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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!.

Friday, October 13, 2017

Common good in religions, societies and cultures

No 1506 of Living Life Series 1


When men want to discredit their predecessors or ancestors of the past, they rewrite history and make the ancestors appear not logical by saying that what they did are not what the men wanted. 

 But what they did were exactly why the men of the present lot came to be where they are now. 

 Of course, what the predecessors did were logical in the context of the old times but if applied to the present would likely appear not so. The contexts and situations have become very different. 

 But the present lot would be relentless in discrediting and even go further to absurdity by pointing that they are the ones who saved the community and without them, what the ancestors did was detrimental to the society. 

 These unscrupulous men paint themselves as the saviors for without them, the society would be not existing. They never stop pointing out that the predecessors or ancestors are the bane and they, the present lot, are the heroes. 

 This happens in any religion, sect or temple or in any culture. Bo Tien 武天 wants us to learn from the lessons of life and why men tend to be like that. 
What happens is because of the ego or "I thoughts." Religion is supposed to promote humility and no ego, to give credit to where credit is due and not to sink and discredit others for their own credit and standing. 

 If they have merits and potential of their own, is there the need to discredit others? Is there the need to blow off the other candle flames so that the candle flames of the few left can stand out? 

 Bo Tien 武天 says that candle flames must come together to cast more light to dispel the darkness of life. 
By blowing out as many other candle flames, the ignorant hope that their candle flames are the only ones left. The few candle flames left will not be effective in dispelling darkness and will instead usher in more darkness. 

 This too can be the not-so-good approach of one sect of a religion when they try to snuffle out into less significance the other sects, so that their own sect only becomes noticeable. 

 Religions and sects are supposed to work together, to complement one another so that there is more light to reach out and dispel darkness - to bring more to God and the goodness God and saints stand for. 

 All are to complement one another to dispel darkness, not to snub out the attractions of others. 

 But when "I thoughts" or ego takes over the minds of men, there is more darkness than there is light. 

 The festival of lights Deepavali teaches all the need to complement one another to dispel darkness and bring more light to all. This comes as no surprise and is what Bo Tien 武天 wants everyone to know regardless of religion, race or cultures. 
Well, Bo Tien 武天 essence is in all religions, societies and cultures. There is need to recognise the goodness of all religions, societies and cultures. There is no need for upmanship. There is no need to displace others. All need to truly and continuously live and let live and appreciate one another despite the apparent differences. 
The basic goodness cannot be presented just in one way but in many ways. Some in society tend to think one is better than others and others should not be there at all. This is wrong. See the goodness in everyone and in every religion, race or culture. All can learn from others and be better than what they are in the process. This is the mission of God through Bo Tien 武天. 
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