No 1418 of Living Life Series 1
The problem of self-righteousness is highlighted by all religions and by society. We can say it is one of the aspects of the truth in life and in religions - the Inner Truth.
Those who are self righteous may be so convinced that they are right and come to a temple to wait for the chance to take over the temple from those whom they think had got it all wrong. They are out to swallow up the temple and be in control of the temple.
They are like sharks who swallow up the temple from those who welcome them with open arms even though the hosts know that they are not in the know as yet with the doctrine and their spiritual motivation is pathetically negligible beyond belief in the power of God and saints to grant favors even if they are not morally upright.
They think God and saints will take over the consequences of their wrongs and they may even think that the wrongs they do are not wrong at all but right. They are self-righteous and that is it.
They come to a temple for worldly gains. They have no qualms committing wrongs such as adultery even in a temple. They think they are not wrong and have the blessing of God and saints to do what they like. They are obviously self-righteous to ridiculous and absurd level.
Bo Tien 武 天 of course put it more kindly when he says that ants and insects are attracted to a flower not for the beauty of the flower but to get nectar.
But when such sharks ate their fill of the money from the temple and its supporters and are satisfied, they somehow soon see the light and cough out money to start new temples and social activities. They have no qualms indulging in vices and even do so in a temple.
Do not give up hope with sharks in religion. Once they have their fill, they are able to finance new temples and worthwhile charities like bursaries for education for the children of the not so well to do families. Because of the limelight, they also desist in doing wrong and anti-social vices openly and with time less and less of these.
Thus self-righteousness may clearly be wrong and a hindrance but the motivation of those with self-righteousness may one day lead them to do great things which those who are not-self-righteous often cannot do.
Those who are not self-righteous are not so passionate. The passion of the near fanatical self-righteous though a bane to begin with may end up and prove to be a boon for a temple or for a religion.
Thus they may appear far from religiosity but may prove themselves to be near. This may be an illustration of what Bo Tien 武 天 says that the far may be near. The near may end up far. Those who are not self-righteous may be near but cannot end up doing more for religion because they are not as passionate.
Dear friends, we try not to be in the line of vision of sharks, lest we be devoured by sharks. But sharks are not at all bad in the long run for a temple or for that matter for any social institution.
They may swallow up a temple and run it because they want the temple for themselves and to get acclaim and name for good done in the name of the temple saint. Bo Tien 武 天 says that there is still some good done and we cannot deny that.
They come to a temple as though the temple is the flower. All they want is nectar and not the flower - not the doctrine the temple or saint stands for.
In the long run, when they have their fill, they may realise the vanity of what they do. They will be less inclined to do good for their own good but they will end up doing good for the good of all.
Time will make them learn. Being in a temple and near to God and saints will somehow have the impact on them in the long run. They will learn. God and saints know that. So do not be too fast to draw the line and say they are no good. Sharks are not all bad in the long run for a temple.
So don't ever say, "O, sharks, how can there be sharks in a temple. Sharks will ever be sharks. How can they be good! What has become of the temple? Why is God or saint doing nothing? Is God or saint the making of gullible men?"
