No 1265 of Living Life Series 1
The reality is that families are no longer of one religion. The saying that the family who prays together stays together is no longer as true as before.
With the passing of time each generation wants to strike out in life differently. Even if members of family are of the same religion and even the same sect or church, the younger generation wants to be different.
The older generation can no longer tell them what to believe and do. It is better to leave them alone to their whims and fancies.
With this trend, it is no surprise that more families will have members belonging to different religions. There is no cause for alarm or dis-ease.
What matters is that the form of religiosity brings them closer to God in their own way and also to the goodness and pureness of thoughts, speech and deeds that is of God and saints.
Of course, the older generation would prefer that they conform with the religiosity that the old are so used to.
Perhaps at this juncture, it is good to reflect, be mindful and to meditate on what matters most in religion - what matters most to God and saints. What matters is God and the goodness cum purity that God stands for.
If the younger generation can have this, all will turn up well. There is no worry. There is no concern - never mind if they cannot conform with the thinking and ways of the old. They are near though far.
On the other hand, it is possible that the old diehards may be the ones who say and do one thing but end up thinking of exactly what they know they should not do.
Outside the house of God, they may even mindlessly do what they should not do. They claim to be conformists and fundamentalists but do not keep up to the word they guard zealously in the house of God. Then they too are near but yet far from God.
The young whom they chastise for being out of step may be better than them if they are able to be good and pure in spirit despite their being non-conformists with the old religion.
They are often criticized and shun by the old. They cannot join the old in church or temple services and have to hold and manage their own services such as the young adult church.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 hits the nail on the head when he says that the near may be far and the far near. In a way far is near and near is far, isn't this so?
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that if there is sunrise, there must be sunset. Sunrise and sunset are of the same day.
Likewise, religions can be like sunrise and sunset - different but yet same - same God and the same need to be good, pure and be at peace.
Family members can be of two religions. This does not mean they are of two minds - two kinds. They are still one though they may not seem to pray together.
They are together at heart - in spirit of the need to be good, pure and peaceful regardless of the differing religious affiliations and expressions.
The older generation can no longer tell them what to believe and do. It is better to leave them alone to their whims and fancies.
With this trend, it is no surprise that more families will have members belonging to different religions. There is no cause for alarm or dis-ease.
What matters is that the form of religiosity brings them closer to God in their own way and also to the goodness and pureness of thoughts, speech and deeds that is of God and saints.
Of course, the older generation would prefer that they conform with the religiosity that the old are so used to.
Perhaps at this juncture, it is good to reflect, be mindful and to meditate on what matters most in religion - what matters most to God and saints. What matters is God and the goodness cum purity that God stands for.
If the younger generation can have this, all will turn up well. There is no worry. There is no concern - never mind if they cannot conform with the thinking and ways of the old. They are near though far.
On the other hand, it is possible that the old diehards may be the ones who say and do one thing but end up thinking of exactly what they know they should not do.
Outside the house of God, they may even mindlessly do what they should not do. They claim to be conformists and fundamentalists but do not keep up to the word they guard zealously in the house of God. Then they too are near but yet far from God.
The young whom they chastise for being out of step may be better than them if they are able to be good and pure in spirit despite their being non-conformists with the old religion.
They are often criticized and shun by the old. They cannot join the old in church or temple services and have to hold and manage their own services such as the young adult church.
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 hits the nail on the head when he says that the near may be far and the far near. In a way far is near and near is far, isn't this so?
The good lord Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 says that if there is sunrise, there must be sunset. Sunrise and sunset are of the same day.
Likewise, religions can be like sunrise and sunset - different but yet same - same God and the same need to be good, pure and be at peace.
Family members can be of two religions. This does not mean they are of two minds - two kinds. They are still one though they may not seem to pray together.
They are together at heart - in spirit of the need to be good, pure and peaceful regardless of the differing religious affiliations and expressions.
