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| Elder Ling Diung Kwong |
In October 2011, Elder Ling spoke to some independent-minded mission members at Singapore. Elder Ling reminded that any temple must move forward as one. This applies to all temples and religious organisations, more so to any temple in the name of Lord Bo Tien. The lord saint reminds time and again that any temple named after him should be exemplary and be a model for other temples to follow.
It is best that there be one organisation and all activities be under the umbrella of that one organisation.
If the wings of that organisation grow big, it is still wise for all to be in one --- all in one and one in all. That is so and so be it.
Having to divorce and separate any wing, be it social, youth, mission or charitable as a separate body from the temple or organisation would be a mistake as this would be planting the seeds for future discord when errant groups take over the administratively separate organisations and do not see eye to eye and want to go separate ways but trapped in the same premises as they would be sharing the same premises.
How unfortunate this will be? The misfortune is all because men in their folly choose to bring apart what God and saints put together as one.
Whatever the social agenda that calls for the separation, the division would be in bad taste at least from the spiritual angle.
It is spiritually more correct for a temple or church to be the umbrella body for all activities such as welfare, youth or social activities. Together the temple or church will be more whole and the running of the temple or church will be more wholesome and holistic.
For example, in the case of any temple of Lord Bo Tien, the welfare thrust is one manifest aspect of the mission and motivated by the doctrine that Lord Bo Tien explains to us over the years.
The welfare front of a temple or church is like a part of the flower. In the lord's 1983 anniversary message. a flower, Lord Bo Tien said, is made up of various parts. Taken as a whole, it is beautiful but separated as parts, each part is not as appealing as the whole flower. Lord Bo Tien's 1983 Anniversary Message.
Separating the different fronts of a church or temple such as the welfare and pastor training fronts as separate entities from the church or temple will not be right and will violate the very wholesomeness and holistic oneness of purpose and direction of the temple or church, though this may in the short term give questionable freedom of expression and some administrative and social conveniences.
Men will somehow think they know allot and they will err as they are not perfect and God and saints know. If they do not, then there is no need for religion or a temple or church. There is need for men to learn, and a temple or church, like it or not, has to be the place for men to err and to learn. But they could err less if they heed more of the spiritual doctrine and advice of the elders. A temple or church is like the flower and blame not the flower if insects come to it for nectar. Lord Bo Tien referred to the parable of the flower and the insects in his 1984 anniversary message. Lord Bo Tien's 1984 Anniversary Message
Thus a temple or church is for all kinds of people and for them to learn. The better of the lot cannot be unaccommodating to those who are not as good as them. They should learn from the strengths and weakness of men and by doing so, they have better grasp of life. Life is the living doctrine.
This is referred to in 1974 message of Lord Bo Tien.
"A temple too will attract people of various characteristics, some good and some not so good. These will be contrasted for all in the group and be noticeable. Learn and absorb as much of the good points of others. Do also learn from the weaknesses and mistakes, so that these will not be repeated in their own lives." Lord Bo Tien's 1974 Anniversary Message
So elders who know better can learn more from the weakness of those who know less. Elders cannot say there is no place for those who know less but they can educate them so that what God and saints put together, let not men bring apart. Elders and those better in the know and practice of doctrine cannot expect only the more better of men in a temple but they should expect all kinds and levels of men as then a good mix will be more representative and reflective of yin and yang in society.
The emissary of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien at end of 1984 message "pointed out to the Taoist Octagon or Pakua, which showed two fish-like symbols the yin and the yang. Both must exist and if there was only one, then there will be no balance and peace. Man must seek the inner peace through balance of yin and yang. A temple or organisation must find balance in the yin and yang elements of people that constitute the temple. Only then will there be peace and harmony."
This adds further significance to the advice given in the parable of the flower and the ants in the same 1984 message. Without ants or insects in men, there would be no need for a temple and its mission. A temple or spiritual organisation needs to attract both yin and yang and this is as the case with all nature. Lord Bo Tien's 1984 Anniversary Message
God has put together different kinds of people in a temple or church. Whilst elders may decry why less doctrine motivated men want to separate the welfare or spiritual training school e.g. pastor training school as separate entities from a temple or church, they too should not exclude such men from the fold of the temple or church.
What God put together, let no man take apart. This is so true in more ways than one. This has to do with the yin and yang, the polar dualities of life that color nature and the universe. The ability to fathom and balance yin and yang is the way to sainthood but more importantly to a meaningful, peaceful and fruitful life here and now for the individual and for a temple or church, more so for Bo Tien mission-related temples as they have to be the role models to illustrate what Lord Bo Tien said in all his anniversary messages in the first 13 years.
What God put together, let no man bring apart. Have mastery over yin and yang and not try to have only some of the yin and yang and not all. This is just not possible.
The charity wing or pastoral training wing of a temple or church therefore must always remain integral part of the entity of the temple or church and not be hived off from the temple or church as separate organisation with distinct logo of its own.
This illustrates the point that men in a temple or church must not run a temple or church based on social pressures. They must be sturdy like the lone tree at the fringe by being rooted in subterrain water of doctrine. The lone tree may not be as socially attractive.
A spiritually driven temple or church may not attract the seasonal festive crowd but it is doctrine and mission driven and it will certainly last longer. It will not fade away like the society-driven temple when the good times are no longer around and the social lure of the festivity loses its appeal in bad times.
Thus let us remember always that what God put together in a temple or church be it different kinds of people or the various fronts and functions must be part of the temple and not exist as separate independent entities with their individual logos and own distinct management committees.
The only way to insure against losing oneness of a temple is for the temple to be spiritually motivated and grounded in divine doctrine and purpose.
From the foregoing, we can thus appreciate Elder Ling's insistence that any temple must move forward as one. This applies to all temples and religious organisations, more so to any temple in the name of Lord Bo Tien. The lord saint reminds time and again that any temple named after him should be exemplary and be a model for other temples to follow. That is so and so be it.
What God put together, let no man take apart
Related postsFor example, in the case of any temple of Lord Bo Tien, the welfare thrust is one manifest aspect of the mission and motivated by the doctrine that Lord Bo Tien explains to us over the years.
The welfare front of a temple or church is like a part of the flower. In the lord's 1983 anniversary message. a flower, Lord Bo Tien said, is made up of various parts. Taken as a whole, it is beautiful but separated as parts, each part is not as appealing as the whole flower. Lord Bo Tien's 1983 Anniversary Message.
Separating the different fronts of a church or temple such as the welfare and pastor training fronts as separate entities from the church or temple will not be right and will violate the very wholesomeness and holistic oneness of purpose and direction of the temple or church, though this may in the short term give questionable freedom of expression and some administrative and social conveniences.
Men will somehow think they know allot and they will err as they are not perfect and God and saints know. If they do not, then there is no need for religion or a temple or church. There is need for men to learn, and a temple or church, like it or not, has to be the place for men to err and to learn. But they could err less if they heed more of the spiritual doctrine and advice of the elders. A temple or church is like the flower and blame not the flower if insects come to it for nectar. Lord Bo Tien referred to the parable of the flower and the insects in his 1984 anniversary message. Lord Bo Tien's 1984 Anniversary Message
The preceding year message in 1983 states thus,
"Human beings however beautiful or good as a people is like any creation of
nature such as the flower. The flower is good and beautiful but as it is part of
nature, it is not perfect and wholesome. It will wither. Also it is made of
parts which on their own are not beautiful and far from wholesome or desirable.
The doctrine is divine, pure and wholesome. This do not imply that the members
must be pure and wholesome to be entitled to learn the doctrine."
Thus a temple or church is for all kinds of people and for them to learn. The better of the lot cannot be unaccommodating to those who are not as good as them. They should learn from the strengths and weakness of men and by doing so, they have better grasp of life. Life is the living doctrine.
This is referred to in 1974 message of Lord Bo Tien.
"A temple too will attract people of various characteristics, some good and some not so good. These will be contrasted for all in the group and be noticeable. Learn and absorb as much of the good points of others. Do also learn from the weaknesses and mistakes, so that these will not be repeated in their own lives." Lord Bo Tien's 1974 Anniversary Message
So elders who know better can learn more from the weakness of those who know less. Elders cannot say there is no place for those who know less but they can educate them so that what God and saints put together, let not men bring apart. Elders and those better in the know and practice of doctrine cannot expect only the more better of men in a temple but they should expect all kinds and levels of men as then a good mix will be more representative and reflective of yin and yang in society.
The emissary of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien at end of 1984 message "pointed out to the Taoist Octagon or Pakua, which showed two fish-like symbols the yin and the yang. Both must exist and if there was only one, then there will be no balance and peace. Man must seek the inner peace through balance of yin and yang. A temple or organisation must find balance in the yin and yang elements of people that constitute the temple. Only then will there be peace and harmony."
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| Ba Gua |
This adds further significance to the advice given in the parable of the flower and the ants in the same 1984 message. Without ants or insects in men, there would be no need for a temple and its mission. A temple or spiritual organisation needs to attract both yin and yang and this is as the case with all nature. Lord Bo Tien's 1984 Anniversary Message
God has put together different kinds of people in a temple or church. Whilst elders may decry why less doctrine motivated men want to separate the welfare or spiritual training school e.g. pastor training school as separate entities from a temple or church, they too should not exclude such men from the fold of the temple or church.
What God put together, let no man take apart. This is so true in more ways than one. This has to do with the yin and yang, the polar dualities of life that color nature and the universe. The ability to fathom and balance yin and yang is the way to sainthood but more importantly to a meaningful, peaceful and fruitful life here and now for the individual and for a temple or church, more so for Bo Tien mission-related temples as they have to be the role models to illustrate what Lord Bo Tien said in all his anniversary messages in the first 13 years.
What God put together, let no man bring apart. Have mastery over yin and yang and not try to have only some of the yin and yang and not all. This is just not possible.
At this juncture, it is poignant to recall that in 1976, Lord Bo Tien also reiterated on need for oneness of a temple and of people by alluding to a temple as like a concrete pillar.
A concrete pillar must be made up of various components, each of which cannot stand on its own. What God put together in a temple or church be it different kinds of people or the various fronts and functions must be part of the temple and not exist as separate independent entities with their logos and own distinct management committees. Lord Bo Tien's 1976 Anniversary Message
A concrete pillar must be made up of various components, each of which cannot stand on its own. What God put together in a temple or church be it different kinds of people or the various fronts and functions must be part of the temple and not exist as separate independent entities with their logos and own distinct management committees. Lord Bo Tien's 1976 Anniversary Message
The charity wing or pastoral training wing of a temple or church therefore must always remain integral part of the entity of the temple or church and not be hived off from the temple or church as separate organisation with distinct logo of its own.
When the unthinkable happens, what went wrong and where is the fault. Dear readers, the answer is simple. It is because men of the temple or church are not rooted in spiritual doctrinal grounding. In 1979 and 1980 messages by Lord Bo Tien, he related the parable of the lone tree at the fringe surviving better in bad times of sheer drought than those more trees at the orchard despite being tendered to by farmers. This is all because it is rooted in subterrain water. Lord Bo Tien's 1980 Anniversary
Message
This illustrates the point that men in a temple or church must not run a temple or church based on social pressures. They must be sturdy like the lone tree at the fringe by being rooted in subterrain water of doctrine. The lone tree may not be as socially attractive.
A spiritually driven temple or church may not attract the seasonal festive crowd but it is doctrine and mission driven and it will certainly last longer. It will not fade away like the society-driven temple when the good times are no longer around and the social lure of the festivity loses its appeal in bad times.
Thus let us remember always that what God put together in a temple or church be it different kinds of people or the various fronts and functions must be part of the temple and not exist as separate independent entities with their individual logos and own distinct management committees.
The only way to insure against losing oneness of a temple is for the temple to be spiritually motivated and grounded in divine doctrine and purpose.
From the foregoing, we can thus appreciate Elder Ling's insistence that any temple must move forward as one. This applies to all temples and religious organisations, more so to any temple in the name of Lord Bo Tien. The lord saint reminds time and again that any temple named after him should be exemplary and be a model for other temples to follow. That is so and so be it.
What God put together, let no man take apart
The divine test a temple has to undergo
What God and lord saint decide, let no man put aside...
It is God's will
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