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The Living Life Series is dedicated to Lord (武天) Bo Tien. 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 affliliation 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. 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.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

What a temple should not be

Learning Point No 299






A temple without spiritual activities is just an empty building devoid of divine presence even with a few festivals a year and people going there to offer jos sticks. 

A temple building with only welfare activities but no spiritual activities is devoid of the spirit of God and saints. Welfare activities need not be in a temple. 

Thus a building designated as a temple but only have welfare activities like aged home and collection of provisions for welfare distribution to society is no longer a temple but at best a welfare organisation. 

A temple which takes pride in welcoming a community leader or philanthropist more than the temple saint on the occasion of the saint's anniversary or mission day does make one question the purpose of its existence. It is more a secular community centre or grass root organisation.

A temple with only merry making and loud music is more an entertainment or social hub than a place of God and saints. This is more so when the priest or pastor is charismatic and more a good entertainer than a man of God and saints.

A temple with spiritual activities but no charity or welfare activities and no social gatherings is not in touch with society. It too will not be able to justify its very purpose and existence. 

In the view of Lord Bo Tien, any Bo Tien temple is meant to be a model temple for other temples to follow. It will not be any of the above. 

It's focus is on doctrine mission and understanding of the basic doctrine as the basis of all religions and sects. 

The doctrine is the basis of spirituality and welfare activities. Doctrine is the live wire to ignite spiritual, welfare, social and community activities under the umbrella of the temple. All activities are in one temple organisation. 

As such, a Bo Tien temple cannot promote use of jos sticks as this will not be congenial for visitors and residents of the aged home that is in the same building. There must be peace, quiet and clean air even with many under the same roof. 

It must reflect that the sky or heaven is the roof of the temple and all religions are pillars of the temple. The use of urns and joss sticks would have to be phased out as these are not consistent with many religions and sects.


All Bo Tien temples have done well and serve as good role models for others to emulate. But there is  indeed more room for improvement. They do need to be closer to the concept of the universal temple that the lord saint described in his mission day messages.





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