Advice to love ones

Learning Point No 90

Inner Truth Netizen is grateful to Lord Bo Tien
for insight into life and this post on advice to love ones
is for sharing of this insight

Handle life challenges with no strife. Live life in peace and not chase after life or leave life but go along with life and make the best out of life. You will be out of breath if you chase after life. You will not rest in peace even if you leave life. Do what you can and accept what comes your way. Seek peace if you want more out of life. There is more to life if you can keep the peace in you come what may.

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The stages of sainthood or purity

Learning Point No 89

For more, go to
A second look at Vesak. Be pure. Don't go for all or for broke...

Lord Bo Tien

*The path to purity requires one to tread through
the yin and yang of life, the polarities or the vicissitudes
or contingencies of life. There should neither be denial
or running away nor clinging on to life but balance as
portrayed by the feet of the lord saint balancing the elements.
This is the inner truth that enables one and all to be pure
to be with God through any religion or sect of his or their choice

To step onto the path of sainthood, one must practise not just being focused (often alluded as concentration) on how to be more pure but how to be ever more mindful of what is pure and good and to be able to effect this in life.

The first stage is to understand life and to begin to progressively know what are right and what are wrong. There is need to be progressively clear and to be progressively ever more confident that one is on the right direction.

The next stage is to minimise or attenuate greed (often referred to as lust), ill will and have more wisdom on what are right (that is eradicate wrong views to life). There is still the occasional or even  the baseline background desire and ill will.

The third stage is to do away with the faint background of desire and ill will and to have not even the occasional desires (or attachment)  and the occasional ill will.  There is that ability to have *not denying nor having. Then there will be balance that promotes inner peace.

Then one has reached the zenith of purity of enlightenment and is worthy and wholesome to be with God and His saints like the pure ones, buddhas, posats and the prophets.

More to it than meet the eye

Learning Point No 88

Read more at Mission History and Elder Ling

Don't see the devil or dust in others' eyes when we cannot see the dust or devil in our own. Don't see the devil in your fellow men though they may not be saints. There is more to it than meet the eye.

Let the mind be quiet

Learning Point 87

LORD BO TIEN
Let there be less noise
and then there will be peace
Balance the yin and yang and then
there will be quietness in your mind
and you can go about life in peace
as depicted by the feet of Lord Bo Tien
atop the elements of life
Do be at peace at all times
come what may

Develop the quiet state of the mind
When praised by some, condemned by others,
Free the mind from hate and pride,
And gently go your way in peace

                                                    The Buddha

If only you know

Learning Point 86

He who understands truth of life knows and sees the saint.
He who does not will not see and know the saint

If you look at the way people are handling their lives and the activities in the name of a lord saint, you may think the lord saint is fiction and the concoction of the human mind. If you look at the depth of the doctrine ascribed to that lord saint, you may think differently even if you have not been with a temple in the name of the lord saint. He who understands truth of life knows and sees the saint. He who does not will not see and know the saint. If only you know.......

Be not ruffled by the colorful lives of those in a temple or church

Learning Point No 85

Lord Bo Tien

The colorful lives of some pioneers and members of a temple or church are consistent with the benevolence and magnanimity of the patron saint. It may be unbecoming of them and unexpected for those who have been exposed to the doctrine. But it is they who need to be helped most and to be guided spiritually. Blame not the saint if they fail to live by the doctrine. Blame not the flower if insects come to it for nectar and not value the fragrance and beauty of the flower. Lord Bo Tien further adds that others should not be upset but could learn from the lessons in life not only of their own but also of their fellow men.

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Yin yang harmony in life

Learning Point No 84

Yin and yang balance as depicted by
the feet of the lord saint atop the polarities of life

Yin and yang must go in tandem and have perfect harmony for there to be ultimate peace. The worldly life we know must go with spiritual life but not displace spiritual. Spiritual practice does not mean one forgoes worldly life. This Lord Bo Tien wants us to know. There is no renunciation of worldly life. If there be need for spiritual practice to displace worldly life, this would mean escape from life. There is no escape but the more correct spiritual life would mean one will embrace life and be at peace. To do so, one must be in control of life and not be controlled by life. One can do so when there is balance of the yin and yang in life --- the spiritual and the mundane.

Doing good alone is not enough

Learning Point No 83


For full article, go to Mission needs only one or two and at most a handful...

Doing good is not good enough but we need to go beyond that, which is to have the inner peace come what may be it good or bad. We need to be with yin and yang and yet have peace amidst the yin and yang, the ups and downs. We need to be pure in spirit and not just be good and do good. We need to help others to benefit not only from the good others do for them but to be able to go beyond good.

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Mission to save souls is beyond charity

Learning Point No 82

Quote from See through life and a saint you will be - 看得开，就是佛...







In 1981, the good lord Lord Bo Tien did foresee the weakness of men in mistaking welfare activities as the mission proper to save souls. He reminded Elder Ling Diung Kwong not to let the mission falter so that more will be able to see through life and be like the saints. They should not wait to do so in future lives but here and now. Everyone can be a buddha or saint if he or she can see through life. "看得开，就是佛。- kan de kai, jiu shi fo."

Do not be caught in religious paradox

Learning Point No 81

The very man who wants power, recognition and fame in society may be so frustrated with life that he seeks solace in a temple. The strange thing however is that he may still end up unknowingly or otherwise looking for the same in a temple. When problems happen, he wonders why. This is the religious paradox and it will happen again and again. It is the very reason why Lord Bo Tien says that the flower should not be blamed if insects go to it for nectar, and if a man coming to a temple end up having the same that he wants to avoid and for which he seeks solace from the temple saint. What is needed is for insight and clarity of what went wrong and why the man could not have ease and peace in life. Otherwise,  the problem will recur even in any social milieu, be it spiritual or otherwise. The nectar will only last for a while and what is more important is to go for the peace and beauty of life that the flower portrays. One must go for divine peace and beauty of life that a temple represents, not the nectar of worldly gains that are necessary but ever transient and may even be elusive.  Know what are good-to-have and what are must-have. You can still have both but go for the must-have first and then the good-to-have. Divine peace you must have and worldly gains are only good to have

The wayward is welcome to a temple but a man of God is often no saint in his life time

Learning Point No 80

Let us be mindful that an ideal man of God and saints is a peaceful, pleasant and pure person in words, thoughts and deeds. He has love for life, not only his own and those around him but radiating to others as well. He is confident of his views but is neither pushy nor a push-over. Religious people who understand and grasp the truth should be like that.

He should not hurt others in words, thoughts and deeds and he should not be hurt by the words, thoughts and deeds of others. He uses spiritual principles to handle issues and do not resort to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But do not expect such a man to be saint and offer the other cheek when slapped as this may be too much to expect of him.

Don't forget that saints like Lord Bo Tien welcome even criminals so that the light of spirituality can be kindled and nurtured in them. That is the beginning but others must be happy that they are on the path to goodness and not expect the sky out of them.

While the ideal men of God and saints are few, saints are not disheartened for even if there is some spark of idealism in a man that would be good start to being peaceful, pleasant and pure persons. Cheers and "Namo Bo Tien Posat"

The signs of bad days ahead for a religious organisation

Learning Point 79

Lord Bo Tien 

Learn from the mistakes of your fellow men. This did the lord saint say. Some actions a religious organisation  should not do. One is bad mouthing others when the bad mouths themselves are not above board. Another is to take others to task by terminating their belonging and expelling them, when the patron saint is all accomodating, tolerant and benevolent. Yet another is when a member resorts to legal or constitutional recourse against their brother or elder. Such transgressions are at odds with religiosity and indicator of waning and loss of spiritual fervour.

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Folly to delegate oldies to honorary roll and put them aside with no say and no roles

Learning Point No 78

Lord Bo Tien stressed that oldies with 
their wealth of spiritual experiences
should be in the religious body to lead in a temple
through the religious body
but not in the administration

Old timers in a religious organisation should be valued not by putting them aside in gold lettering on the honorary roll but by facilitating their roles in spiritual activities. They should be respected as in accordance to the 6th precept of the lord saint. They should constitute the religious body in the organisation. Without the religious body,  that organisation will lose it spirituality and continuity of the pioneering spirit. Their worthiness lies in the wealth of experiences. They are assets to enhance the learning curve of newbies. They need to be co-pilots with the newbies. The newbies can learn from their lives, the strong points and their weaknesses. They have together a wealth of resources both spiritual and otherwise. Not to respect them as elders would entail spiritual loss to the organisation.

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The need for religious body in a mission of the lord

Learning Point 77

Let it be known, the representatives of Lord Bo Tien said,  that a mission of the saint must be spiritual one and not  social. Hence  the mission to save souls must be run by the religious body* (eg yellow yellow pioneers and initiated members) of the mission and not by the ordinary social body who will elect a committee to run the worldly establishment amongst men. Otherwise without the religious body, there will  in the case of the mission of the lord saint only be social services eg charity. These services were already the practices of many others and there would be no need for the lord's coming and descent in the early 1970s. While it is spiritual, it is not to start any new sect or religion but to re-awaken the understanding of life and God knowledge through existing religions so that all will understand the oneness in diversity of religions and sects. The adoption of a Chinese style temple premises is just to show that there is the same truth even in Chinese cultural observances though there will be need for refresh approach within the ambit of culture based on simplicity and truth of God and saints. The deliberate incorporation of social services under the  umbrella of the spiritual mission  and not as separate entities is to stress that the mission is spiritual and of Heaven rather than social and of man 

* From the religious body will be selected a few to be in the spiritual council to direct the spritual matters at the human level of the mission



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The parting direction....

Learning Point No 76

The late P. Philip in service of the lord saint

Often a saint may reach out to us through an intermediary who is still a man. Do be mindful of this fact. See not the saint in the man or you will be perplexed. Also know what is by saint and what is by man. Do not brush away what is by saint just because at times, you think it is by the man. Ever do be mindful and you will know what is due to saint and what is due to man. Thus in the closing years of P. Philip, the message was conveyed that there  is the need for a spiritual council to give direction to a mission and that the spiritual aspects should  always remain outside purview of the administrative committee of any spritual mission. If this be not done, then it will not be in accordance with divine direction for the mission but men will learn somehow and if they do, there will be more good to come.

Let there be the gift of forgiveness

Learning Point 75

Forgive them for they know not what they do. This advice by Lord Jesus will go well with and be soothing to those riled by the transgression of others. They should not retaliate but should cultivate and show empathy and even feel sorry for these others, for they, the transgressors, have perhaps yet to learn and to know better. We should help them if we can. 

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No one group can go it alone be it for a temple or for religion

Learning Point No 74

Lord Bo Tien

No one group or sect / religion can go it alone for spiritual matters, be it in a temple or in the world. All like candles of differing shapes, sizes and hues can acting together in their respective ways better give more light to the world. The commonality of truth behind all is the inner truth - the truth of oneness of Divinity or God. Why must men be at odds with one another and even mock at the ways of others when all ways gravitate towards the same Divinity. This the the message of the Four Pillar or otherwise known as the Inner Truth that Lord Bo Tien refer to. The same applies to the different ways of men in the same one temple. There cannot be one view and one appraoch but many. But there is the oneness of Divinity

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The fraternity in any temple cannot be exclusive

Learning Point No 73

Everyone is worthy of God and saints. That is the very reason why in a temple of a lord saint, there will be many whom you may be wary of. But these men are the ones who need opportunities to make good and when they could make it is another story but this will one day be fact and no longer fiction, no longer a story, so long as they are there in the fraternity. One other consideration is this. No doubt that they should be included in the fraternity, but do be sure not to let them make themselves exclusive in the fraternity, lest they dislodge the many others who were there, who should be there  and who are perhaps even more deserving. The benevolence  of the lord saint gives them  a place in the sun even though they erred and may err.  Some may be bias against them and regard them as wolves in sheep's clothing. But there again, isn't this a divine opportunity accorded  to them  by Heaven for them to learn and to be better off in learning?

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The lord saint on the mission

Learning Point No 72

Lord Bo Tien

The mission has made much headway and this is beyond the capabilities of the men at the ground. Men cannot helm the mission and many are at best mediocre. Man is not ready but Heaven is ready and cannot wait. To add to the problem, men are embroiled by issues of life and most are in no position to save souls beyond welfare activities. If they can do the latter, it is already good enough and praiseworthy but the mission needs to go further than social welfare. They should at least facilitate the mission to go beyond just social welfare and they would  be closer to being that more wholesome.

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The saint is not man and man is not saint

Learning Point No 71

Lord Bo Tien

It had been said by the representatives of the lord saint, "Let it be known that men may one day think the lord saint is the figment of imagination of men when men see the man in saint and the saint in man. They see not the truth taught by the lord saint. Those who see not the inner truth or doctrine in life see not the saint and think the saint is the imagination of the minds of men. This would come to be when elders and pioneers do not call the tune and could not share the zest and fervour of the good old times and the mission is in the hands of those who know not and care not. Do know who is saint and who is man. Saint is not man and man is not the saint."

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The first temple and the first 'gods'

Learning Point 70

Lord Bo Tien

Lord Buddha's advice "Your home is the first temple and your parents the first gods." The 6th precept for the followers of Lord Bo Tien is to respect parents and elders. We treasure and revere them as elders even when they are old, not perfect, no longer of service or value to others and no longer better than us in some aspects.

A  temple that does not respect its elders is no longer a temple and those who do not respect elders are no longer worthy of being  followers of the saint in that temple. The temple is a family with elders and the elders should be respected as the  earthly representatives or 'gods' of the temple saint.

The elders are there to stay and it is unthinkable to remove them. Without the elders, and without yesterday, the present members and the today will not be there

Religion should stay out of the politics of men

Learning Point No 69

Lord Bo Tien

Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar and to God what is due to God." Religion  should stay clear of politics and socio-political agenda but must be based on socio-religious agenda directed at spiritual mission of the respective saint or prophet. Lord Bo Tien said that man is man and God is God. Be mindful that we do not mix up the agenda of men with the Mission of Heaven. The Mission is to awaken more to the inner truth of God present in the respective sects and religions and not to further the socio-political interests of the society man. Religion should stay out of politics of men. But  Lord Bo Tien reminded that insects may be attracted to the flower of religion and please do not blame a saint for this.

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To know or not to know

Learning Point No 68

Namo Ji Gong Posat

Sages of old like Ji Gong Posat often said this.

须要知道就会知道，不须要知道就不会知道。xu yao zhi dao jiu hui zhi dao, bu xu yao zhi dao jiu bu hui zhi dao. 

When the need to know arises, you will come to know. When there is no need to know, you will not come to know. There are things you need to know and there too are things better not for you to know and for these you will not know perhaps at least not for now.

Namo Bo Tien Posat

The representatives of Lord Bo Tien had time and again reminded followers not to analyse the characters of lead elders  even if they could not stomach the contradictions in the lives of these elders. It is best that followers just see saint as saint and men as men. They should just focus on spiritual matters than on human matters. 

  

When the time is right and when followers are more spiritually enlightened, they will understand and not be perplexed. Otherwise, many would have their faith in divinity shaken by the contrasting attributes of such elders. The result may be a schism and the undermining of spiritual zest and fervour. This is a scenario not uncommon to many religious institutions.

Temple must welcome all

Learning Point No 67

The Four Pillar Doctrine otherwise referred
to as the Inner Truth Doctrine is directed
at ensuring wholesome harmonious non-partisan
multi factional approach to Divinity

There must always be open door policy in any public place of worship more so for believers. A temple should not adopt a partisan or factional approach but should instead have the more wholesome harmonious non- partisan and multi-factional approach, allowing for factions of different perspectives to stand together and yet differ. This is just like a bunching of candles of differing sizes, hues and shapes. Together they will add variety, be more appealing and light up the way for many others. This Lord Bo Tien stressed in 1975.

God too adopt such divine holistic wholesome approach, and that is why there are many perspectives to Divinity in the form of many religions and sects. There need to be open mindedness, spirit of tolerance for diversity, otherwise religion would not only be monotonous but also be divisive instead of rallying and unifying men to be with God

Benevolence is integral to Tao

Learning Point No 66

Benevolence is integral to the way of Tao.

Lord Bo Tien

Lord Bo Tien said that it is his prerogative to even appoint a criminal  to be a medium or leader in a temple if the lord saint chooses to train the man. Others should be benevolent  not to frown  at the man but to help facilitate the training  and to learn from the plus and minus aspects of the life of that man.

Benevolence is the hallmark of sainthood and all men should strive to be a wee bit or more benevolent. Then they will be more God worthy.

If not for benevolence of Divinity, most men will not have blessings for the limited good they do. For all men have erred and fallen short of the glory of Heaven, as said by Lord Jesus. Biblical parable of the prodigal son is a lesson on benevolence.

Children and people should be benevolent to parents and elders, still respect them and treasure them even if they have erred. Likewise, elders must be benevolent to children and people they shepherd even if they the people and children have erred.

However good one may be, one will always err and there is more to learn from life. To err is human, to learn is good and to be benevolent is divine.

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Leadership in a religious organisation

Learning Piont No 65

Administration in a temple is the purview
of the management board and spiritual matters
the purview of a religious body anointed by the saint

Who says a religious organisation must have a management board? There is no doubt about that. Who  says we cannot have religious observances without an institution or society? There is again no doubt about that. But what is obvious is that the issues of men are many and plentiful and Lord Bo Tien reiterated on this. A temple must revolve around the saint and not around men. The doctrine and the saint must lead and not men. Men should confine to administrative matters and not call the tune with matters of spirituality. For it is obvious the majority knows less than the few who are wise in spiritual matters. It would neither be wise for the majority to lead by appointment of their kind to a management board nor for the wise few to dominate the majority who will not see eye to eye with the few. Segregation of doctrine leadership from administrative leadership is the answer and allows for balanced approach for yin yang harmony in any temple or church

On handling conflicts

Learning Point No 64

Lord Gautama Buddha said in the Mangala Sutra.

Asevana ca balanan.
Panditanan ca sevana.
Puja ca ye balanan.
Etan mangala mutaman

Associate with the wise
Do not associate with the fools
Honour those worthy of honour
These are the highest blessings

For those in a social conflict with others in the name of a good cause or mission, one may point finger at the others for not serving wholesome cause and for toeing personal agenda.

Inner truth netizen's advice is to go for peace. Say your piece but others may not yet be receptive. Do be wise to bow out of the scene. Go your way and let others have their ways.

If they think they are wise even though they are indeed unwise, this is their misfortune.

If they act like fools don't go near them or they may make a fool out of you.

If somehow you think they still deserve help, help them to change to good but make sure they welcome your overtures.

You may have to wait for the right time and right place. Make sure your motive is right and that is to help them and not to put them down even if you are an elder or an office holder of  a temple management board.

Do not impose or submit but know what you need to know and do. 

If you expect saintly intervention, it is likely that a saint will expect you to know how to live your life. Live your life and not deny life or expect the sky out of life of your fellow men be they your elders or otherwise.

Ultimately one needs to associate with the wise and not associate with the fools and to honour those who are worthy of honour but of course there is the wise and the unwise aspects in every an individual. Bring out the wise in the other person if you can

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Ji Gong epitomises spiritual vision and purity

Learning Point No 63 
 

For more. go to What Ji Gong wants us to know

Ji Gong the Living Buddha epitomises two perfections of (1) perfect vision that is clarity of vision of life through simplicity and (2) spiritual purity through the heart rather than through the gut - shallow and misplaced and outward show with no heartfelt depth and sincerity

Spiritual values good for both worldly and spiritual life

Learning Point No 62

Quote from The way to inner peace

 

Principles for spiritual pursuits if applied to daily life can be fruitful and gainful for mundane life

The very same principles which will lead us to spiritual bliss in time to come (either in next life or life to come) will give us here and now worldly peace and ease -- health, wealth (contentment) and confidence (kinship) if we care to persist in effecting the principles diligently, mindfully, sensibly and pragmatically.

The modus operandi to spiritual gains, if applied to day-to-day life, will also bring social gains. Lord saint reminded us that this is the basic feature common to faiths

These are values that can be realised by all irrespective of their creed, kind and faiths.

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Ji Gong on issues in life

Learning Point No 61

Ji Gong The Living Buddha wants us to reflect, " 大事，小事，没事。da shi, xiao shi, mei shi. Big issues or small issues, all are really no issues."  Why is this so? The key to understanding lies in whether one has the heart 心 xin and the affinity 缘分 yuan fen with one's divine saint.

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The peace of life

Leraning Point No 60
 

Quote from The way to inner peace

The inner truth found in all religions
gives rise to inner peace

 

Love for life has to do with seeking the truth and meaning behind life and to be exact, the inner truth underlying and cutting across all beliefs, creed and kind. There must be that peace and tranquillity within us so that we will not be ruffled by the ups and downs of life, the yin and yang, the trials and tribulations. We need to seek out the peace of life and the joy and serenity that sages of religions so often refer to and which often eludes us.

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Love for life

Learning Point No 59

Quote from The way to inner peace

Lord Bo Tien

Do light up our life with love. There is in every one of us the light of life which if nurtured will grow and glow. We need to illuminate our life and in the process illuminate the life of others. We cannot do so without first focusing and tendering to our own life. The issue as elucidated by a heavenly saint Lord Bo Tien is to grow the love of life, and this love must start with our self and radiate outwards to others around us.

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Be seated with the lord in Heaven

Learning Point No 58

Lord Bo Tien

Let us see the doctrine in a heavenly saint and be seated with him in Heaven. As said by Lord Bo Tien, he who sees the truth or doctrine sees and knows the saint and inner truth netizen would like to add that such a man would be seated with him.


"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” - Matthew 2:2


"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus," -Ephesians 2:6

Article on being seated with Christ in Heaven

http://www.abideinchrist.com/selah/jan19.html

Temple matters we need to know

Learning Point No 57 



Quote from last paragragh of The shrine hall at Bo Tien Temple was designed based on the doctrine of Heaven.

Lord Bo Tien said in the parable of three temples that 
the first temple would be beset with fire obstacle 
and the second with water obstacle (flood).
The third will be beset with human issues.
All parties of differing viewpoints
in the same one temple 
must come together like yin and yang
and be a pillar of strength.
They stand to gain 
if they can learn from 
the good or bad of one another.
They can complement one another.

The first two temples faced external obstacles
but the third temple would face human issues
and would be test of whether members have
grasped the doctrine and were able to put it
into practice to overcome human matters.

If they could not and create problems
by trying to solve problems
using mundane worldly ways
instead of using the doctrine
taught by their lord saint,
then the temple would succumb
and go under.

The above do not refer to any specific temple or church
but must be seen from the doctrine perspective
to be applicable to any growing temple or church .

But there is the universal temple that Lord Bo Tien wants us to know and all under Heaven are in this temple. This is not a concrete building. 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. 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.

Respect elders and pioneers

Learning Point No 56

Lord Bo Tien

It is the understanding of inner truth netizen that current leaders of  a religious organisation, however good they may be, will not project good image of themselves if they run down past leaders without whom they, the current leaders, will not be holding office. The same applies to past leaders and pioneers, the elders but even if they do so, the younger leaders of today must give due respect to the elders whatever the shortfalls the elders might have. Culture of washing dirty linen will undermine mutual respect and tolerance. No one should belittle elders or parents even if they have shortfalls. Respect for elders is a precept of many sects and is the sixth of seven precepts for followers of Lord Bo Tien. When there is no respect for elders, then the fabric of organisation is in tethers. The common Chinese saying "No big no small  没大没小。Mei da mei xiao." expresses disgust for those who do not respect elders

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The problems of man

Learning Point No 55

Lord Bo Tien said, "The problems of men are due to their lack of insight. They tend to see the saint in man and the man in a saint."

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Rich in tolerance, rich in fortune 大量，大福。 da liang, da fu

Learning Point No 54

From the wise saying of the ancestors passed down to inner truth netizen by his late maternal granny, "大量，大福。 da liang, da fu. Big in heart (for tolerance), big in fortune." 

Be open hearted and open to all views and ways and a life of goodness and fortune is yours

Be open to others choices and thinking if they happen to differ from yours. Do not impose your views. Do not even think you are wrong or others are wrong. What is wrong in thinking that it is not wrong to respect others who hold other views. Let matters be and if you can, even help them to be different from you and your way. Agree to disagree and respect others if they differ in ways and are critical of your views. Then and only then will there be more space to live and to breathe even if many stand in the same spot.

A temple or church will then be not too small for the many (at times conflicting) views but will be a good kaleidoscope of sorts for the good of the many and one that allows for oneness in diversity.

Be rich in tolerance and be rich and fortunate in life in many ways

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All are God worthy

Learning Point No 53

Quote from Revisit of 1975 message of Lord Bo Tien

Lord Bo Tien does not view man as doing right and
wrong but as being imperfect and need to improve.
Man may not be that right at times and need learn
to be for more right. Even those considered as criminals
or way-out wrong are welcome to a temple of a saint.
Thus in the temple of a saint, no one can be removed
from membership. Only men of lesser or little spiritual
cultivation think and do otherwise. To say that a man cannot
be a member is to go against the Word of God and saints.
These are the ones who do not know the doctrine
and thus do not know the saints like Lord Bo Tien.
All are worthy of God and saints but men may think
others are not worthy and be damned.
When that happens, men will usurp the role of God
God and saints will be portrayed as yielding the baton
and as fearful, unrelenting and unforgiving

The emissary of Lord Bo Tien said in 1975, "The word SIN or WRONG may appear simple and widely used (and is more derogatory than empathic and motivating). Yet few really understand the depth of its meaning and ramifications. Bear in mind that there is no rigidity but in reality, there is great degree of flexibility with regards to SIN or WRONG. This may not be apparent to the brethren on earth. Everyone will come to know more and will not want to refer to word SIN or WRONG. Rather as they progressed, and emancipate themselves from fear (due to lack of grasp of inner truth), they will then progressively not view life superficially but more correctly in depth and width to understand that all need to learn and progress. Thus it is important to know that brethren are not WRONG but less right. This disposition removes fear and guilt and motivates brethren to improve and learn." (If all understand this, they will harbour no fear and guilt. They will not in their passion instill fear and emotional unrest to bring others to their fold or viewpoint.)

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