No 1388 of Living Life Series 1
Truth is simple but yet difficult to perceive because men get caught up with the web of life. Men want to go somewhere. Men want to progress.
To live is to do something. To do nothing is to while away life and to die to life. Even rest is an activity so that after rest we can do another activity.
Activity must be wholesome and promote the good in life. Good is never to run away from life and go to a church and temple for respite.
Respite can be healing but overdoing this is to run away from life and if we think that we cannot do this and that here and now but perhaps in the afterlife, we are running from life.
Going to church or temple is not to daydream the beautiful fantasy we find hard to have in life. The sad part is that people do that.
Some even find alternative companion in a church when they cannot get along with their spouse. Then to their own amazement, they feel guilt and they shun the church or go to another far away where others do not know them.
Has religion become an excuse for those frustrated with life? Life has failed them and they turn to God and saints in a church or temple, only to do the unthinkable. They have no intention to do so.
Some turn to a church because, they cannot get more of the world, more of the material trappings and riches of life. They want status. They want money. They end up unintentionally getting all these in a church.
They take up pastoral roles and win acclaim and adoration. They are good at showmanship and won many a heart. They use the name of God or saint to do so.
After that, it is so easy. In the name of God and saint, they can get wealth, a big house and travel everywhere, even buy horses etc with money given supposedly to God and saints.
Why give money to God? God does not need money. God does not need us to bless him. He is here to bless us.
But men at helm say we must give to God and God will give us more. Isn't this odd?
Obvious that a church or temple needs money to run and progress but not God. Why tell a white lie just to get money for a church or temple? This has been going on in all cultures from ages past.
Men are like sheep and can be shepherded to bend to the whims and fancies of the shepherd. All priests and religious leaders have good intention. But they are men and can have failings.
Men are weak but congregation too can be weak and they make a greater devil out of their leaders. Isn't this obvious? But what goes on will still go on, unless there is a better way...
Church or temple going is good. But the outcome may be otherwise. We can go to a house of God for respite and pray for solution to our problems in life - a way out of problems.
But the solution to a problem may well be a greater problem that begs further solutions. Bo Tien 武 天 feels sorry for men. He says that the problems of men are many and plentiful.
They even end up with problems in a house of God. Even a temple of our Bo Tien 武 天 is no exception though it is meant to be exceptional and exemplary for other temples to follow.
Nobody wants to go to a church or temple to create problems but to solve problems - to ask for guidance and blessings. But if we are a problem to ourselves, then everywhere we go, we create and attract problems.
There is no intention to mess up a church but we always end up doing so. No one has intention to mess up a church or temple.
The mess at a temple happens somehow because man thinks he is God or saint. Man is man and God is God. Bo Tien 武 天 reminds us time and again.
The irony of it all is that there will be no temples or churches if there are no men with weakness. Like a flower which attracts insects and ants to it for nectar, a temple or church will always attract men with weakness. It is for such men that there is need for a temple or church.
Who says that insects or ants are attracted to a flower for nectar? Bo Tien 武 天 is the one. It is the best way to explain the problems of men in religion.
He also adds that we must obey the laws of the land and the laws of God. God knows there is no need for him to intervene. The authority that be in the land will correct the failings of men.
But God will be a forgiving one and embrace the prodigal sons and in due time, they will be better sons of God in addition as well as better sons of the land though they had to learn it the hard way.
That is why there is hell, be it hell here and now or in afterlife. Hell is obviously not the design of God but the creation of those who transgress despite being told what to do by God.
Hell is where they learn to be good the hard way and not the wish of God for such men. While men say that God is kind and loving, some of the same men have no qualms to say that those who erred will be in hell.
But to make God sound unkind and even ruthless, some say that there is eternal damnation in Hell. God is not like that.
Some men simply make God look so unkind and not loving though they insist that God is loving. Hell is the creation of men and not God and saints.
When such men acts and speaks for God, what do you expect? They mess up a temple or church. But when shepherds use the rod to shoo and hurdle sheep together, it will work. There is no other way. You cannot expect shepherds to tell sheep please do this and that.
Popular religious ways may have to be what God don't intend them to be. God understands and does not intervene. But men must not overdo and commit offence against the law of the land. The land will intervene and that is for sure. That is common sense.
But common sense flies out of the window when men get carried away. that is sad and we must feel sorry for them. They will be much better men after the hard knocks of life.
Do not rub salt into the wound; otherwise we will be no better but worse than them. Care for the wounds that they may heal without scars. They will be your brethren and there will be more divine love and kindness in this world.
Bo Tien 武 天 says that in any religion and culture, whatever we do and believe, what matters is that there is loving kindness in what we do - at the beginning, in the process and at the end.
What Bo Tien 武 天 teaches and elucidate is not new but present in all religions and in all cultures. The odd part is that a culture or religion may fail to see the oneness of religions and cultures. They fail to see the common ground. The common values and teachings is what he refers to as the Inner Truth.
To live is to do something. To do nothing is to while away life and to die to life. Even rest is an activity so that after rest we can do another activity.
Activity must be wholesome and promote the good in life. Good is never to run away from life and go to a church and temple for respite.
Respite can be healing but overdoing this is to run away from life and if we think that we cannot do this and that here and now but perhaps in the afterlife, we are running from life.
Going to church or temple is not to daydream the beautiful fantasy we find hard to have in life. The sad part is that people do that.
Some even find alternative companion in a church when they cannot get along with their spouse. Then to their own amazement, they feel guilt and they shun the church or go to another far away where others do not know them.
Has religion become an excuse for those frustrated with life? Life has failed them and they turn to God and saints in a church or temple, only to do the unthinkable. They have no intention to do so.
Some turn to a church because, they cannot get more of the world, more of the material trappings and riches of life. They want status. They want money. They end up unintentionally getting all these in a church.
They take up pastoral roles and win acclaim and adoration. They are good at showmanship and won many a heart. They use the name of God or saint to do so.
After that, it is so easy. In the name of God and saint, they can get wealth, a big house and travel everywhere, even buy horses etc with money given supposedly to God and saints.
Why give money to God? God does not need money. God does not need us to bless him. He is here to bless us.
But men at helm say we must give to God and God will give us more. Isn't this odd?
Obvious that a church or temple needs money to run and progress but not God. Why tell a white lie just to get money for a church or temple? This has been going on in all cultures from ages past.
Men are like sheep and can be shepherded to bend to the whims and fancies of the shepherd. All priests and religious leaders have good intention. But they are men and can have failings.
Men are weak but congregation too can be weak and they make a greater devil out of their leaders. Isn't this obvious? But what goes on will still go on, unless there is a better way...
Church or temple going is good. But the outcome may be otherwise. We can go to a house of God for respite and pray for solution to our problems in life - a way out of problems.
But the solution to a problem may well be a greater problem that begs further solutions. Bo Tien 武 天 feels sorry for men. He says that the problems of men are many and plentiful.
They even end up with problems in a house of God. Even a temple of our Bo Tien 武 天 is no exception though it is meant to be exceptional and exemplary for other temples to follow.
Nobody wants to go to a church or temple to create problems but to solve problems - to ask for guidance and blessings. But if we are a problem to ourselves, then everywhere we go, we create and attract problems.
There is no intention to mess up a church but we always end up doing so. No one has intention to mess up a church or temple.
The mess at a temple happens somehow because man thinks he is God or saint. Man is man and God is God. Bo Tien 武 天 reminds us time and again.
The irony of it all is that there will be no temples or churches if there are no men with weakness. Like a flower which attracts insects and ants to it for nectar, a temple or church will always attract men with weakness. It is for such men that there is need for a temple or church.
Who says that insects or ants are attracted to a flower for nectar? Bo Tien 武 天 is the one. It is the best way to explain the problems of men in religion.
He also adds that we must obey the laws of the land and the laws of God. God knows there is no need for him to intervene. The authority that be in the land will correct the failings of men.
But God will be a forgiving one and embrace the prodigal sons and in due time, they will be better sons of God in addition as well as better sons of the land though they had to learn it the hard way.
That is why there is hell, be it hell here and now or in afterlife. Hell is obviously not the design of God but the creation of those who transgress despite being told what to do by God.
Hell is where they learn to be good the hard way and not the wish of God for such men. While men say that God is kind and loving, some of the same men have no qualms to say that those who erred will be in hell.
But to make God sound unkind and even ruthless, some say that there is eternal damnation in Hell. God is not like that.
Some men simply make God look so unkind and not loving though they insist that God is loving. Hell is the creation of men and not God and saints.
When such men acts and speaks for God, what do you expect? They mess up a temple or church. But when shepherds use the rod to shoo and hurdle sheep together, it will work. There is no other way. You cannot expect shepherds to tell sheep please do this and that.
Popular religious ways may have to be what God don't intend them to be. God understands and does not intervene. But men must not overdo and commit offence against the law of the land. The land will intervene and that is for sure. That is common sense.
But common sense flies out of the window when men get carried away. that is sad and we must feel sorry for them. They will be much better men after the hard knocks of life.
Do not rub salt into the wound; otherwise we will be no better but worse than them. Care for the wounds that they may heal without scars. They will be your brethren and there will be more divine love and kindness in this world.
Bo Tien 武 天 says that in any religion and culture, whatever we do and believe, what matters is that there is loving kindness in what we do - at the beginning, in the process and at the end.
What Bo Tien 武 天 teaches and elucidate is not new but present in all religions and in all cultures. The odd part is that a culture or religion may fail to see the oneness of religions and cultures. They fail to see the common ground. The common values and teachings is what he refers to as the Inner Truth.
