Be more man and that would be good enough

Learning Point No 428

It must be strange that many men cannot even be good men and yet some men are talking about how to be like the saints and be in heaven with God and saints. 

Surely if one does not qualify to be a good man, how can he be even a wee bit like a saint. Being in heaven is to have qualities of a saint. 

But men in enticing others to a religion dangle the carrot of "belief and we will be saved". It does sound simple and too good to be true. 

But it is every bit ludicrous and even ridiculous that we can be with God and saints just like that - just by saying that we believe in God "through you oh lord." 

If someone tells you to just trust him because he knows the mayor of the town, would we so gullible and believe in him just because he has a following or crowd with him or he is well dressed and every bit charismatic  

It is just like selling a product like milk powder and the seller just wants us to believe in him, would we just simply believe and buy the product. That was what happened in certain countries where the product like milk powder was adulterated and caused food poisoning. 

If we are wise and grown men, we do have to know what we buy and not take the seller's word for it. Do not think that what he said is the gospel truth. 

Even if a man tells us that what he said is the gospel truth, we have to think that the facts he said may be difficult to verify but at least we have to fathom the principles or values underlying what he said. 

Even Gautama Buddha said in the Kalama Sutra that we should not believe in what he said just because he said so. We should test what he said like gold in olden days was tested by fire. Of course in modern times, there are better methods. 

Thus how on earth could we deceive ourselves and others that we can be like the saints and be with God and saints in Heaven just by believing? 

It is sheer unthinkable if we just believe and question not what a man says or wants us to believe in what he says, more so in religion. If we just believe, we are more like animals who tend to follow the crowd or pack leader. 

Even animals can sometimes do better by investigating the situation. We are obviously men and not animals. Some animals can be better than some men. 

Even Lord Bo Tien said that he does not expect all who come to his temple to believe in him and in what he says. He says that it is alright to have doubts and among those in his mission if there are doubts and disagreement, it is alright to have doubts for doubts exist because men do not understand and see eye to eye. 

If men could respect one another and live and let live, agree to disagree for now, accept one another despite differences in belief, the day will come when men will know better and have less or no doubts and less or no differences. Then there will be more consensus and concord. 

But this can only come about if men behave like men and not be unbecoming of men. Animals can sometimes be even better than men despite being less endowed than men. 

Men must behave like men more so in the house of God. The sky is the roof of this house and religions are the pillars. Men in the universal house of God need not have the same religions and sects but they are under the same sky or heaven - the same God. 

Men must behave like men and that will suffice. Only a rare few can go beyond but then they will still be men though saintly and more divine. 

We must behave like man and be more man. Let us be man and be more man, better still be more than man. But for many, it would be good enough to be more man.

The mission goes on even if men are not ready

Learning Point No 427

In the 1984 message, the lord saint Lord Bo Tien said, "...some of them understand His Doctrine and some still don't understand His Doctrine but because of His Mission in "save mankind and beings in all realms", He has to descend tonight (that night in 1984) to give the message for us to ponder over." Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien...

He was lamenting that there were still members of the mission who did not understand the Doctrine he had said in the thirteen years ending in 1984. Despite the fact that the mission is to save mankind and beings in all realms, many members of the mission still did not know the doctrine and without knowing, there was no way they could carry out the Mission. 

In an earlier 1978 message, he said that the mission is not just welfare and charity but way beyond to save souls through understanding and practice of doctrine. 

Quote from Historical version of Bo Tien Chor Choo's 1978 Anniversary Message...

The Aged Home was a good charitable deed, which they had accomplished and it was in line with His wish to have it built. Now that the Aged Home had been established, it was time to put forward His Doctrine. He said, "Good deeds are in many forms." At the present place (Woodlands Singapore), it was known that every effort put in had brought forth fruits for all to see and yet many are ignorant of His Doctrine. The setting up of the Aged Home had seen people with many ulterior motives; some for self-interest; others to gain higher status in the society while there were some not expecting any returns. He added that the good deeds done in this life would be repaid perhaps instantly in the present or in future.

............. He then invited the congregation to look at the awning of the Temple (with its pillars) and said, "This is my doctrine."

Otherwise though charity is good and will bear good results for the receiver and good doer, this is just not good enough. "Good deeds come in many forms." Gift of Doctrine to save of souls is the ultimate good deeds

Moreover, the motive for charity may be more personal than spiritual. 

But whatever the motive even if not spiritual and not mission directed, any good will still beget good though the good that results will NOT be as good as from the good from saving souls through doctrine. 

What is the focus of the doctrine  There is need to know the Way or Tao (Tou-li) on how to be atop and balance the yin and yang and master it before one can be at peace and pure to be with God and heavenly saints. 

The Tao is in all religions. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions are the pillars. "The temple shed with pillars is the doctrine."

Lamenting thus that men still do not understand doctrine at his last annual message to men, he said that he had to come down that year in 1984 for the mission.  His coming down to deliver message is for the Mission despite the fact that the men then still did not understand the doctrine. 

Worse of all, as his representatives said umpteen times over the first 13 years from 1969, many had mistaken and will continue to mistake what men do and say as what the lord saint do and say. They had often mistaken man as saint and saint as man.

As a result, they would misconceive that the lord saint might not be real but the concoction and imagination of man. 

As a result, what a man did and said may be misconstrued as what the saint did and said. That would be sad as men in later years may even deny that the messages are not genuine. 

They would even conclude that there is no history and doctrine mission. 

What is the history? They will answer that there is none. They will surely say that there is no need to write history. 

What is the mission? Well they will say that there is no mission other than to do good - to carry out charity as had been done for centuries by men the world over. There is nothing new. Then what is the need for the lord saint to descend in 1969?

Why would the lord saint come down in the first place in 1969 when he made it clear he was not here to be a new deity or god for men? He was not here to start a new sect or religion. He was not here to start new temples. 

He was merely using the typical Chinese temple culture to show that the same basic or inner truth behind all religions and sects, behind all churches, temples and houses of God and saints exist in magnificence in a Chinese temple named after him. 

There is no need to say more. Men will somehow fall short of the glory of God and saints. Had it not been for the grace of God and heavenly saints, few if any will make it to save their souls, let alone save the souls of others though they may do good like charity. 

Charity is good and good will result. But the gift of truth and doctrine is the best gift to all. The Mission of Heaven is the gift of truth to all so that they can live in doctrine and be saved. 

The mission goes on even if men are not ready. But the irony is that men may hijack the mission of Heaven and do their own instead. Is this what should be? Time and time again, men somehow will end up wanting Heaven to do their bidding and not they doing the bidding of Heaven.

No wonder the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say that "new subcontractor and workers" may be needed for the mission. How is this going to be done? The writing is on the wall, or is it? 

Men who failed the mission now or in the past may have to return in future to make up. This secret of Heaven is obviously no longer a secret as it had been revealed. This is out of compassion for those who might have to return if they fail to make it in their present lifetime. 

The answer to the problems of the mission lies in having awareness of doctrine. Devotion can be blind and centred on ego needs. Man projects his own ego in God. Devotion to God is based on devotion to his own ego. It is often superficial as man is naturally more devoted to personal gains than to God and saints. 

What motivated most men to God and saints are the favors - the worldly blessings from God and saints. Blame not the flower for ants coming to it for nectar. Lord BoTien said. 

There is need for men to go beyond the nectar of personal favors and go for the peace of the spirit through doctrine. This is the peace that will last and is unaffected by life.

Men are so often preoccupied with the worldly gains and attainment that the mission to them is to do good through welfare activities for the worldly good of not only the needy but also for their own good in terms of status and acclaim. There is no lasting satisfaction, let alone peace.

This becomes the mission albeit at the apparent level. Doing good becomes the only doctrine. But the highest good is the good not for worldly gains but for peace of the souls - the enlightenment that is the salvation or saving of souls. The gift and practice of doctrine is the highest good. 

The real mission is the gift of the highest good to men. This is none other than doctrine. Many men are not ready to go beyond the worldly blessings they expect from God and saints. They need to go further for the doctrine which is the highest good. 

Men are blinded by quest for worldly good or attachment. But the mission for the highest good is beyond worldly attachment and is none other than the mission to spread the doctrine. This true mission must go on even if men are not ready. 

If goodness like charity is motivated by doctrine, then it is even better than the goodness that is not. Many are not ready for doctrine. The mission cannot wait for them. 

But even if men are not ready for mission, men can be motivated to do charity even if the motivation is not based on grasp of doctrine but on devotion of sorts. This is better than waiting till kingdom come for them to be keen on doctrine and have grasp of doctrine.

Incidentally, with regards to the true Mission, there are three phases. The charity phase followed the first phase of devotion phase. Each phase lasted 13 years. There should be enough of both spiritual orientated devotion and good deeds to spur the interest in doctrine. The third phase is the doctrine phase. The doctrine is the prime driver of mission. It is the mission proper. 

Doctrine if cultivated and practised enables peace from within and this will last more than any gains from without. 

What is given from without cannot last but what is cultivated from within may last if it is the peace that comes from Tao (Way) of balancing the ups and downs, the yin and yang of life that is in us. 

If we have no problem with yin and yang in the world within us, we have no problem with the yin and yang in the world outside us. The mind is chief. As the saying goes, we will be what we think. 

God and the boomerang effect

Learning Point No 426

Lao Tse is often quoted as saying that in the eyes of Heaven good begets good and bad begets good as well. 

That bad begets good does not appear to sound logical on first impression. But the way of men is not the way of God and saints. 

Men may come to a temple for blessings and this is often self-centered. The rich want to be richer. 

Many do not take keenly to the doctrine of Heaven. All they want is to have more goodness in life, more so for themselves than for others. So many knew that the place to seek such blessings is the temple or church. 

Even prostitutes go to a temple or church to seek for blessings of wealth. Heaven will still bless them. This promotes faith and in the process, hopefully in time, those who come to a temple or church will seek 'more good than the good they know'. This has to do with doctrine and the way to live live in doctrine. 

That bad can beget good in a house of God does not mean that the bad doer should continue to be doing bad for what goes out must come back. There is the boomerang effect. 

But if Heaven does not offer the olive branch, the bad will continue to be bad. The boomerang effect is already unpleasant and is not the wish of Heaven for the men at the receiving end. 

There is no need for Heaven to make matters worse for the bad doer. Heaven must love even the bad doer and that way, there is hope that the bad doer will appreciate that God is good and they should be good too. 

God and saints are good even to those who do bad things. This is the benevolence of God and saints.

If men commit wrong and the less or the unworthy, the boomerang effect may not spare them but God will by blessing them with good that make them wake up to be more right in living life. Then with more good done, they will beget good from the karmic boomerang. 

They are rewarded by the boomerang effect. God will additionally double or even triple the good due to them.

Thus the above will enable many at Bo Tien mission related temples to realise why the bad seem to be rewarded and blessed despite their obvious bad they did in the temple of the lord saint. This can irk many. 

In a temple of Lord Bo Tien, men of no good  may continue to have good life and limelight but not forever because the boomerang effect will always be there in the long run. 

They are like the strong wind blowing away good strong men of God. The strong wind will not blow forever and has to stop one day. This was said by Lord Bo Tien in 1984. Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien...

In many temples and churches, there will be those who appear good, doing welfare activities but their motives are not good or rather far from good. They are out really to further their own ends like fame and acclaim. 

They obviously do not harbor the divine intention to have inner peace and to cleanse and save their souls.  

They will receive good so long as there are good deeds but due to dubious motives, there will be less good in return. In the long term, the boomerang effect may result in retributions for their unholy intentions. 

They are like the fallen angel of God - Lucifer. Even Lucifer had done some good but his intentions were not good even before his fall from the grace of God. 

The 1984 prediction of Lord Bo Tien

Learning Point No 425

    

In 1984 message, Lord Bo Tien said, 

"Human beings will be human beings and even if he (human being) is very strong with his legs planted firmly on the ground, he will have to cling on to a big tree to prevent from being blown away. When there is a very strong wind, even a group of very strong persons will have to disperse. But this very strong wind will have to stop one day and the people will return." Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien...

What have come true is that there is the strong wind of focus on worldly agenda and people coming to focus on worldly agenda, even setting the welfare wing of mission as separate entity taking dominance over the spiritual which has lost thrust and in danger of fading into history. 

Those who were not doctrine and spiritual orientated held sway and even the one/s who had planted feet on the ground had to hold on to a big tree when the strong wind continued to blow. But eventually he / they too would not be able to hold the ground forever, however well planted on the ground his / their feet might be. 

They too would be swept away though alas despite their faith and devoutness, they the very last few were swept away, as had been witnessed. This had to be. This indeed is what the lord saint refer to as the third or human obstacle of the mission beside the fire and water obstacles. 

"When there is a very strong wind, even a group of very strong persons will have to disperse." Men who were supposedly strong pioneers were being swept away by the strong wind. They had to leave and be dispersed. They stay away for long time and for as long as the strong wind continues to blow. 

"But this very strong wind will have to stop one day and the people will return." That one day may indeed be a long long time but the strong wind cannot be there forever and it will have to stop. Then the strong men, strong in spiritual will return to push and propel the mission which must be driven by spiritual devotion to doctrine... 

The prelude or preceding paragraph of the quoted paragraph of the message of the lord saint is worth mentioning as it is clear that the lord saint knew many do not understand the doctrine despite his efforts and of the few who do understand somewhat, many are not into doctrine. 

'He comments He is happy to know new and old members are celebrating His Birthday and He asks if they understand His Doctrine. He then comments that some of them understand His Doctrine and some still don't understand His Doctrine but because of His Mission in "save mankind and beings in all realms", He has to descend tonight to give the message for us to ponder over.' 

The men who will come to the mission are predominantly those who were not keen on doctrine but were more attracted like the ants to the flower for nectar. These are the men who will become like the strong wind to blow away the few men who are into doctrine and mission - to "save mankind and beings in all realms". 

They focus on nectar of worldly and mundane welfare of society and not go beyond to saving souls. To them, the saving of souls in all realms is not the mission. The mission is to meet physical and mundane needs of men in worldly terms. 

Their primary unspoken intention will be the potential acclaim they get for leadership, and meeting the welfare of society is the projected intention. They are not even committed to save their own souls, let alone to save others' souls. 

Their zest is like the strong wind that the lord saint mentioned in the first paragraph. The non spiritual and mundane driven men will tire out and fade away, though many will eventually wake up and realise that the mission need to be spiritual and they need to be devout and doctrine driven. 

30 years have lapsed as of 2013 and it is about time .... or is it just not true... or perhaps mere fabrication? 

The predictions of the lord saint, be it the 1984 prediction above or be it the third obstacle of the mission have to be authentic if they happen and come to pass. Then the faith of men in the lord saint and in the mission will be that much stronger. 

Then the men whatever their persuasions and initial agenda, be they the less or more spiritual driven will be cemented together like sand in the concrete pillar. This too is another saying of the lord saint, Lord Bo Tien before 1980. 

Then in the same breath in 1975, Lord Bo Tien said that men of mission with spiritual focus will be like a collection of candle flames. As like a collection of flames compared to the lone flame, they are better able to light up the lives of others, not just through charity to meet mundane physical and worldly needs but even beyond these to the more wholesome - the "saving of souls in all realms". 

When they are more wholesome orientated, they will walk the doctrine path and they will live life in doctrine. This will help men to save their own souls and even save the souls of others as well. These are beyond the physical and mundane welfare activities which are already noble. But the saving of souls through doctrine would be even that much more wholesome. 

The cell group culture is manifest of Tao

Learning Point No 424

In the old days, there was stress in the orient of having extended family, and marriages were arranged to grow the extended family. Extended family favored procreation. Family run business and provided the manpower. 

The young support the old and the old support the young. Whole village became one big super extended family. 

This was ideal and the cohesion of members of the extended family was at its best. But when East met West and whether we like it or not, globalisation and modernisation crept in and the focus shifted from group interest to self centered personal gain and the big and gloorious family structure broke down. 

Nowadays, it is even more difficult to have nuclear family and divorces between husbands and wives are common. It is easier and less burdensome to be single and widowed than to shoulder even a mere nuclear family. 

Gone were the days when marriages they said were made in heaven as they were arranged between big family clans. Divorce would be unthinkable and frowned upon. 

So we have arrived and the modern society of 2013 is the age of liberation where every man or woman is for his or her self, so it seems. 

But by the philosophy of yin yang balance, this cannot be and even singles must live as groups even if they do somehow treasure being singles. To be single is to be richer and to have enough money per individual. 

No longer is it true that the bigger the family and the more the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, the richer the family head as without fail, everyone then chipped in for the big family enterprise. 

Then arose the great revolution of the last few decades. To be single is good but then this runs against human nature and no one can stop force of nature. 

Society innovated the concept of cell groups in churches and even temples to replace the extended family. 

This serves two purposes. One is to facilitate spiritual cohesiveness. The other is to promote social cohesiveness. 

The cell group culture is the manifestation of the innate need for yin yang complementation and grouping in society. 

The early socialists started it but modern day socialists seem to have dropped the culture and are taking on capitalist and free enterprise culture to be more economically viable at the national level. 

Having cell groups ensure members of the cell group stay on in the religion of adoption and not in the religion they are born to as their parents have religion different from them. 

The adoption of cell group is like having a form of extended family albeit the modern way. This is the practice of the age old principle of yin yang balance of Chinese culture. 

Thus the intuitive need to have yin yang cultivation has crept into the modern institutions of more progressive religion and invaded into the churches and temples of modern society of 2013. 

This is in a way no different to the clan and village temples of old in ancient China which were run by dialect groups and members of these institutions were related to one another. 

The cell group culture manifests the gravitation of men towards the same yin yang balance in society. If yin yang culture is Tao, then there is Tao even in temples and churches of religions that do not openly profess to embrace Tao. the Way that is Taoism.

The emblem of yin yang culture and balance is in the Taiji of the Bagua. 

Bagua

Tai ji

Lao Tse stressed that Tao is in every aspect of life and in every society and that means it will be in every religion and sect. It has the quality of water, powerful yet not forceful. 

Like water, it is everywhere, at the highest level and at the lowest level. Those who mock at Tao will end up realising they too practise Tao. 

From Wikipedia

The Mission and the religion without borders in Chinese temples

Learning Point No 423

Why do people go to a Chinese temple? 

To many, it is just tradition. They go there to seek worldly blessings and to pray for health, peace and prosperity. Some seek fortune windfall. 

Few go there to know more of God and the doctrine of life. They revere the heavenly gods in a way that condition them not to know more as respect is such that they do not pry into the matters of the gods. 

Thus many will not know more of the temple god or saint and what he stands for. There will be apathy for specifics of spiritual way of life. They do what the parents do. No questions asked. No need to be inquisitive for that will be disrespectful of the gods.  

To many, all that they need is to do good, be good and lead a good life albeit a worldly one. So, in such social culture, conversion and baptism have no place. 

You just go and you can go to any temple or even church or even to a mosque if invited.  There are no borders and nothing to stop you from who to pray to and where to go to pray. 

Often men go to the same temple deity or buddha year in and year out on festive occasions as per their usual annual routine. 

They offer food offerings, jos sticks, some incense papers and some token donation.  Often the donation is referred to as "to offer more oil" to keep the temple oil lamp going. These they believe will go some way to show their appreciation to the temple saint or deity and cement their relationship with the heavenly saint or the local earth god. 

Whilst such men may be loosely aligned as Taoists or even Buddhists if among the gods they pray to, they also pray to Buddha, they are just more like free thinkers who are more ethnic Chinese than members of a religion or sect. 

They do what they like and follow traditions taught by their parents and grandparents. We may also say that they are not really free thinkers but just adherents of Chinese ethnic culture.

But in the last few decades w.e.f. 2013, there are significant numbers who 'kooi yi' or take up precepts the loose equivalent of baptism. 

In a way, we can say that there is religion without borders in Chinese temples and it is in such background that Lord Bo Tien descended on the bequest or assigned mission by God to inject the need to go beyond culture and religious affiliation.  

There is need to know doctrine of God common to all religions and culture so as to have better appreciation of life and to save souls not only now but in the life hereafter. 

His objective is that whatever the culture or religion, there is need to save souls, our own and that of others. 

The way to do so is to have peace through yin and yang balance in life - the coming to terms with polarities and vicissitudes of life so that there is peace and heaven here and now and not wait till the afterlife. Isn't this marvelous?

Is  Bo Tien Temple a Chinese Temple?
It started out like one. But will it in time be
a temple for all religions and cultures? 
Based on teachings of the lord saint,
it already is, isn't it, or perhaps 
on the way to being one? 
A temple without religious borders

None of the odds can hinder a lord saint

Learning Point No 422

    

Amitabha and all heavenly saints
are like the great ocean

Any heavenly saint is like the great ocean. No amount of mud flowing into the ocean will sully the ocean that reaches out to many a land. 

Despite the odds, a lord saint will not be stopped from reaching out to men like the rain that comes down from the clouds to bless the land away from the ocean. 

  

What are these odds? They are at least eight in number, 

1) The human mediators primary and secondary who refuse to be faithful intermediary of the lord saint. They are weak links. A lord saint is never shackled down by such weak links who may be pastors, monks and trancers.

2) The falsehood that arises when men mistook what men said as what a lord saint said. Men can have doubts of the teachings of a lord saint and at times even prefer to sidetrack the teachings but men should not dwell in falsehood. It is like breaking commandments or precepts. 

3) The subtle 'unseating' of a lord saint in the temple relegating the saint to the 'backyard' or museum so that some men can have more limelight to pursue their agenda as the agenda of the saint. Men in the temple then become beholden to man instead of God and saint. Pastor or priest take the limelight instead of God and saint.

4) The lord saint has no voice and say because men refuse to live in the doctrine specified in the messages of the saint. Men see not the Word as God and saint. They ensure that their own voice and say be heard instead. 

5) Men claim credit for the good works motivated by the lord saint of that temple or church. They may even divorce the good works as a separate society from the temple or church of the saint with man becoming the overall patron and adviser instead of the heavenly saint. 

6) Men profaning allegiance by holding temple celebrations and burning jos sticks and offering livestock when it is the doctrine and heart that count, not the outward actions of men. 

7) Tuff guarding by men so that other men could not share the joy of being in the temple of a lord saint. They want to ensure that all who come are those with them. If not, they have no place there. But the reality is that men in a temple of a lord saint need not have same beliefs as the tuff guarders. This is just like the men in the world of the same one God can have different religions and sects. 

8) (a) The denial of the publication of the messages of a lord saint and branding them as personal accounts which are mostly not true and authentic. But these messages contain the instructions and teachings of a lord saint and published officially by the earlier pioneer committee. 

(b) It is however alright to have publications other than that containing the messages of a saint of the temple, so that men can have choice and free will. Men can compare and decide for themselves. 

  

It is consistent with the Mission of Lord Bo Tien to make sure that such odds do not happen in any house of God and saints, and even if these do occur, men will learn and be wiser from the learning. 

This will go a long way to ensure that men will be better adherents of a religion they choose. There is no need to switch religion or sect. The lord saint too is not starting a new sect or religion. 

That the lord saint indeed has a temple in Singapore and another in Sitiawan Malaysia is not indicative of his starting a new sect or religion or that he favors any.

Better for wolves to be in the temple than be in the wilderness

Learning Point No 421

    

Lord Ji  or Ji Gong highlighted on
 the issue of divine affinity with saints
otherwise it would seem unfair
why wolves in men may have affinity
while others who are not
 may not have such. Read on...

This post is penned by the shadow of the golden fan on the afternoon of the 45th Mission Day of Lord Bo Tien on the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month - 17th Oct 2013. For those upset by this post, remember what Buddha said, 

Despite the many saints and the many religions and sects, it is unrealistic to expect Heaven to reach out to all. 

Ji Gong when asked why not all can be associated with saints has this to say. Only those with affinity have the chance to be associated with saints and of those associated with saints, only some have the chance to hear the Doctrine. Of these some, only few after hearing the Doctrine can make good. 

This is the case as rare are those who have the heart for Doctrine and many only have the heart to go for personal gains usually at the expense of the good of others and even at the expense of the religion or temple that they are in. They are like parasites of the temple or religion. 

They come to a saint for selfish worldly blessings that are at others disadvantage and are harmful to others. They are oblivious of the true nature of life. 

They live as though they will live forever. They go for worldly status and acclaim.  What they want is that they gain, never mind if others are hurt or deprived in the process.

It is difficult to change them for the better. It is definitely rare to be able to get them to be in a temple or church. 

Let us be realistic and repeat that it would be rare and perhaps a near miracle if a temple can attract them but alas even after attracting them, it is more likely that they go for personal gains and not for spiritual concerns. 

They may cause problems and cause the temple to rot like insects causing wood rot in a tree, as was once referred to by Lord Bo Tien in one of the many anniversary messages. The branch may have to be chopped off to save the tree.

They may be the worst among men. Heavenly saints like Ji Gong and Bo Tien being benevolent, do still want to reach out to them but can the saints reach out to all and can they change them for their own good and for the good of all men? 

Ideally yes but it would be onerous. If such men can indeed be in the temple, even if their motives are not ideal and far from good, it is already good enough just for them to be in the temple. 

If they, despite it being ridiculous, can go one further step and take up management posts in the temple, that would be beyond dreams. Why? The explanation is this. Even if they may indeed create problems of spiritual transgression, their taking up appointments would be wonderful in a way. 

This would be a near miracle though not miraculous enough. They would be somewhat forced along to do some good though they might inevitably by their inherent nature create problems and frustrate others.

They like leopards do not change their spots. Saints can only help those who happen to come bye. They happen to come by probably due to fate of past lives and benevolent saints treasure opportunity to have them and be with them.

Men must have affinity to religion. God and saints try to create more chances and affinity but alas many more remain out of the orbit of religions and saints. 

If men of questionable integrity come to a temple, they may be seen as unworthy by the elders in a temple but not by God and saints. 

They by right have little affinity or inclination to spiritual but if they do come and take interest in a temple, this is a rarity and God and saints will value the opportunity to change them for the better. Though in the short and medium term this is not probable as they may even wreck havoc. Do reflect on why this is so. 

Lord Bo Tien said that men should not blame the flower for insects coming to it for nectar. Affinity to saints is already finite for all. What more for those who are wayward and undeserving? They will need the luck of the lottery to be in the house of God. 

Even if they disappoint and pollute the spirituality of the temple, God and saints do relish the rarity of having them in the house of God than be totally lost out there in the wilderness. 

It is indeed better for 'wolves' to be in the temple than to be in the wilderness. They will do less harm and may even do some good. Isn't this still good of sorts?

As long as there is the affinity, there is the chance however remote that they will make good and in the process open the eyes of others even if they themselves fail for now to make good spiritually. 

Men in a temple even of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien must learn from the mistakes of others so that they can be better off from the learning. We learn from life, not only our own but also from the life of others. This is the living gospel which Lord Bo Tien referred to in one of the anniversary messages he gave.

Hope that all who read this post is convinced that it is better for wolves to be in the temple than to be in the wilderness. 

But the question is this. Who are the wolves? The elder head or pioneer may think that the young upstart is the wolf but the latter may think that the elder pioneer is the wolf. 

It is probable that all are 'wolves' in their own ways and all come to the temple or saint for personal agenda. Do ask yourself, who don't? All are like insects coming to the flower for nectar. So the pot should not call the kettle black or should it do so? 

Jesus said, "Judge not lest ye be judged." and "Many see the dust in others' eyes but not in their own."

In the old days, Chinese temples in China and in countries outside China used to be run somehow by shady people who have connections with triads. As Lord Bo Tien said that the flower should not be blamed for insects coming to it for nectar. 

Temples often became the operational centers of triads and people of unlikely or devious spiritual intents. But as said earlier, the saints welcome them and while saints want them to change, this might not happen overnight. 

But at least the temple environment and belief in heavenly saints might knock some sense of morality and conscience into them so that they be more principled. 

Like in the society outside the temples, even with the more so-called straight people, only a few see the real light and live life based on doctrine of God and saints. Even priests of temples and pastors of churches have proven to be disappointment in modern time of 2013. They are like wolves in sheep's clothings.

Saints like Kuang Kong and Ji Gong are often revered by men whom the mainstream regard as the condemned and to be avoided. 

In the setting up of Bo Tien Mission or Temple, Lord Bo Tien too did welcome them and the man whom the lord saint chose to be the medium to speak to men was of such shady background. That man had very much changed for the better but still not up to the expectations of critical society. 

He was miraculously reformed like many pastors who had past like him. But just like pastors, we should not expect the sky out of people like him. 

Had people like them not been inducted into the various churches and temples, they would be worse off and society too would likewise be worse off. 

Thus looking back, it was with great foresight and sheer wisdom that Lord Bo Tien chose a senior police officer in 1970 to be the temple head or 'Ah Tau' to oversee the mission and ensure that it would not falter. 

That man has since retired from police force and he is Elder Ling Diung Kwong. He should still play his supervisory role of the Mission otherwise who will be there to manage men who however good will still have shady sides and may run foul of the law of the land. 

Elder Ling in ? 1980 picture

But men especially the 'wolves' in them may find the likes of him irritating and want him to get off their backs. Without men like him in temples and churches, the governance and spiritual integrity will go down by notches

Reflections on The Forty Fifth Year of The Mission

Learning Point No 420

    

The mission of the lord saint has indeed reached 45 year mark on 17th Oct 2013 - the 13th day of the ninth lunar month. 

A temple is the people and not the building. This the lord saint said. 

Forty five years on, there should be concrete temple of people with men not lacking at all in doctrine. 

The men should be solidly grounded and substantial in doctrine. 

It is the concrete men that matter and not the concrete building. The success of a temple and mission depends on the quality of people. 

Success is not reflected by the type of building or the societal trappings. 

Success is not in the numbers or quantity of people gathering for the celebration of the mission day. This the lord saint said before. 

Lord Bo Tien said that what is needed is just a handful of good men. If there are such men in the crowd, then the mission day is indeed a joyous occasion for the lord saint and for Heaven.

The men of the mission should be men of God and saints and not just mere men of the world of men.

The agenda of men are secondary, of less concern and often incidental. Men of God go for wholesome divine calling of Heaven to save souls and are not detracted by any worldly distractions. 

There must be focus on doctrine and not on worldly material physical needs. Welfare activities are just the beginning. To save souls, more need to be done. 

Only when all these are there, only when they are factored, instituted and operational, the mission could then be considered truly to have arrived as is indeed the case... 

The Mission has fared well but much more must be done. Do not rest on past laurels....