Purity of heart in the faithful few in a temple

Learning Point No 207

In 1981 anniversary message, Lord Bo Tien referred to the presence of many who come to a temple for other than doctrine and not keen to purify themselves. He said that few are pure at heart when coming to a temple or church. Many are not pure at heart and go to a temple or church primarily for other than spiritual agenda. They see the opportunity to further their social agenda at a temple or church. 

 

He said, "Purity of heart that prevails in the unique few in any pioneering spiritual organisation fortifies the finite few from the problems that may arise from the many others who may have come for self-centred vision, that is, the agenda of men instead of that of Heaven." Lord Bo Tien's 1981 Anniversary Message

In 1984, he refers to such people as like insects coming to a flower for nectar and that the flower should not be blamed for insects coming to it. Whilst the flower may wither, hopefully a fruit may still come about with seeds for more plants and flowers. But there may also be no fruit because of no pollination.

The lord said in 1984, "The pure and beautiful flower is the creation of nature. Ants and insects are attracted to the flower and all should not blame the flower for attracting ants and insects. A heavenly saint is like the flower and the least expected amongst men will be attracted to the saint like ants and insects to the flower. This is not the wrong doing of the flower but nature's way of survival and existence. That the least expected should be at the helm or in the following of a temple is not the folly of a heavenly saint and Heaven but Heaven's way to reach out to all, more so the more lost in society. But the folly of men should not be regarded as Heaven's folly." Lord Bo Tien's 1984 Anniversary Message