Tenrikyo /Who Would Jesus Vote For?

Posted on October 16, 2016 by heaventruth

This is an interesting question I asked four years ago. One party believes that people cannot take care of themselves and government is there to support them. We have more people on welfare and food stamps than ever in our history. Jesus in one of the parables taught us how to catch fish, instead of giving someone a fish; so he can provide food to himself and his family. Free enterprise gives us this ability to be proud and support our families. Which party do you think this represents? One party wants to bring in millions of refugees to feed and take care of, instead of finding a solution to why they are leaving their countries.

Many religions believe that we have all sinned in the past. What candidate or candidates have sinned in the past? Jesus and other religious leaders have taught us to forgive people for their sins; but taught us to sin no more. What candidate is still sinning? What is Wikileaks proving about a current candidate?

What candidate is being persecuted and accused without proof by the media and the opposing party? These incidences were said to have occurred over ten years ago; do you find this similar to how Jesus was persecuted without any evidence or proof. We are finding that there are many people similar to Judas that are coming out against one candidate.

One candidate has been in government for over 30 years, and has accumulated millions of dollars. Does this remind you of the kings and leaders in Jesus’ period?

Who do you think Jesus would pick?

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Tenrikyo /Who Would Jesus Vote For?

Posted on October 16, 2016 by heaventruth

Who would Jesus Vote For?

Posted in Christian, Christianity, Heaven's Truth Church, Hindu, Mormon, Religion, Shinto, Tenrikyo | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tenrikyo /Who Would Jesus Vote for?

Posted on October 16, 2016 by heaventruth

Who would Jesus vote for?

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Tenrikyo /The Dusts of the Mind

Posted on October 11, 2016 by heaventruth

I was cleaning the ceiling fan today, and I realized how difficult it was to remove the dust that was imbued on the wooden blades. Like the dusts that accumulate on our mirrors, it is easily removed if done daily, but if left for a long periods of time, the dust is difficult to remove. What does this topic have to do with religion?

In the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo), the thoughts of greed, arrogance, and self-love are called dusts. These dusts or sins need to be eliminated from our minds, for God to give us salvation or blessings. But like the dusts that collect on the fans for long periods of time, they become difficult to remove. It takes much will power and commitment to eliminate these sins or dusts from our minds. For many of us, the shedding of these dusts is a very slow process, many times accumulating more dusts when inconveniences or sufferings occur. This is why it is difficult for a person to remove anger, even thought he or she knows that it is inappropriate and not accepted by God. But it is important that we remove these dusts from our minds for God to give us his blessings.

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Tenrikyo /God Can Heal You

Posted on October 11, 2016 by heaventruth

In the Heaven’s Truth Church (Tenrikyo), we are often reminded of the healing powers of God. In one of the Passages of the Osashizu (Directions) is the following:

I do not tell you that I heal through medicine. I do not save by taking pulses. The saving of those whom doctors are unable to save is the foundation of the path. You tell them the teachings. They listen and they are healed. The sick must not be left to suffer. That doctors and medicine are not necessary is not My teaching. Being given up by doctors is like being thrown away. The foundation of my teachings is to save these sufferers. Understand Me will. October 17, 1893

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Tenrikyo /The 3 Assets of Life

Posted on October 11, 2016 by heaventruth

I have been working over 35 years, and have retired recently. I have seen and experienced many types of workers, some dedicated and some not. I came across this anecdote by Oyasama, which I hope will help those that continue to work for his or her profession.

“Early rising, honesty, and work. There is a great difference in merit between being awakened and waking up someone else. Working in the shadows and praising others is honesty. If you do not put into practice what you hear, you will become a lie. Work on top of work, saying to yourself, ‘Just a little more, just a little bit more’; this is not greed, it is work that comes from true sincerity.” Anecdotes of Oyasama

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Tenrikyo /Women and Men are Equal

Posted on October 11, 2016 by heaventruth

It is interesting watching the political debates, with each side pointing a finger on how badly they treat women. The following is from the Anecdotes of Oyasama concerning the treatment and respect of women.

Once Oyasama had heard that a follower was treating his wife unkindly. When the follower was in attendance of Oyasama, he was asked by her: “Sir, won’t you go and look outside?” In those days, the Residence was under heavy surveillance by the police; therefore, thinking that Oyasama was concerned, he looked around carefully but saw no one. He returned and reported, “Oyasama, there is no change outside. There are pumpkins in the field yonder and in the field hither there are many eggplants.” At that, Oyasama patted Her knee and taught him, “That is it. Did you notice those pumpkins and eggplants? They are big, aren’t they? The plants bear fruit because the flowers bloom. Not a single plant bears fruit without its flower. Now ponder deeply. The world says woman is unclean, but there is nothing unclean about woman. Man and woman are equally children of God and there is no discrimination. Woman has a duty, a duty to bear children. Her monthly period is the flower. Without the flower there is no fruit. Understand this well. Take the pumpkin; if its big flower is gone, that is the end of it. In many things, there are flowers that bear no fruit. But to bear fruit without any flower is impossible. Ponder deeply. There is nothing unclean about it.”

Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 127-128

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Tenrikyo /Why the Child Cries

Posted on October 11, 2016 by heaventruth

In the Book of Prophecy (Ofudesaki), God tells us that he is guiding us to salvation. The following is from the Osashizu (Directions):

This crying at night, you say it is the child crying. I have already instructed you in every situation. Listen carefully. Anything whatsoever is the persuasion of God. In the Book of Prophecy, as well, I have already informed you of everything. You read it but do not understand. Why is it that the baby cries at night, cries at night? What is God persuading you to do? The rain may fall, the wind may blow, and spring days may be balmy. In a single year, there are all kinds of days. You wonder why the baby cries. If you only think of the present moment, how unlikely that you will see! How unlikely that you will understand! Listen and understand well. May 12, 1889

In everyday life, ponder over whatever happens. If you only consider the present situation, you may not understand what God is trying to teach you. Ponder what you have done in the past, and try to relate it to the present. God may be trying to guide you by the law of cause and effect (karma, innen, causality). Might you have committed greed, arrogance, and self-love, which are showing its effect now as God’s guidance? By pondering these occurrences, we can help eliminate these evils (greed, arrogance, and self-love) from our minds.

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Tenrikyo /The Difficult Path to Salvation

Posted on October 11, 2016 by heaventruth

The path to salvation is a difficult path, because it not only involves believing, but also the practice of our faith. Some religions only require one to believe and have faith in a doctrine to attain salvation or God’s blessings; but true salvation may require the demonstration of what we believe in. In the Osashizu, God tells us:

The path of salvation is the path of the three-inch span of the heart. Your ideas of wanting to follow this path may not be enough to get you through it.

In the Book of Prophecy (Ofudesaki) God instructs us to avoid the evils of greed, arrogance (causes anger), and self-love. This by itself would guarantee one salvation, but it is not as simple as it appears. When one is confronted by animosity or anger without apparent cause, we sometimes generate anger ourselves. This path of salvation requires us to ponder over any situation, and react to it in a positive way, no matter how unjust it may appear to us. It is a difficult path, but it is a path that God guarantees our salvation, or God’s blessings.

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Tenrikyo /Why Am I Ugly

Posted on October 9, 2016 by heaventruth

Why am I not perfect like the people on television or the movies? Why has God given me this body of imperfection? Why are some people given a kind appearance, while others have a rough exterior appearance? We know that our appearances often help or hinder us in our lives. In the Book of Prophecy, God tells us not to complain of what we have been given.

As is God who rules over all,

Do not say it is big or it is small. (Do not complain what God has given you) 7-14

There must be a purpose why God gives someone one type of body over another. People often say that I have a semblance that makes people think that I am mad, or making fun of them; to think I have a look that creates negative thoughts is repulsive and sad to me. I also see people that create a calming and positive reaction; and at times I wish I had their appearance.

Many times when faced with negative responses of anger, and hostility from others, we have two choices. One is to fight back with anger and hate, increasing our unfriendly appearance; or to attempt to ponder with a calm and understanding mind, by responding favorably to the situation by retreating from the hostility. You can say that we are responding favorably to God’s test of our patience, or the affects from our causality (karma, innen, Cause and effect). By our negative physical features, God gives us the opportunity to purify our minds and hearts. Like any lessons in life, repetition is the key, in learning to react positively. God has given some of us this opportunity by our appearance.

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