No 1189 of Living Life Series 1
Is it wrong to worship ancestors? Isn't worship of God and saints in a way the respect for the greats of mankind - those who started and mould mankind to what they are currently?
God and saints have been roped in to bring mankind together - the unifying bond in a country and even the subservience of nations to the dominance of another.
Won't it be easier if all look up to the same ancestry of man? Won't it be wonderful if God is the original ancestry from whom all mankind and beings can trace their origin and history and identify with?
So why on Earth condemn ancestor worship when the age-old tradition of God in the centre of our lives is in itself a higher form of ancestral reverence?
This speaks volumes of the minds of men. They are critical of ancestral worship but yet promote it. Isn't this ironical and illogical somewhat?
No wonder the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the problems of men are many and plentiful. Even in relation to ancestor worship and God, they create problems.
Men can be critical of ancestral reverence but yet subscribe fervently to it in another form. What has happened to the common sense - the logic of men?
To make matters worse, men can tell other men that the God they revere is not the same God just because of different religion or culture. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that all are one in God and saints. Aren't men absurd at times?
Truly, as the good lord says - the problems of men are many and plentiful and the near to God may be far and not so near after all. The God that is there is not what men conceive him to be.
Men may be critical of ancestral worship but yet practicing it. God is the ultimate of ancestors. Men cannot be of favor to God but God can be of favor to men. Men can be of favor to human ancestors but human ancestors may not be in position to favor men as much as God is capable of.
Thus many men favor only God but not the human ancestry. Isn't that not telling? But that is why men are men and not saint. Religions are good at bringing men to God and saints but men must relate correctly to God and saints. Therein lies the issue.
Some in their desire to manipulate and make others of different culture subservient to them discount ancestral worship to detach them from cultural and racial loyalty. Then they introduce God as the replacement.
But, they of course in their own vested interest introduce their own version of God. God becomes the means for them to exert racial and cultural superiority. It becomes easier to show that they know best and others should look up to them. They are then able to assimilate others into their culture and thinking. They call the tune that more easily.
God ends up as a pawn for the games of men to checkmate and coerce others into looking up to them. First they say that people should not worship ancestors. Then they encourage God as the replacement - the original ancestry.
But men are men. Some of the very ones who are won over end up thinking more differently and they sell their new thinking back to them. God then ends up as the plank for more problems among men.
It is ideal for religion and politics to stay clear of each other. But if the law of the land does not step in to moderate religion, religion may well be straying into the terrain of national interest.
It must be recognised that the law of the land is not interfering with God but ensuring no religious adventurism and excess in name of religion. There is therefore a delicate balance based on logic - Tao 道.
This if not achieved will result in people critical of ancestor worship but yet practising it. They do so somewhat discreetly not just to further spiritual ends but more for non-spiritual ends.
Men must of course be forgiven as men often are short of expectations of fellow men, not to say God and saints. God and saints hold no misgivings with regards to men. They would rather forgive men for men know not what they do. Men are myopic and not far sighted.
Men can be far though near to God in the same way pet dogs are as near but yet far from being men. That seems derogatory but is an astute observation. When will men rise to be more God worthy and wholesome? This will be a long time to come. We have to wait a long long time.
The pessimism is justified when man in one breath denounces ancestor worship but in the same breath justifies God ancestry and reverence. The Chinese saying that there is one eye big and one eye small sums up the sentiment that men tend to be bias.
This sentiment is held for those they have less respect or regards for - those with less culture and no respect for ancestry. This can be made worse still by those who borders on hypocrisy and to be exact double talking. Don't be critical of ancestral worship but yet practice it.
To put it bluntly some respect only God but not the elders and ancestors in family and society. Isn't this unbecoming and uncivilised? No wonder the some self opinionated Chinese of old who held their nose high refer to them as barbaric - to be exact and to put it in more civil way 'uncivilised'.
In the first place, those who are critics of ancestor worship but are all for God ancestry and reverence are victims of self opinionation and conceit. But some of the self opinionated Chinese of old are even better at this. Some refer to this as 'double to know one'.
But that is not the way the wise and humble would put it. They will be more prudent and wholesome in their comments. The wise will say that people need to learn and to make good. Such people know not what they do. Give them time and space and all will be well. At least keep some space and distance from others for time being.
Do not talk before we can think clearly. If what is to be said is hurtful, don't even say it. Shut up the gap and that will be good. Silence can be golden.
God and saints have been roped in to bring mankind together - the unifying bond in a country and even the subservience of nations to the dominance of another.
Won't it be easier if all look up to the same ancestry of man? Won't it be wonderful if God is the original ancestry from whom all mankind and beings can trace their origin and history and identify with?
So why on Earth condemn ancestor worship when the age-old tradition of God in the centre of our lives is in itself a higher form of ancestral reverence?
This speaks volumes of the minds of men. They are critical of ancestral worship but yet promote it. Isn't this ironical and illogical somewhat?
No wonder the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that the problems of men are many and plentiful. Even in relation to ancestor worship and God, they create problems.
Men can be critical of ancestral reverence but yet subscribe fervently to it in another form. What has happened to the common sense - the logic of men?
To make matters worse, men can tell other men that the God they revere is not the same God just because of different religion or culture. The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that all are one in God and saints. Aren't men absurd at times?
Truly, as the good lord says - the problems of men are many and plentiful and the near to God may be far and not so near after all. The God that is there is not what men conceive him to be.
Men may be critical of ancestral worship but yet practicing it. God is the ultimate of ancestors. Men cannot be of favor to God but God can be of favor to men. Men can be of favor to human ancestors but human ancestors may not be in position to favor men as much as God is capable of.
Thus many men favor only God but not the human ancestry. Isn't that not telling? But that is why men are men and not saint. Religions are good at bringing men to God and saints but men must relate correctly to God and saints. Therein lies the issue.
Some in their desire to manipulate and make others of different culture subservient to them discount ancestral worship to detach them from cultural and racial loyalty. Then they introduce God as the replacement.
But, they of course in their own vested interest introduce their own version of God. God becomes the means for them to exert racial and cultural superiority. It becomes easier to show that they know best and others should look up to them. They are then able to assimilate others into their culture and thinking. They call the tune that more easily.
God ends up as a pawn for the games of men to checkmate and coerce others into looking up to them. First they say that people should not worship ancestors. Then they encourage God as the replacement - the original ancestry.
But men are men. Some of the very ones who are won over end up thinking more differently and they sell their new thinking back to them. God then ends up as the plank for more problems among men.
It is ideal for religion and politics to stay clear of each other. But if the law of the land does not step in to moderate religion, religion may well be straying into the terrain of national interest.
It must be recognised that the law of the land is not interfering with God but ensuring no religious adventurism and excess in name of religion. There is therefore a delicate balance based on logic - Tao 道.
This if not achieved will result in people critical of ancestor worship but yet practising it. They do so somewhat discreetly not just to further spiritual ends but more for non-spiritual ends.
Men must of course be forgiven as men often are short of expectations of fellow men, not to say God and saints. God and saints hold no misgivings with regards to men. They would rather forgive men for men know not what they do. Men are myopic and not far sighted.
Men can be far though near to God in the same way pet dogs are as near but yet far from being men. That seems derogatory but is an astute observation. When will men rise to be more God worthy and wholesome? This will be a long time to come. We have to wait a long long time.
The pessimism is justified when man in one breath denounces ancestor worship but in the same breath justifies God ancestry and reverence. The Chinese saying that there is one eye big and one eye small sums up the sentiment that men tend to be bias.
This sentiment is held for those they have less respect or regards for - those with less culture and no respect for ancestry. This can be made worse still by those who borders on hypocrisy and to be exact double talking. Don't be critical of ancestral worship but yet practice it.
To put it bluntly some respect only God but not the elders and ancestors in family and society. Isn't this unbecoming and uncivilised? No wonder the some self opinionated Chinese of old who held their nose high refer to them as barbaric - to be exact and to put it in more civil way 'uncivilised'.
In the first place, those who are critics of ancestor worship but are all for God ancestry and reverence are victims of self opinionation and conceit. But some of the self opinionated Chinese of old are even better at this. Some refer to this as 'double to know one'.
But that is not the way the wise and humble would put it. They will be more prudent and wholesome in their comments. The wise will say that people need to learn and to make good. Such people know not what they do. Give them time and space and all will be well. At least keep some space and distance from others for time being.
Do not talk before we can think clearly. If what is to be said is hurtful, don't even say it. Shut up the gap and that will be good. Silence can be golden.
