To have more of peace in life

No 1019 of Living Life Series 1

Religion must revolve around life and not life revolves around religion. 

When we revolve life around religion, we risk living in a world of make-belief. We end up living in the dream world of the life hereafter. 

When we focus on life and life makes us understand religion better, we are rooted in the real world. The world here and now matters more than the afterlife. That is the difference. 

That is why life is the living gospel and the written gospel merely enhances our understanding of the living gospel. 

We go for the life here and now. We try to understand why we have no peace and no contentment. 

The more we have, the more we want. Often having less can be more. Many are happy even with less than what we have. Why can't we? 

We must not get away from life and think that life here and now is not important and what matters is to prepare for eternity. We end up trying to have nothing in this life and give our all to the afterlife. 

We must strike a balance as depicted by the image of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 with feet astride the elements - denial of life and over indulgence in life here and now. 

Then we will neither let our dreams have the better of us, control us nor will we let life control us. We will be in control of life and dreams. Then we will have more with less. Then we have more of the peace in life. 

To have more of peace in life, religion must serve us and not we serve religion. This may appear like an overstatement of sorts. The issue of who serves who is an issue we have all the time. 

But it is a different matter altogether if we lord over a religion or a temple and undermine the purpose of a religion or a temple. We must not be like insects coming to a flower for nectar. This did Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 say. 

The issue is not as simple as it is. What matters is to be pure in life and in purpose. Give this more thought. Meditate on this. Let us not lord or be lord over. There will be no end of this. Then how to have more of peace... 

That is why even Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 is more a friend than a lord. He advises, does not lord over us and display his divine majesty to awe us into submission. 

God and saints are all like that but men portray them the other way round. Somehow men are awed by them, and life revolves around religion more than religion revolves around life. 

To have more of peace, let not religion take over life and humanity end up living for life beyond this world and losing touch with life. Living life must take over as the focus of religion though a bit of dreams beyond this world may be good to spice up life.

We cannot just live life for religion, God and others. We cannot live life for ourselves either. There must be the avoidance of extremes. There must be the balance or middle way. 

We must not be fixated, enslaved or enamored in any way to ego identity - our own or the universal ego projected as God and saints. But we must be at peace with both ego identities and be free to have more of peace of God and saints. We will then experience more of the pureness of peace of life. 

To be enamored is to desire and to want - to have addiction and to have withdrawal at times. How can there be more of peace?

That is why worship in form of fawning on God and saints and the manifestly excessive outward display of this in form of lorry loads of incense sticks galore is not in good taste to the many who are not involved and will put people off. Such practices do not help to bring more peace. 

Ask Elder Ling and you will know better. He is right but many will not agree. But if this is what they think and want, let it be... even if there is less of peace - perhaps either way.

As what Ji Gong (济公) says what matters is what comes from the heart and not what one does or what goes through the gut. He walks the path of more peace in life - no indulgence in worldly trappings and no display of divine awesomeness. 

Though a lord saint, he does not lord. Many are at peace with him and able to have more peace of life. He is a friend. What a friend we have in Ji Gong (济公)!

All are good enough for a temple

No 1018 of Living Life Series 1

No one is an angel and no one is a devil. There is goodness in every one and that goes without saying. But yet men are strange. They may think they are the only ones to run a temple and provide religious  guidance and assistance to others. 

They think that others are fake and not religious enough - that they have wrong practices and not strong in doctrine. 

But they themselves though better are the same in some ways. Yet they can be in a temple but others should not be. Why the double standards? 

Men are like that. They see the dust in others'eyes but not their own. We must accept men for being men. We must learn to see how saints view men. 

As long as men have some good and capable of more, they can have a place in the sun. They are more than welcome to the temple. This is an aspect of life we must be mindful of. 

If God and saints are to judge by the wrong in men, then almost no one will be worthy of God and saints and no one is fit to run a religion or temple. 

So, let us be frank. Let all come to a temple so long as there is some good in them and they are inspired by the temple. 

Yes they may be doing certain things not right and questionable at that. But we must be accommodating. This does not mean we condone but just that we do not pass judgement. 

All are good enough for a temple and for religion. That is why God and saints offer not just one religion but many. That is why those running religions and temples need not be angels so long there is that little bit of angelic light in them. 

All religions are one in encouraging men to be good and more good. God and saints never say that they be perfect from day one. 

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 descended in 1969 to awaken men to the oneness of religions and that men can be accepted by God, saints and religions even if they have long way to go. We should be thankful of that. 

We not only have religion but we have many choices of religions to attract us to be with God and saints and make good whatever little or finite good we have.

So let no one says that others are wrong and have no place in a religion or a temple. They must not judge others and end up judging themselves. All are good enough for a religion or for a temple. 

All need to improve and that is it. Like God and saints, we must give leeway for improvement and not expect sainthood out of men before they can be in a religion or temple of man. 

All are good enough for a temple and for God and saints. So do not be cynical with others in same temple or in same or other religion. 

God and saints do not require us to be perfect or cleansed to perfection by rituals or penance before we can come to them or to a temple. 

Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that even if men come to a temple or religion like insects to a flower for nectar, blame not the flower - blame not God and saints. 

In a way, it shows the unconditional welcome or love by God and saints. Even if we go to God and saints for personal gains, it is still alright to God and saints though not alright to some men who themselves too come for personal gains but insist they are not.

All are good enough for God and saints and for a temple. We are all God worthy though we may have unworthy aspects. That is why there are many religions, many sects and many houses of God and saints. 

Never can we say that we are left out in the cold by God and saints. Men may leave us out in the cold but not God and saints. 

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that if men seek the grace of God and saints, God and saints will come to men. There is no qualification for us to be even good but men just need to want to their help. That alone shows that all are good enough for God and saints. 

All are good enough for any temple or house of worship. God and saints will help where they can barring fate but even with fate, big issues if cannot be no issues will be less of issue. This the good lord says on behalf of God and saints of all religions. 

Thus it makes observation of Mission Day of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨on 13th day of ninth lunar month more meaningful for all peoples regardless of religions temples or land. All are good enough for a temple and for God and saints. 

The more ardent can go for the 49 days purity observance before Mission Day. The Mission is to show oneness of God and saints through all religions and temples in wanting to bring men to goodness. We do not need to be good to begin with though a little good to begin with is welcome. 

Mission Day makes men better at whatever religion or sect they may be in. Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 is not here to start new religion or sect. He is not here to impress men with his divine majesty. 

Ask David Tay of temple of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 and he will tell you more.

The truth behind life lies in fellowship

No 1017 of Living Life Series 1

The truth behind religion is that it tries to bring salvation for all. But religion sometimes try to be very impressive and make spiritual growth beyond the understanding of the common man. Then at the other extreme, there is the religion that makes it so simple. Just believe and be good. Either way, religion can become its own undoing. 

There is however one reality behind religion. You cannot say the same thing to all. Religion is about the individual - how he finds peace in spirit and meaningful relationship with men, with life and with God as well as coming to terms with mortality. 

That is why organized religion though able to reach to many may end up not meeting the needs of the many. But if it does meet, it is because of fellowship among men. 

Men must help one another and cheer up one another. Men must stand up to be concrete pillar of strength and not stay as individual sand particles to be blown away. This was emphasized by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. 

It feels good to be not alone. There are fellow men around. There is also God and saints. They do answer prayers. This is the truth behind life and religion. The truth lies in fellowship. 

But the problem in many temples is that men are men and the issues of men are many and plentiful. Where men meet, they often end up having problems with fellow men. Isn't that pathetic?  

That is why every year at any temple of the good lord, there is the 49 day purity observance before Mission Day on 13th day of the ninth lunar month. 

Those observing the 49 days of purity observance must make the effort of coming together in the temple. They observe keeping the gap shut as the mouth is often the cause of problems. We must talk less and make effort to be kind in speech and in body language. 

But this is not enough. We must silence the background noises in our head. We must meditate not alone but as a group. We must have fellowship even in meditation. 

The feel good factor from group gathering insures people in group from splitting hairs. Like family members they will stay together somehow. The bond lies in fellowship.

This practice of yearly purity observance can easily be replicated in any temple of any religion. Many are already doing so for centuries past. 

But men are men. They do have short memory of sorts. After a while, complacency sets in. The clatter of voices return and the noises in the head comes back. 

It seems good to have them as then men have something to talk about, something to argue on and to find fault with one another. They even forget they are in a temple and do the unthinkable in a temple. They end up not having fellowship. They are on their own and they think they are in paradise. 

But when men meditate and pray together, they have bonding - fellowship. Even if they have differences, they can put their differences aside. 

Even religions do not go it alone. They must work in fellowship with all other religions. All religions are one. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨is the messenger of God and saints on the oneness of religions. That people need cell groups when there is no extended family is the evidence for the need of fellowship, be it in life or in religion. 

Unbelievable. So near and yet so far

No 1016 of Living Life Series 1

It is simply just unbelievable. So near and yet so far are the men who run a temple. They appear like saints and the people who come are to be their men. But oddly no saints they are when with other men. What have become of men, more so such men who can be anyone - you and me included? 

They rather be on their own than share the temple with men more so with those who air different views. They want it for their own. They just want their way and that is the only way. It suits their needs.

Well, what to do when like what the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says they are like insects and the temple the flower - so near and yet so far. Unbelievable they are. 

Insects come to flower for nectar and blame not the flower for insects coming to it and others have to stay away. They come for worldly gains and not heavenly ends. They are so near and yet so far - near to God and yet in a way ungodly they are. 

But God rather they be there in temple than be out there and lost in the wild. At least they are in temple - never mind if they are so near and yet so far. 

But when can they make good and be near to God and not far? When can they make it in the temple of God and saint? Why let them be near and yet so far? Unbelievable they are - of all places looking for nectar of worldly gains in temple of heavenly ends. 

Who are they who are so near and yet so far? Well, they are men like anyone of us. Unbelievable they truly are. They can be so near and yet so far. 

Religions too there are but like men they can be so near and yet so far with respect to heavenly ends. They may err and go for worldly gains. Unbelievable men and religions can be - ever so near and yet so far from more goodness of all in God and in saints. 

No wonder some who think they know better stay afar than be near. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 affirms that far can be near and near far. Unbelievable is the word - so near and yet so far. 

Yes indeed though unbelievable, we all are like that - so near and yet so far. Why point fingers? Better to look at ourselves in the mirror. 

On man and the gap of his mouth

No 1015 of Living Life Series 1

Some still believe that no news is good news. This is not exactly without basis. Often any news will likely be gossip. 

Men are like that and must learn to shut mouth. In Chinese language, stronger language is used and literally translated is for men to imprison their own mouth. 

This has been one of the purity practices during the 49 days of purity observance before Mission Day of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 on 13th day of ninth lunar month. 

Well, life is like that and many are carefree and loose with what they talk and when they open their mouths. But restraint can be good. 

It may be better to be dumb and silent than to shoot away with the mouth. Do not be frivolous. Don't have a big mouth.

Sometimes, a wise one is more of a hermit hiding away and keeping to himself even while he is in a crowd. He is there but his presence is not felt. He is not the noisy one. 

Such hermit can be seen in a temple if you care to be more mindful. He just goes there, does what good he can quietly and then leaves. At no time is he canvasing or cajoling. He is non-partisan. 

He is of course better than the ones who dare not be there. The latter do not trust themselves and out of fear and with lack of self confidence in themselves stay away. 

There are indeed hermits in a temple and they can be a certain Mr Wee or any other. When hermits open their mouths, they say kind and encouraging words. They don't hurt but they heal. 

Saints are excellent examples of that. If they speak, they speak kind words to all and what they say seem to apply to eternity. What the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 said on the few occasions in the early years after his first descent seem to hold true and meant for decades. Additionally, what the good lord said applies to all religions, all men, all temples and at all times. 

Yes, we must learn to hold our tongues and to speak only if necessary and be kind in words to all when we ever speak. 

Some think too much and get floored. They have no peace. Some don't think enough and rattle away like a machine gun. They can be loud and jarring. 

Some cannot think and just follow the crowd. They as the good lord Lord Bo Tien says just flow downstream with the current. But for clear water men must go upstream to the source. 

Well, all said, it is obvious that it takes all kinds of people to make this world. We will find them in a temple too. But don't be disheartened. 

As the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says we can learn from others - their good points and their not-so-good ones as well. Life is the living gospel. 

We must learn to keep the gap shut so as to have more peace around. Perhaps do this as part of religious practice at any temple. If you like, go to a temple of the good lord during the 49 day purity observance before Mission Day to cultivate silence of sorts..,.

But one last word is that though it is difficult to silence the mouth, it is even more difficult to silence the mind from the clatter of noises. Well, well we do have long way to go, isn't it? 

The same old story of man and his temple

No 1014 of Living Life Series 1

There is always the same old story. An individual goes to a temple for the first time. He is impressed and feels the presence of God and saints. He keeps going to the temple. 

But with time instead of feeling the presence of God and saints, he feels the presence of men. As time passes by, he knows them better and of course in time, they will disappoint him and perhaps he disappoints them. Then he decides to leave to go to another temple. The same old story repeats itself. 

But those left behind in a temple are those who still have not yet seen the ugly side or perhaps are those who are causing the ugly side of a temple. Why this is so is because a temple is inevitably a temple of men. 

This has gone on in the past centuries and the temples have devolved to be no man's temple but just places where people go to when they need to ask God and saints for blessings. 

People who run temples end up just in the background and holding festivals few times a year. 

Then on big occasions with throngs of people, there is no time for nit picking. People are there just to join the crowd and to go home after that. 

But are temples supposed to be like that, even if they have been like that for centuries past? 

Well, according to Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨, temples are made of people and not the building. Temples must accommodate people of different interests and understanding in life, be it understanding of spiritual or otherwise.

All are welcome by God and saints. But then there will always be people in a temple who think otherwise. They think they can decide that only their clique should call the tune and others must keep off or face being told in their face they are not wanted. 

Thus men at the helm become high handed and do exactly what God and saints won't do. Even God and saints don't judge but they the men do not hesitate to judge. 

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that yin and yang must come together and be cemented like particles to form a pillar. They can stay as yin and yang but learn to work together and stay as one concrete pillar. 

He did not say yin become yang. Life and the world is not like that. There will only be whole if yin and yang though different can stay as one. 

The same applies at helicopter level of religions. Religions are different but they must work as one and must not operate as though other religions have no place. All religions work for the common good of men though in their respective ways. How dare we say that one way is right and others wrong? 

The way of management for an issue must vary somewhat for different individuals and people. That goes without saying as the context and circumstances are different. Well many may not agree but if so they have the right to do so. 

But let no one say the other cannot hold on to their belief. They must learn to live under the same roof and in the same world. In fact the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says the whole world is the universal temple with the sky as roof and religions as pillars. 

Life Detox before Mission Day of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨

No 1013 of Living Life Series 1

Men ask for happiness and blessings. They turn to God and saints. This has been the way since the days of old. They ask for everything and sometimes think that things will drop down from the sky. Heaven somehow still accede if they can. This is always the case. 

But there will never be the end. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 wants all to reflect that there are many ways for blessings in life. 

Heaven can bless us. We can be blessing to ourselves by knowing how to live life, what to want and what not to. We can also help one another and be blessings to one another. 

We can also understand life and the nature of life. Let not the wants in life get the better of us. When is enough enough? Why we seem to want more and more and end up having more of the problems of life itself? 

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨says that the issues of men are many and plentiful. This seems to be the lot of men. 

This is due to wanting and longing. But we need to be men and there must still be wants somehow. We cannot want nothing and deny our being man. We will rot away and be in bad health. 

We must strike a balance and this is common sense. This balance is the way depicted in the image of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 with feet on the elements - denial and wanting. 

Well, this truth seems simple but there is more than meet the eye. What is enough and balance differs from person to person. 

Sometimes, we need to sit back and pull back our need for more and more. We may think that what we want is not excessive and expect that Heaven must give in to us more so when we cannot get them ourselves. 

Even if we do not need the hand of Heaven and can get what we want, we will be so worn out and not at peace and worse still, we will think on how to get other wants of tomorrow. 

That is why people must retreat to a temple once a year to meditate and reflect - to sit back and look at life. That is why there is the 49 days purity observance before Mission Day of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 where we at least have less of wants and realize that life can still go on. 

With the experience of 49 days of vegetarianism, fasting before noon, and holding our tongue and not talk needlessly, we will be better off - sort of detoxified in spirit and in body. We will also empathize with those who have not enough and realize how fortunate we are. 

Thus this will remind us not to go for more. We can have more by having less. Don't you get it? If not, join those others in the 49 days purity observance before Mission Day of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. 

We will be refreshed, detoxified and more religiously inclined and better poised for life. We will be able to handle life and its wants. We will still have wants but the wants will not get the better of us. We will be better at pulling the brakes on wants.  

This can be practiced in any temple and through any religion. It is not that life detox can only be done a temple of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. He merely shows the way. In fact at any temple in his name, people of all religions can take part and be better at whatever religions they are in. Isn't this cause for rejoicing? 

This is in fact reinforcing the message in 1969 when he descended and the message is that all religions work at saving men. All religions can make it. Saving life and souls is not the monopoly of any one person or group. All religions must work together to detox and save lives. 

49 days of purity observance before Mission Day

No 1012 of Living Life Series 1

Why is there the need for religion? One answer is that most are not religious enough. Why is there need for laws and rules? Well, people just don't get things right otherwise and create problems for others. But why are there still problems?

Well, what do we expect. Even the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that men are like that. The problems and issues of men are many and plentiful. 

At least the laws and rules as well as the dogmas make things better for all but are not enough. Having religion too is not enough. Many are not religious enough even with religion. 

They in fact come to a temple like insects to a flower for nectar. They come to God and saints for more of the world and this is the nectar they come for though they put up a front of coming for spiritual. 

Do we blame the flower for insects coming to it for nectar? Surely the answer is obvious. The problem is not with God and saints. The problem is not with religion. 

We want to blame men for the problem. But can blaming men undo the problems of men. Finger pointing does not help in the long run and may create guilt, anger and more problems. 

The problem of problems or rather the mother of all problems is that men are men and not God and saints. Men pride themselves of being made in the image of God but this only make no difference and men are ever the more problematic. 

But without religions, and without rules, laws and dogmas, men will be worse off. Some say that men will go to the dogs, But this is unkind to men and dogs. Some dogs are simply wonderful though they may be dogs. 

Admit it that we are still men. Feel not guilt or remorse for being so. We do err ever so often. But what matters is that we learn from life - our own as well as from others both the good and the not-so-good. Life is the living gospel. This too is echoed by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨. 

It is alright to be not pure in spirit and in life so long as we try to improve day by day and a little at a time. We cannot be like God and saints overnight. 

There is no such things as belief and you will be pure overnight. God and saints cannot take over our lives, our wrongs, our shortcomings. 

God and saints are not hurt by what we do. We only affect ourselves and others. God and saints feel sorry for us and would want to help us and take over our shortcomings. But there is no such thing as believe and be saved unless we act to improve our lot. 

Yes, we are far from perfect, far from pure. But we can try to be better, couldn't we? This is all that matters. Try be pure though far from being pure. 

The worse injustice to life is to wallow in misery and thinking that we are a disgrace to self, to others and to God and saints. 

Try to be pure even if still far from pure. That is why there is the practice of 49 days of purity observance before the yearly anniversary of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 on 13th day of the ninth lunar month. 

Purity is more than the purity of actions, more than the purity of the body and flesh but also the purity of the mind and spirit. Don't just do good to please others and to boost ego. Be sincere. Don't just be vegetarian but yet still want to harm and kill. Even harsh words can harm and may kill. 

The 49 days of purity observance is like a retreat or if you like, a yearly course to train us to be better at being pure for the rest of the year and the rest of life. The yearly observance is to enhance that habit and be somehow a bit more blessed not only for self and for others. We will also be blessed by God and all heavenly saints. 

It is like a short sojourn in Heaven - a rehabilitation so that we will be better placed for the life of man. It is not a guarantee that we be perfect but we will be better at being pure... That is why in certain years, members get away to a hill or to the seaside away from society and dead in the quiet of the night to meditate and to pray together - to do something that is not part of the run of the mill of worldly life. 

Be the lanterns of love that never discriminate

No 1011 of Living Life Series 1

There is no denying that others have done good and given their best in the past. They leave behind a legacy for us to benefit and build on. Let us not forget that even if they are no longer capable of direct contribution, they should still be appreciated and valued. 

We should make this known to them that they are valued even in the twilight of their life. That would be kind and more than that an expression of our gratitude and love for them. They are our elders and regardless of their oddities in old age, they are to be respected. They are our elders. There is need to love others more so our elders without which we would not be where we are now. 

Love is what religion is all about. Religion is about love and love makes the world go around and injects joy all around. 

Because men tend to forget and think that the old should be the forgotten lot as they no longer can be as useful as in the past, younger men tend to take over a religion or temple. That is only natural but let not men change history. 

There are those who rewrite history and claim the old did nothing good and they the young claims credit for the success and goodness that the temple is languishing in. This is due to ego. 

They allow their ego and greed to have the better of them. Their love for life is at best only the love for themselves. The world must be centered on themselves and not they be part of the world. 

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 talks at length on loving kindness which is central to all religions. Loving kindness if practiced draws no distinction among men. 

If love for life is only for self and not others, then this is not right. If love for life is for others and not self, this too is not right. There is the need for that balance as depicted in the image of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 with feet atop the two. 

There is no need to deny self or others. There is need to love others and self in balanced fashion. Let the lanterns of love light up the lives of all and not discriminate one from another - self and others. Be a blessing to all - self and others. 

Make no enemies. All are friends and welcome. All can connect and provide the rainbow of love. 

Religion for many has to do with worldly gains

No 1010 of Living Life Series 1

What is relevant to the many who go to temples is how to be more worldly and successful in the world, not how to be good enough to be a Buddha or saint. Thus when they go to a house of God, they go for what gains they can have in worldly life. 

God and saints know that and they bless men with worldly blessings to give them a head start or advantage in life even if this is a worldly one. Nothing else matters if one cannot get a good job or have worldly resources that will enable men to decide what they want to do next. 

But most will go for more and more of the world. This is not exactly right but not altogether wrong. The issue is what is the goal in life and when to pull back and know enough is indeed enough. 

Generally the call of religion is for many the promise by God and saints that if men ask, it will be given. Ask and it will be given. Seek and ye shall find. 

Well for many asking for beyond the world is not as important as asking for what is the world. But there is a catch. Don't ask for the world. That will be impossible even if God is indeed God. 

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says thus, "Those with heart to pray God and saints do know. Those who seek help, God and saints will come to them and provide where possible" 

God and saints do know we need to be worldly but we must not ask for the world. We must know what we need now and this will often and invariably be worldly blessings of sorts. 

But God and saints hope the we will be motivated and moderated by Doctrine or Word so that we will not be carried away by our wants. Doctrine will moderate our wants so that we will find more of peace and strive, so that we will not be slaved to our wants and our wants get the better of us. 

Thus if you still think that worldly blessings are not good, you are both right and wrong. We still need worldly blessings and that is the truth. But we need eventually to have peace of God and saints. 

Worldly blessings for most is part of the equation to have the peace. Even God and saints is for us to have worldly blessings. Worldly blessings are what we need to have in life. 

But men cannot live by bread alone but by more than bread. Men cannot live without bread (food) either. There must be that balance for men to arrive in life and be at peace. 

That balance is spelled in the image of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 with feet astride the two with the right hand holding on to the scepter of truth of life. There is doctrine in the image. The image is the Word. The Word is the image. 

He who is far from balance in life is far from peace even if he is near to peace of God and saint by being in a temple. It is alright to go to temple for worldly gains though temple is more for spiritual gains. 

For there to be progress and peace in life, be it mundane or spiritual, there must be balance between the two. Otherwise, the near in temple may be far from peace in life. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the far can be near and the near far, didn't he? 

But somehow, we cannot deny that many go for religion for worldly blessings and this must be there to start them off in life. All the rest will be just a pipe dream if worldly gains are not there in the first place. 

Thus all said, religion for many has to do with worldly gains. Whether they can go beyond the need for worldly gains is an issue for another day. But when will this day be? 

Do be mindful that worldly gains you can have with blessings from God and saints. But they are only the means and not the end. While to many, they are the must-have to begin with, in the long run they are only good to have. The must-have is the inner peace. 

The need for inner peace and the approach to this is more or less the same at the very basic core in all religions. All religions are one though different. This is the message of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨.

Temples like religions have to be many

No 1009 of Living Life Series 1

The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that all temples will be no different though they may be different. They undergo the same issues because those in temples are staffed by men of the world. 

They attract people who come for personal agenda or benefits. Who don't when they believe in a sage or saint and professed passionately a sect or religion? 

The many who come do but only a few more steep in the Word don't. They know the Word is God and God is the Word. But many are more at belief and at devotional level. They only stay at that level and they are in the majority. They are the ones who run temples but it would still be worthy if those running are elders. 

The good lord stresses on respect for elders and elders should be the ones to run temples. But if this is not there, then the young may take over. They the young will want their way and would think the little they know is allot and good enough for them to go their way. 

They are not shy of admitting that they want more of what they can have in this world and what is beyond this world is beyond them. They end up emulating the crowd and be even better at having more of the world in temples where ironically they are supposed to know more and have more of what is beyond this world. 

God and saints go along with them but would have wanted them to be better than that. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that we don't blame the flower for insects coming to the flower for nectar and causing it to be lackluster and wilt. 

At least the flower or temple provides them with nectar of worldly gains. The shortcoming of this is temple becomes of the world as well and temples go the way of the world. Surely what is of the world however good will not last but new ones will arise from the seeds from the wilted flower. 

All temples are more or less the same in this respect though they may be of different religions or sects. This is due to lack of balance of yin and yang. 

A temple must undergo three obstacles, the yin, the yang and the failure to have balance between worldly and spiritual needs. This may be referred to as the three baptisms of the temple - fire, water and human obstacles. 

For a temple building to come up, it must overcome yin and yang or fire and water hurdles. Once the building arises, more of the world will come and claim their stake. This is the human obstacle. 

The true temple is the people and not the building. The question is how people can gel as one when they are of different minds. Perhaps it is best that there be more temples than only one with people splitting hairs on what should be the way to run the temple. 

For the same reason, it is better to have more religions and sects. After all, all religions and sects, and all temples are one in God and goodness but yet very different. This is the original message of Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 in 1969. 

Temples like religions do have to be many so long as people cannot be of one heart and have different mindsets. They must go separate ways and have temples of their own. 

Only then will they realize they are still one at heart. Only by having more religions and more temples will the goodness of God and saints reach out to the many and strike a bell. 

But when they can indeed be one is for many just the ideal. God and saints are one in goodness. Men too will be one when they are like God and saints. For now and for the many, there is need for many temples and many religions and sects. 

How can God and saints allow for the many to be lost? It is far better for many to be not religious but still in temples of sorts and be somewhat religious at least in name if not in substance. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the far must be near and this is the way to make this happen. 

This has to do with his sermon of the far is near and near is far... Well, those near to higher spirituality stay far from the temples of men because they are too far ahead and cannot gel. But many many temples of men are needed to attract the many other men to some form of religiosity and even a little wee bit is better than none at all. 

Popular religion good and yet not good enough

No 1008 of Living Life Series 1

While it is easy to say that all religions teach the same truth - the truth of goodness, how to be good can be presented in different ways and at different levels. That is why we have religions not just one but many. 

Yet, men instead of going for macro or helicopter approach, somehow go for micro approach and some will say they are right and others wrong. 

The more popular religions owe their popularity to being able to push out the simpler level of the interpretation of the belief in goodness. The simplest level is to believe in God and saints and what they tell you which is to be good. 

No need to dwell on the higher levels of how to do so. This is the helicopter approach. 

At this level, some will somehow say that their way and view is the only good, not the rest. That has gone on for centuries and will be no different in centuries to come. 

The simplistic approach is the way to reach out and yet this is also the fertile ground for seeds of disagreement. People may say that theirs is the only way to be good. That is to be respected though many too will not buy their thinking. 

Moreover, if we look deep and understand religion at the higher levels which are more profound and more philosophical, the similarity of doctrine of religions become clearer. It would be easier for example to understand that The Word is God (or saint) and God (or saint) is the Word. This is akin to what Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that His image is the Word and the Word is the image.

But only a few can go the mile. Many are just starting off and what they need is to believe in the goodness of the religion they profess and that this goodness is good. This is good and serves its purpose. This is how to reach out to many. There must be ever the more religions and sects to reach out to the many. 

This is the message of the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 when he descended in 1969 and is the very purpose of his mission which is the Mission of Heaven. 

This is good and yet not good enough. Popular forms of religion attracts people to the downstream of a river and people flow along downstream with others. But for clear water of spirituality, we must go against the current and go upstream to the source for clear water. This is explained to us by the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨.