Do not expect much from men at a temple

Learning Point No 402

What do we expect from men in a temple or church, especially those who are active and managing the place? 

For one thing however good they may be, they pale in comparison to the prophet or saint of that temple or church. 

Also they may not have the fervor and zest of the founders. 

They also may not share the same primary motives and their hidden agenda are their main concerns behind their professed primary motivation. 

Though many are still good enough, there will be those who are like insects coming to the flower for nectar and we should not blame the flower for coming to the insects. This the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say in 1975 at Sitiawan Malaysia. 

Do not expect much from men at a temple, let alone expect the sky out of them. Otherwise, we will be disappointed. 

Worse still, we may view the saint or religion in the same light and be disgruntled. We may then even doubt the existence of the saint. We may think the saint is the concoction of some cone men. 

No wonder Lord Bo Tien said "that man is man and saint is saint"

So if a pastor or monk who can speak well, entertain and sway the crowd, do not be deceived that he is wonderful and idolise him. He may have weaknesses which if made known to us may make them repulsive and less wholesome to us. 

But this does not mean that the religion of the temple or church is not sound. All religions are good and doing the good works of God. 

There will always be the few exceptional  men in a temple who are good and exceptional but even the best may still pale in comparison to the saint or prophet of the temple or religion. That is the reality. 

In a temple of Lord Bo Tien, the lord saint does not even want us to idolise him but to see his image as depiction of the doctrine. The doctrine is in the image and the image is the doctrine. 

His feet on the elements depict need to be atop and balance polarities in life - the worldly contingencies or yin and yang like gain and loss, honor and dishonor. 

His right hand hold on the scepter which depicts the mission to save souls through explaining and reinvigorating the common Tao or doctrine in all religions or sects.

If we should not even idolise or hero worship a saint or prophet, how on earth could we idolise the pastor or monk to extent of kissing the ground the pastor or monk steps on. 

But if men know the doctrine well and practise it, men will know where the pastor or monk have gone wrong and learn from his flaws. Men will also model the good examples of the pastor or monk.

But men should not spoil him and make a devil out of him. If ever he becomes one, it is not his fault alone but he is the making of those who fawn on him. 

Do remember not to expect much from men at a temple. Even the founder temple elder does not need to be that exemplary in many aspects. This does not mean, he should be asked to leave and removed from the temple. 

He certainly has done good and made the temple following and devotees proud of him. But he is man and not saint. 

Those who point fingers at him may well be worse than him and wolves in sheep's clothing. But they too have their place in the temple of a saint like that of Lord Bo Tien. 

All men have their place or right to be in a temple but please do not expect much from men at a temple. They are men and not saints. We too are men and not saints. 

Man is man and saint is saint. This God and saints will always say. Lord Bo Tien did say this as well.