No 928 of Living Life Series 1
Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 teaches us to open our eyes and learn from life our own as well as the lives of others around us. We can learn a great deal from knowing why people belong to a religion.
1) By birth. You are born into it and it is your birth heritage. The religion you are born to is as good as any, if not better.
2) By race. It is unbecoming not to belong to that religion if you are of that race. There is risk of being disowned
3) By culture. Everyone is of that religion and not to belong is to be a black sheep
4) By education. They go along with the people in their school and university. They can get into the good books of the academia. You must have the right religion to have the edge.
5) Because men want to worship and like the way of worship
6) Because men like the type of company of people in that religion
7) Because they can learn more of how to be correct spiritually
8) Because they can do what they cannot do outside religion.
9) Because they can be leader of the flock and make personal capital out of this. There is better chance for personal growth
10) Because they think they can get the edge by belonging to a religion. The religion makes them more creditable and marketable socially.
11) Because they find the security in the worldly and not religious sense in that religion of their choice
12) Because they can boost their ego though religion teaches one to forgo the ego
But many of the reasons have no bearing on purpose of religion. Thus many are in religion but not religious. Even if they worship and are devotional, they may be religious but not spiritual. To be spiritual, one must go beyond devotion and worship. There are a few who want to be spiritual but do not want to be religious. They believe in no worship.
So the question is why be in religion and yet not religious and even if religious, why be religious and yet not spiritual? The reason is that men go for the means as the ends and not end in itself which is to be spiritual - to do good avoid evil and purify the mind.
Religions are man made. They are means to the end but people go for the means instead. Without religions, it would be worse. At least with religions, many are in the house of God. They may be there not for the best of reasons but at least they are near to God and saints though far.
The near may be far and it is the far that matters and need guidance by God and saints. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says.
There are the rare few who are not with religion and who even with religion are not religious, not participating members of a house of God and saints but are spiritual. They may be far but are near.
The near may be far but one day as long as they are near they will no longer be far. They will see through life and be spiritual and near truly near to God and saints.
The far may be near and the near far. This always ring a bell or two. This is what the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says and let this stay in our head. Let us meditate on this and grow in insight and wisdom.
All religions are good and depending on your affinity, you may need to choose the one that attracts you in not only none spiritual sense but also in non religious sense. This can be the religion you are born into but some want their way and not the way or religion of their culture or forefathers.
It must be the religion that brings and opens up the world to you and make the world seem more pleasant despite the challenges so that worldly life seems more worthwhile even with the many ups and downs.
But in the long run, you have to see through all in life and not depend on sugar coating or illusions to make life seem sweet. You must go beyond to the true sweetness that God and saints want you to have not in the afterlife but in the moment.
Have the peace of the moment through being atop the ups and downs as depicted by the feet of the image of the good lord with feet atop the elements of yin and yang. This is Tao 道 and this is in every religion and taught by all saints. Tao 道 is not the purview of Taoism.
So the question is why be in religion and yet not religious and even if religious, why be religious and yet not spiritual? The reason is that men go for the means as the ends and not end in itself which is to be spiritual - to do good avoid evil and purify the mind.
Religions are man made. They are means to the end but people go for the means instead. Without religions, it would be worse. At least with religions, many are in the house of God. They may be there not for the best of reasons but at least they are near to God and saints though far.
The near may be far and it is the far that matters and need guidance by God and saints. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says.
There are the rare few who are not with religion and who even with religion are not religious, not participating members of a house of God and saints but are spiritual. They may be far but are near.
The near may be far but one day as long as they are near they will no longer be far. They will see through life and be spiritual and near truly near to God and saints.
All religions are good and depending on your affinity, you may need to choose the one that attracts you in not only none spiritual sense but also in non religious sense. This can be the religion you are born into but some want their way and not the way or religion of their culture or forefathers.
It must be the religion that brings and opens up the world to you and make the world seem more pleasant despite the challenges so that worldly life seems more worthwhile even with the many ups and downs.
But in the long run, you have to see through all in life and not depend on sugar coating or illusions to make life seem sweet. You must go beyond to the true sweetness that God and saints want you to have not in the afterlife but in the moment.
Have the peace of the moment through being atop the ups and downs as depicted by the feet of the image of the good lord with feet atop the elements of yin and yang. This is Tao 道 and this is in every religion and taught by all saints. Tao 道 is not the purview of Taoism.
