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!.

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Others are not us and we are not them

No 1500 of Living Life Series 1

What is the choice of God? What is the choice of man? Often the choice of God is not the choice of man. Also the choice of some men is not the choice of other men.

The issue is must man do the bidding of others beyond the laws of the land. Has man not the free will to decide how to live and what man wants out of life? Has God ever need to give in to man what man wants?

The answers to such issues and questions are not 'yes' or 'no' but both 'yes' and 'no'. There must be plurality in life and all must respect all views and live together. Chinese culture refers to this as polarities in life - the yin and the yang.

Do not impose on others what you believe in. Using sheer might, be it financial or otherwise such as overwhelming big numbers or psychology will never work in the long term.

Since when can society ascribe to uniformity and discard plurality. If a religion or sect tries to do so, this will only create unrest. Some may go along just to have whatever worldly carrots they can get.

But in the heart of hearts, they know they do not buy what they are told to believe but will view life and beliefs in their own differing ways.

Outwardly they identify with the dominant voice or the power that be. But in their own private lives, they live out their own perspectives of the exhortation by the leaders at the helm.

If they have changed religion or sect, they may give magnificent testimony to tell the world but somehow they cannot change the culture and the festivals that they are brought up in life.

There will be many aspects of the old religion and culture they will practice in the new religion. Isn't that contributing to plurality in people of the same religion. They are in the new religion but yet go along with many aspects of the old religion and its culture.

There is always no uniformity but obvious plurality. Thus God knows that this is the true nature of man. There must be plurality and if so, there must be not one religion or sect but many religions and many sects within the sane religion, many schools within any one sect, many temples within the same school, many groups within the same temple.

Thus can one religion sue another religion for being wrong just because that other religion is different or even not logical to them? For that matter can one group sue another in the same temple?

Can the temple prevent others who disagree with the current management from calling themselves as ardent followers of the same temple saint or of God?

Surely this is not correct. God or saint will not go along with them.

The choice of man is never the choice of God and the choice of God will be for more views, more religions and more sects, schools, more temples and more groups within same temple.

Plurality is the choice of God but this may not be the choice of man. Plurality holds sway. This is for real. This is one aspect of the yin and yang philosophy which Bo Tien 武天 wants all to realise, regardless of religion.

Yin and yang result in diversity. There must be diversity in plurality. When plurality embraces diversity, there is balance and peace. When there is not, chaos will result.

Any religion must accept plurality and diversity for there to be more peace and less strife - for there to be more calm and less storms in the sea of life.

Religiously accept plurality to have better life and a better world. Do not be busy bodies. If we want others to accept us, we must accept others.

Accepting and embracing plurality and diversity makes us closer to God and saints as well as to others. Others are not us and we are not them.

If some still not agree, this in itself is proof of plurality is here to stay. But you may suggest in jest that they sit not under the fig or Bo Tree but the oak or angsana tree will do - or for that matter, any other tree or in comfort of solitude in cushy nest of sofa set in quiet time to reflect... Call this meditation, quiet time or soul searching if you like.

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.