speak out and impose but are not in tune with them, there is no longer the case that they the young will keep dumb. They may speak out and overrule. But this may border on lack of or no respect for elders.

In the past, elders call the tune even if they are not as right. Worse still, the young somehow may have no qualms in going all the way and excommunicating them from the say of things in family, society or even in a house of God and saint.

This calls to question of how much weight we must give to the divine precept of religions on respect for elders. Respect for elders does no longer mean the elders run the family, society or house of God and saints. Elders no longer possess all the know-how and clout to police culture and religion. They often leave it the young and upcoming.

As a consequence, the young want a free hand and may not be as kind and respectful to the elders if the elders get in their way and exuberance.

Respect for elders in religion was divined as a precept from days of old. Precepts were promulgated as guidelines and out-of-bound markers for good reason.

It is best that the young toe the line or lose the spiritual edge to lead spiritually. But the problem too is that many of the elders can get in their way because they are not as good as they are.

There again the young need not go along with them but must still respect them as elders. One day the young too will age and be old. They would want the respect by the young - especially their gratitude and respect for having done good in the past.

Respect for elders is a precept for good reason. What God and saints decide, let no man put aside. God and saints obviously know better. Let not ego come in the way and result in the elders being unwanted and despised, more so in a house of God. They may not be right half the time but please give them the respect as elders.

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 applies this precept even in temple in his name. Surely he has a purpose and knows that in time, ego may get the better of men in his temple.

If there is no respect for elders, it is not inconceivable that one day some will not even respect God and saints, let alone worship them. This is more so when they find God and saints cannot meet their every wish and demand.

Before this, there will be tale tale signs of less religiosity in the house of God and saints. There will be more social and communal activity.

But somehow God and saints will have their way and win them over. They will learn to observe precepts and be good.

The flower may have insects coming to it for nectar. They can get the nectar but after that, they will hover around or leave to other flowers. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 wants us to reflect that a temple is like a flower

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.