LIVING LIFE SERIES 1

A BO TIEN (武天) MISSION INITIATIVE LAUNCHED ON 28TH SEPT 2010 BY INNER TRUTH NETIZEN 2. THE MISSION IS TO SHOW THE WAY TO HOPE, INNER PEACE AND ULTIMATELY SALVATION FOR ALL BEINGS. THE PURPOSE IS TO SAVE SOULS. IT IS WAY BEYOND NORMAL GOOD WORK LIKE CHARITY AND WELFARE ACTIVITIES. NO ONE SHALL BE SAVED BY GOOD WORKS ALONE BUT BY MORE THAN GOOD WORK. THERE IS NEED TO BE IMBUED WITH THE BASIC DOCTRINE COMMON TO AND BEHIND ALL RELIGIONS AND SECTS. LIVE IN DOCTRINE. DOCTRINE IN LIFE IS PARAMOUNT.

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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!.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Religion always at the crossroads

No 1216 of Living Life Series 1

What is happening to religion? Why are many of the people who are attracted to religion the ones not what we expect?

Why religion too is meant for them even if they are there for less than religious agenda. They just want fellowship. This is good. But if fellowship is more of their kind and far from what is considered wholesome religiosity, then why is this happening? Is this the will of God?

Are they not sending the wrong message that religion is to foster less religious or worst still non-religious agenda such as to give moral standing to less moral pursuits.

Not surprising that there will be cults. Even the wrong done by cult figures become right and people just emulate them.

Pain which religions want us to be released from becomes the pursuit of religion. People neglect family and self. Won't this inflict pain?

At the other extreme, worldly indulgence is one other which religion instead of encouraging us to avoid becomes the call of religion. Prosperity gospel is good but risk of overdoing it is there.

Worldly indulgence like partying and giving in to our senses takes over as the standard bearer and the call of religion. There is the adrenaline rush.

Why is religion like that? Why is religion seemingly getting us to let loose our mind even in worship?

Who are in the wrong? Are they the doers or the onlookers? Perhaps the answer may shock us.

Both are right and both are wrong. To put it bluntly, don't expect those revelling in hell of a life either of self inflicted pain or of indulgence to be anywhere near God unless the house of God goes along with them. Is this not an unwholesome example of divine compassion for a house of God to be like that?

As regards to pain, there is already enough pain in life but yet people are driven to religion to have more of the same like self torture, giving up whatever they have even if they have not enough.

Some driven to desperation by illness like cancer degrade themselves physically through fasting and they feel good. A good few do recover though because of sincerity and faith.

Some cannot even maintain one wife but take on adultery and think this is godsent. A good many end up with harem of sorts.

They find the moral excuse through religion to do and further what would otherwise be painful to their conscience. They feel so blessed by God.

But the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that insects are attracted to the flower for nectar. Blame not the flower for insects that come to the flower.

He also says we must learn from life our own and that of others. Reflect and be aware.

He adds that we must not just flow mindlessly downstream with popular religion, otherwise we may think that all that are done in the name of religion are right and never wrong including the pollutants.

We must go upstream against the flow to the upper source. This can be uphill and difficult. This can be painful to those who do not know how to cultivate inner peace of spirit come what may. What irony, isn't it?

That is why it boils down to knowing the basic inner teaching of all religions. Do we have inner peace? Are we at peace with God? Are we not giving any peace and preventing others from going near God even in the house of God?

The need for inner peace is in all religions. This the good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 reminds. There is need to remove the clutter in the mind and have the peace. But please do not remove yourself from life. That will give no peace and create pain.

Is religion at the crossroads? Who need religion most? They are the ones who go to religion for exactly what religion may not be meant for. How else could we get them to be in the house of God?

How then to keep them and yet change them slowly to the way of God and saints - the way of inner peace? Perhaps religion will always and ever be at the crossroads, don't you agree?

Lest you forget

Do not make the mistake of idolizing any man who tells you about the Word. He is in the same boat as you even if religion refers to him as a religious leader. Mere mention of a religious leader is as good as encouraging idolising of that man. Why must there be hierarchy in religion? Hierarchy is conventional but may end up as liability rather than a necessity or asset. There should be no caste or hierarchy system in religion. No one is to be considered above another in religion. A religious leader or follower is a servant to serve you and not a leader to be idolised. Do not put him on the pedestal and make a monster out of him.

MAY ALL BE WELL AND HAPPY

May all be well and happy. May they have peace. May our departed friends and kins be well, happy and have divine peace. The main writer wishes the best for all for those near and far. Our kins may be far when they had passed on to better lives but they are near though far. He remembers and wishes his parents Mr Siow Soo Koh and Mdm Tay Hung Siang, his uncles and aunties like Mr Tay Koon Huay, his cousins like Mr Tay Chong Sim and his friends like Mr Philip Png well and have abundance of life. May they be rich in spirit for without such ancestors, there will be no posterity - no us and no you and me. They have blessed us and we must blessed them in return forever and ever.