No 1100 of Living Life Series 1
Religion is not for entertainment of men. It is also not a platform to entertain God and saints. But having said that, the truth is that it could be a place for entertainment even in the days of old. Fun fairs and shows such as puppet shows and chinese operas primarily to entertain God and saints were the fads and continue to be so.
They end up entertaining men more than God and saints. In the first place do God and saints need entertainment?
Men are ever innovative in present times and likely more so in future. The priest and the congregation now entertain one another and themselves by dancing, singing and jumping in joy. This mimics the scene in night spots and often there are revolving lights and computer screen backdrops.
These are the means to the end. The end is spiritual. But let not the means end up as the ends.
Alas many go to religion for entertainment ever since the days of old - the days of the forefathers. If men are not careful, they may end up far from God and saints even though they are in the holy premises of a place of worship.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the near can be far and the far near. This applies to the peoples of the various religions.
The worse scenario is when men of religion lobby for others to join them by badmouthing other religions. They create ill-will. This is as unworthy as trying to induce them with promises of fun. Some even sort of induce them to donate and say this will go some way for their salvation.
These are nevertheless acceptable as the norms. These are not really out of place with religion but just not that wholesome. At least, they are in a temple or religion and not lost to God and saints.
In a way, there are some who don't go to church or temple but are spiritual. They can have rapport with God and saints anywhere and any time.
They can be better off spiritually than those who go to churches and temples. They avoid ill will and are less likely to contribute to not-so-wholesome practices in religion.
Men cannot be told what they should do to be more spiritual. They must want to do so in the first place. Men will always want to do what they prefer. The more we tell them, the more they think that they should do what they want to do.
This is simply popular practices in action. This may not stand to scrutiny. The goal is to meet popular appeal. This is what culture is all about and is more of culture than religion.
In old days, the ones who determine culture are the elders - the old ones. With no longer any emphasis on respect for elders at all cost, the young ones who form the majority determine culture.
Religion is simply just an excuse. Culture takes precedence, never mind the relevance to religion. Do we want this to go on? Is this decadence? Can the leadership in any land or religion do anything about this?
Well we must admit that this is due to the need for entertainment and what is right does not matter as much for many. The pursuit of entertainment even in religion of all places has been going on all along.
It only takes on different forms. Not even the need for goodwill in religion will halt this trend. Somehow goodwill gives way to illwill in religion so that more entertainment and emotion can take root. With this, ill-will will creep in even further and pollute.
That is why the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 remarks that the near may be far. The ones who constitute the crowd in religion are supposed to be near but because of their want of entertainment and emotion, they may lose religious focus and end up far.
That is why there is the need for second coming and saints like Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 to provide the wake up call for all of whatever culture and religion to be better at what they are.
We can change culture and practices in religion but we must not lose religious focus or we end up worse off at what we are in whatever religion we are in.
We must not have emotion and ill-will have the better of us. We must keep focus on what is right, peaceful, good and pure. We must be on top of emotions, self and group needs and live a simple life.
Go more for the ordinary blessings in daily life which we take for granted and NOT for more and more rousing entertainment. Go to basics. This is the inner truth which we can realise in any religion. This is what Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 wants us to have.
They end up entertaining men more than God and saints. In the first place do God and saints need entertainment?
Men are ever innovative in present times and likely more so in future. The priest and the congregation now entertain one another and themselves by dancing, singing and jumping in joy. This mimics the scene in night spots and often there are revolving lights and computer screen backdrops.
These are the means to the end. The end is spiritual. But let not the means end up as the ends.
Alas many go to religion for entertainment ever since the days of old - the days of the forefathers. If men are not careful, they may end up far from God and saints even though they are in the holy premises of a place of worship.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the near can be far and the far near. This applies to the peoples of the various religions.
The worse scenario is when men of religion lobby for others to join them by badmouthing other religions. They create ill-will. This is as unworthy as trying to induce them with promises of fun. Some even sort of induce them to donate and say this will go some way for their salvation.
These are nevertheless acceptable as the norms. These are not really out of place with religion but just not that wholesome. At least, they are in a temple or religion and not lost to God and saints.
In a way, there are some who don't go to church or temple but are spiritual. They can have rapport with God and saints anywhere and any time.
They can be better off spiritually than those who go to churches and temples. They avoid ill will and are less likely to contribute to not-so-wholesome practices in religion.
Men cannot be told what they should do to be more spiritual. They must want to do so in the first place. Men will always want to do what they prefer. The more we tell them, the more they think that they should do what they want to do.
This is simply popular practices in action. This may not stand to scrutiny. The goal is to meet popular appeal. This is what culture is all about and is more of culture than religion.
In old days, the ones who determine culture are the elders - the old ones. With no longer any emphasis on respect for elders at all cost, the young ones who form the majority determine culture.
Religion is simply just an excuse. Culture takes precedence, never mind the relevance to religion. Do we want this to go on? Is this decadence? Can the leadership in any land or religion do anything about this?
Well we must admit that this is due to the need for entertainment and what is right does not matter as much for many. The pursuit of entertainment even in religion of all places has been going on all along.
It only takes on different forms. Not even the need for goodwill in religion will halt this trend. Somehow goodwill gives way to illwill in religion so that more entertainment and emotion can take root. With this, ill-will will creep in even further and pollute.
That is why the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 remarks that the near may be far. The ones who constitute the crowd in religion are supposed to be near but because of their want of entertainment and emotion, they may lose religious focus and end up far.
That is why there is the need for second coming and saints like Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 to provide the wake up call for all of whatever culture and religion to be better at what they are.
We can change culture and practices in religion but we must not lose religious focus or we end up worse off at what we are in whatever religion we are in.
We must not have emotion and ill-will have the better of us. We must keep focus on what is right, peaceful, good and pure. We must be on top of emotions, self and group needs and live a simple life.
Go more for the ordinary blessings in daily life which we take for granted and NOT for more and more rousing entertainment. Go to basics. This is the inner truth which we can realise in any religion. This is what Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 wants us to have.
