No 1422 of Living Life Series 1
While it is the Word that counts in religion. the Word may not attract the crowd like ants and insects to a flower for nectar. There must be promise of substantial blessings here and now the moment people set foot at a temple.
Many may ask for lottery bets and windfalls in a Chinese temple, but the same Chinese people will not do so in a church. The reason is obvious.
It is taboo to do so in a church but not the case in a Chinese temple.
Chinese even go to a temple offering gold paper offerings, sacrificial pork, chicken and the lot. They in turn ask for blessings like good health, good business, success in academic examinations and jobs - some even want wins at horse racing and gambling.
But where people take more educated and rational approach, they do not do so. But then, there is somehow still the need to seek God and saint for similar blessings in subtle ways. They still do give and lace the hand of God with gifts
They pray everyday and go to churches few times a week. They give tithes and love offerings. This is no different but yet more acceptable.
Perhaps this is due to the way people change with education and with the times.
But as Bo Tien 武 天 says, "Many still come to a flower for nectar. Blame not the flower for insects and ants coming to it."
There is one difference between Man and God. Man gives before he asks for favors. God gives without asking for favors. We do not need to bribe God.
There is no need for even the subtest of intent at bargain or barter with God or saint. Seeing that we want it and not ready for doctrine, God just gives, hoping that one day we will find more interest in God matters - the Word or Doctrine.
God does not even put the precondition that we know the Word before God will bless us.
God is no man. God does not barter or bargain. He does not even insist that we learn the Word first and the rest can wait.
We may be far from the Word though with God in the house of God. We may be near but yet far from God in sense that we are far from the Word which is God.
This is what is meant when Bo Tien 武 天 says that the near may be far from Word but still near to God.
Far or near is not the primary concern. God and saints do what they can to reach out to men, just like Bo Tien 武 天 who says he is like the vast ocean which reach out to many a shore.
God or saint like Bo Tien 武 天 is no man and man is no God or saint.
Man asks what he will gain before he goes to God but God never expects anything from us when we go to him even for the most unlikely and unthinkable of favors from God. Favor before getting favor is the way of Man not God.
But this has become the norm of man in life and in religion. Nothing wrong with that so long as we know what is right and proper and so long as we go for the Word God and saints stand for.
Changing this norm can be more disruptive. This can ruffle the feathers and upset the peace instead. If there is wisdom and men know the Word, let it be. Religions are after all the means to the end and not the end in themselves.
Then why on Earth are we talking about it. There is need to remind ourselves of what is the Word and what should be. Be mindful always and meditate on the Word God and saints stand for.
But let us be realistic. Let us stop here and think. Don't be a nut case and try to be a hero to change the way of men and make men be like God. That will be far fetched. If man is like God and every inch the embodiment of the Word God and saints stand for, there is no need whatsoever for God and saints - no need for religions, temples and churches.
That will be the greatest mistake of all mistakes, don't you think so? Don't try to be too clever but this does not mean we don't be aware and mindful.
Favor for favor is OK for Man, not for God but still OK. What is wrong can still be seen as right. What is right can end up wrong if you push it too far.
That which is far from right can still be near to being accepted as right. That which is right can still be far from being accepted as right. The far can be near and the near far. Didn't Bo Tien 武 天 say so?
So never be asking why a temple with the wrong values may end up better than a temple with right values - why the former will carry on and the latter may become history.
Never question why a temple which promotes favor for favor thrives better than a temple which is honest and believes in no favor for favor.
This is simply because many just go to a temple like ants and insects to a flower for nectar. Who would go to a temple if they cannot get favor from God and saints? They even openly try to favor God with gifts to gain favors in return.
But why would men who grow up in the Word want to go to a temple for the favor of the God? They grow up to no longer needing favors from God, and the thought of favoring God to gain his favors is unthinkable and not their way at all though in past they did so.
Their way now is to live in the Word and be the Word so as to be beacons or candles of the Word to light up the Word in other men.
Alas, temples will not exist if men in temples are straight and true to the Word or doctrine. We need temples to exist and to flourish in size and numbers - never mind about the favor for favor way of the masses.
Favor for favor is OK for man not God but still OK. Now after reading this post you should know why it is so titled.
Do we want to be pragmatic and popular? Would we rather be idealistic and unpopular? It is a choice between the two, isn't it? But may be not even a choice between the two.
Do we want to win over those who want favor for favor with God to change them one day? Would we rather not have them from the start?
Surely if we cannot win them, we should join them? Some would tell this to your face. That may be far fetched. But mind you they will say that that is the way of life to be with society and not be alienated from society.
Favor for favor - OK for Man not God but still OK. If a temple or religion cannot win over the crowd to come to join in, how can God or saints like Bo Tien 武 天 reach out like the ocean to many a shore and to many a man?
Many may ask for lottery bets and windfalls in a Chinese temple, but the same Chinese people will not do so in a church. The reason is obvious.
It is taboo to do so in a church but not the case in a Chinese temple.
Chinese even go to a temple offering gold paper offerings, sacrificial pork, chicken and the lot. They in turn ask for blessings like good health, good business, success in academic examinations and jobs - some even want wins at horse racing and gambling.
But where people take more educated and rational approach, they do not do so. But then, there is somehow still the need to seek God and saint for similar blessings in subtle ways. They still do give and lace the hand of God with gifts
They pray everyday and go to churches few times a week. They give tithes and love offerings. This is no different but yet more acceptable.
Perhaps this is due to the way people change with education and with the times.
But as Bo Tien 武 天 says, "Many still come to a flower for nectar. Blame not the flower for insects and ants coming to it."
There is one difference between Man and God. Man gives before he asks for favors. God gives without asking for favors. We do not need to bribe God.
There is no need for even the subtest of intent at bargain or barter with God or saint. Seeing that we want it and not ready for doctrine, God just gives, hoping that one day we will find more interest in God matters - the Word or Doctrine.
God does not even put the precondition that we know the Word before God will bless us.
God is no man. God does not barter or bargain. He does not even insist that we learn the Word first and the rest can wait.
We may be far from the Word though with God in the house of God. We may be near but yet far from God in sense that we are far from the Word which is God.
This is what is meant when Bo Tien 武 天 says that the near may be far from Word but still near to God.
Far or near is not the primary concern. God and saints do what they can to reach out to men, just like Bo Tien 武 天 who says he is like the vast ocean which reach out to many a shore.
God or saint like Bo Tien 武 天 is no man and man is no God or saint.
Man asks what he will gain before he goes to God but God never expects anything from us when we go to him even for the most unlikely and unthinkable of favors from God. Favor before getting favor is the way of Man not God.
But this has become the norm of man in life and in religion. Nothing wrong with that so long as we know what is right and proper and so long as we go for the Word God and saints stand for.
Changing this norm can be more disruptive. This can ruffle the feathers and upset the peace instead. If there is wisdom and men know the Word, let it be. Religions are after all the means to the end and not the end in themselves.
Then why on Earth are we talking about it. There is need to remind ourselves of what is the Word and what should be. Be mindful always and meditate on the Word God and saints stand for.
But let us be realistic. Let us stop here and think. Don't be a nut case and try to be a hero to change the way of men and make men be like God. That will be far fetched. If man is like God and every inch the embodiment of the Word God and saints stand for, there is no need whatsoever for God and saints - no need for religions, temples and churches.
That will be the greatest mistake of all mistakes, don't you think so? Don't try to be too clever but this does not mean we don't be aware and mindful.
Favor for favor is OK for Man, not for God but still OK. What is wrong can still be seen as right. What is right can end up wrong if you push it too far.
That which is far from right can still be near to being accepted as right. That which is right can still be far from being accepted as right. The far can be near and the near far. Didn't Bo Tien 武 天 say so?
So never be asking why a temple with the wrong values may end up better than a temple with right values - why the former will carry on and the latter may become history.
Never question why a temple which promotes favor for favor thrives better than a temple which is honest and believes in no favor for favor.
This is simply because many just go to a temple like ants and insects to a flower for nectar. Who would go to a temple if they cannot get favor from God and saints? They even openly try to favor God with gifts to gain favors in return.
But why would men who grow up in the Word want to go to a temple for the favor of the God? They grow up to no longer needing favors from God, and the thought of favoring God to gain his favors is unthinkable and not their way at all though in past they did so.
Their way now is to live in the Word and be the Word so as to be beacons or candles of the Word to light up the Word in other men.
Alas, temples will not exist if men in temples are straight and true to the Word or doctrine. We need temples to exist and to flourish in size and numbers - never mind about the favor for favor way of the masses.
Favor for favor is OK for man not God but still OK. Now after reading this post you should know why it is so titled.
Do we want to be pragmatic and popular? Would we rather be idealistic and unpopular? It is a choice between the two, isn't it? But may be not even a choice between the two.
Do we want to win over those who want favor for favor with God to change them one day? Would we rather not have them from the start?
Surely if we cannot win them, we should join them? Some would tell this to your face. That may be far fetched. But mind you they will say that that is the way of life to be with society and not be alienated from society.
Favor for favor - OK for Man not God but still OK. If a temple or religion cannot win over the crowd to come to join in, how can God or saints like Bo Tien 武 天 reach out like the ocean to many a shore and to many a man?
