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!.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Religions often make God so remote

No 426 of Living Life Series 1

God is everywhere in us and in the world we are in. But sad to say we are separated from God by our not being at peace with life. We are not at peace because of the way we handle the yin and yang around us and in us.

We seek the peace by going to a temple or church only to find that in such a place, men rather than God hold sway. We have to contend with the wishes of men at the helm before we can even be any where near God, not because God is not there but because we are made to think that we have to contend with men before we can reach God. We are separated from God by men.

Taoist elders teach us that we are intertwined not only by the yin and yang around us but by the yin and yang stirred up by the yin and yang of men at the helm at a church or temple.

This is as though we are held to ransom by these men. But it is not so but that we are in the thick and thin of the ups and downs of life not only our own but the lives of men at church or temple.

That is why Lao Tse had to leave the the post of keeper of palace archives to get out of the city to the wilderness. He could then be with nature. In nature, there is less pollution by the many issues and problems of men. There will be less human traffic and the men would lead simple lives, being more in tune with nature and they were less inclined to stir up and disturbed the yin and yang.

Lao Tse riding into nature on a buffalo
to lead simple and gainful life

According to Lao Tse, God is Tao and Tao is God. It is the same as saying God is the Word and the Word is God. Tao refers to God not just a person but also as a force and energy that is part of everything. Tao is only thrown into disarray by human actions and reactions. Lao Tse exhorts man to find his balance of yin and yang in him and in the world he is in.

From the Tao Te Ching book attributed to Lao Tse as the first author, a popular concept is expounded. This is the concept of Yin and Yang which is the very essence of true balance in nature. Examples of Yin and Yang are gain and loss, good and evil, honor and dishonor, fire and water, east and west, even and odd numbers as well as male and female.

We can be like Lao Tse. But of course we cannot wander away on a buffalo to the vast green of forest and mountains. We can live wisely by living a simple and gainful life, taking care neither to be greedily attached to the world of men and to men nor to escape from the world of men.

We can live a simple and fruitful life that is that more balanced and wholesome. Then we can be more calm and more at peace to be able to think and to experience God and saints. Then we will be with God and saints. God and saints are always everywhere but if we are distracted and over immersed in issues of life, we see them not even if they are in front of us.

The peace of life when we can be one with God can be achieved anywhere and we need not go to a temple or church. We need not seek the approval of other men. The mistake of many is that they somehow think that they have to get the nod and approval of the pastor or clergy before they can be with God.

Thus they are separated from God and saints by men. In Tao language, they are separated by yin yang storms from God and saints. In this respect, religions often make God and saints so remote. This is not the wish or making of God and saints but the making of men. Religions so often make God remote though God is omnipresent.

Lord Bo Tien

Lord Bo Tien stressed on yin yang balance to have peace as depicted by his feet atop the yin yang elements in his seated pose image. He reminded us that man is man and saint is saint. Do not see man as saint and saint as man. Know who is God and saint and who is man. See the inner truth in all religions and not the dogmas and complexities of evolved religions that often separate men from God and saints.

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.