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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!.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Culture and not religion prevails

No 1072 of Living Life Series 1


New year joy comes once a year. To the Chinese celebrating the lunar new year, they must start the new year with the correct note with prosperity and joy aplenty. This is so as to welcome the year with the best of the best. 

This is part of culture and regardless of the religion, the same culture will be there. In fact the culture takes over religion and dominates. 

A Christian Chinese or for that matter a Chinese of any religion will still be practicing popular Chinese culture regardless of the religion he is in. 

Thus we can say that the culture of the individual in a religion prevails. This culture in the days of old in China used to be referred to by West as Taoism but in reality it is just Chinese culture. 

Chinese culture absorbs religion or rather religions become integrated into Chinese culture. 

For that matter a Westerner who takes up Taoism is still practicing Western culture and though he professes Tao philosophy, he is very much different from the Chinese who call himself Taoist. 

Thus we have to address the issue of whether culture is religion. Yes it is though of course it is not. 

Chinese New Year is rooted in popular Taoism but is not Taoism. If it is, those Chinese who are not Taoists would not celebrate Chinese New Year. Culture not religion prevails. 
You can call a rose by any name but a rose is still a rose by any name. It is just as sweet. 

Won't the icons of the lunar new year mean the same to Chinese regardless of their religious persuasions?