Tenrikyo /Leasing a Car/ revised

Posted on August 7, 2016 by heaventruth

That looks like a new style that would suit me I thought to myself, as I looked at the sleek body, and the tan color. I objected to the slight defect I noticed in the rear of the body, but it was much better appearance than the one I had before. My heart was erratic as I bargained with the dealer; and finally we both agreed that the deal would be good for both of us. But this attainment would not be over until they checked my past history. It was some type of score that represented my past actions and non-actions. The negotiator went into a door that was inconspicuous; but we all knew that my fate depended on the information that was collected in that room.

I immediately noticed the disappointed countenance of the negotiator as he walked slowly to where I was. I knew what I wanted was not going to happen. He handed me the report, and I knew I needed to downsize my requirements for the conveyor that I was going use in the future. We finally agreed to a body style that I abhorred, but at least it provided something that was functional. As the negotiator gave me the copy of the contract and the instruction manual, he instructed me to be carefully with my dealings that would affect my credit scores in the future. He stressed that my future dealings will be dependent on them. As I left the area, my heart was depressed as I noticed all the imperfections; but I also knew that I could someday attain that perfect body style that I wanted. It would require much work. I thought to myself that my actions of today do affect my future.

This is a story not about leasing a car, but it is about the soul and reincarnation. What happens to the soul or heart when one dies? Do we get to pick our own body (vehicle) for our next life, or does God choose it for us? Or maybe it is a combination? This story proposes that we control our own destiny, by our actions of today. Our bodies, which store our souls, are only lent to us from God. We must be careful to take care of what God has loaned us. What God has given us, let no man take it away. For those who violate this principle, beware of the wrath and love of God!

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Tenrikyo /Leasing a Car

Posted on August 7, 2016 by heaventruth

That looks like a new style that would suit me I thought to myself, as I looked at the sleek body, and the tan color. I objected to the slight defect I noticed in the rear of the body, but it was much better appearance than the one I had before. My heart was erratic as I bargained with the dealer; and finally we both agreed that the deal would be good for both of us. But this attainment would not be over until they checked my past history. It was some type of score that represented my past actions and non-actions. The negotiator went into a door that was inconspicuous; but we all knew that my fate depended on the information that was collected in that room.

I immediately noticed the disappointed countenance of the negotiator as he walked slowly to where I was. I knew what I wanted was not going to happen. He handed me the report, and I knew I needed to downsize my requirements for the conveyer that I was going use in the future. We finally agreed to a body style that I abhorred, but at least it provided something that was functional. As the negotiator gave me the copy of the contract and the instruction manual, he instructed me to be carefully with my dealings that would affect my credit scores in the future. He stressed that my future dealings will be dependent on them. As I left the arena, my heart was depressed as I noticed all the defects; but I also knew that I could someday attain that perfect body style that I wanted. It would require much work. I thought to myself that my actions of today do affect my future.

This is a story not about leasing a car, but it is about the soul and reincarnation. What happens to the soul or heart when one dies? Do we get to pick our own body (vehicle) for our next life, or does God choose it for us? Or maybe it is a combination? This story proposes that we control our own destiny, by our actions of today. Something to ponder about?

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Tenrikyo /Illness as God’s Guidance

Posted on July 24, 2016 by heaventruth

Is illness good or bad? Illness is a result of our bodies fighting off an enemy, like bacteria, viruses, or cancer. So illness is good, in that our immune system is creating these malingering symptoms in fighting off theses invaders of the body. It is the bacteria and viruses that are our enemies, and our immune system, or illness is erroneously blamed.

In the Heaven’s Truth Church (Tenrikyo), the Book of Prophecy (Ofudesaki) tells us that illness can also be God’s guidance to purify our minds of evil (greed, arrogance, and self love). God places illness on our bodies to tell us that we are using our minds contrary to God’s intentions. It is these illnesses that can be cured if we ponder, and purify our minds. Like in our immune system, illness is not bad; it is our mind of greed, arrogance, and self-love, like the viruses and bacteria that are the bad ones.

There are religions that believe the illness and death are God’s punishment for our sins; but illness may be God guiding us to remove our sins or evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our minds. Illness as God’s guidance, something to ponder over.

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Tenrikyo /God’s Library

Posted on July 24, 2016 by heaventruth

In science, for every action, there is a reaction, but sometimes not an immediate reaction. In Religion, we sow what we have planted; but again not an immediate consequence. Time is the factor, which clouds our perception of cause and effect. We see suffering, but we cannot see the cause. We see or do evil, but we do not see immediate retribution and wrath of God. There are missing pieces to the puzzle. The missing piece is time, from a second to eternity. God may be impervious to time, where a century to us may be a second to God.

For those who have a difficulty on why God lets people suffer, please consider time as the missing piece. We may live more than one lifetime. Each lifetime, but a mere chapter in a book that will eventually conclude with a happy ending

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Tenrikyo /What Prayer Works

Posted on July 17, 2016 by heaventruth

Does prayer work? It seems like if someone were to set out on research project to find out if prayer works, they would find out that the majority of times prayer will not bring upon what we have requested. Imagine a study of cancer victims, where one groups prayed, and the other did not. There would have to be other factors that would have to be considered like stage of cancer, what type of cancer, improvement upon prayer, extent of prayer, type of prayer, sincerity of prayer, and even religion of prayer. This extraneous information would make it difficult to get a true result. Or maybe a better measure would be a study to find out the remission and cure rates between atheists and religious people.

Even if this type of project were done, I would imagine that the remission or cure rate would be the same for both groups, albeit a miniscule advantage to the religious group. Hope in a creator, or mind over matter affecting the progress of the disease in the religious group.

If God did consider our prayers, what is he looking for? Is there a standard prayer? Must there be emotion, contrition, sincerity, promises, change in behavior, loyalty, contribution of money and time, pilgrimage, charity, missionary contract, etc.

If God is all-powerful, does he not know what we want already? Must we bargain with God to help us? How much money should I donate, I will be nicer to people, let me live for a few more years, I will attend church from now on if, etc. Our prayers appear to be a futile attempt to bargain with God.

In the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo), we have a prayer that has been given to us by God. It is not a selfish prayer, but a prayer to save all mankind. It is a prayer to spread God’s truth to the World, the truth that by removing evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from one’s mind, we can live a joyous life. But this prayer is not as simple as it appears. It requires a specific prayer (Joyous Service) and the pure mind of the prayer. Without both, we can expect the congregation to grow at a nominal rate; but with both requirements met, God will bring a plethora of new members to our churches. God guarantees this type of prayer!

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Tenrikyo /The Most Evil Sin

Posted on July 17, 2016 by heaventruth

What is the worst sin? I would say arrogance is the most evil sin. I define arrogance as:

A way of thinking that one’s view is correct, relevant or irrelevant of any information that is present. This thinking results in anger, and leads to hate, something that is occurring in the world today.

What is this way of thinking, and how does one get arrogant? This way of thinking manifest itself by emulating and listening only to authoritative figure like your parents, religious figures, professors or anyone one considers important (sometimes even oneself). It is a way of thinking that requires no reasoning, but only requires one to obey to a doctrine or a person. This is why fact and evidence does not matter to these arrogant people. They are on the right side because religion or someone who is important to them tells them they are right. Fact or evidence goes right out the window; they are on the right side. The right side becomes the truth for them.   This false truth easily brings upon the emotion of anger when they are challenged on their views. Anger is an emotion that lessens our reasoning functions; these functions are already compromised in these arrogant individuals. Look at the Black Lives Matter movement in this country, and the Islamic Terrorists. Anger then brings upon hate and violence, which are prevalent in these two factions.

Anger can only be fueled by arrogance; and like a fire that is fueled by dead trees; anger can be easily spread like wild fire. When arrogance is lessened, anger will not spread; and violence will cease to exist. This is why I believe that arrogance is the most evil sin that is plaguing the world today.

 

 

 

 

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Tenrikyo /What Happens to Corrupt People?

Posted on July 12, 2016 by heaventruth

Why do the corrupt people appear to always get away, like politicians, dictators, and sometimes-religious leaders? For example, one of the candidates was found to have used her e-mail on an insecure site, jeopardizing the security of the nation. This fact cannot be denied, but our FBI Director and Attorney General brought no charges upon her. In the past, people have been prosecuted and sentenced for security breaches that were less severe. Is there no justice for these corrupt and evil people? Will their lives be unaffected by their crimes?

There is a saying that in the world, as long as you can hide the truth because of deception, power or money, one can get away with any atrocities; but in God’s world, your actions and thoughts all comes back to you. The world is a mirror. We sow what we plant. There is a path of joy and there is a path of sorrow. What path are you on?

Quote from the Anthology of Osahizu Tranlations 2007

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Tenrikyo /It is God

Posted on July 10, 2016 by heaventruth

In this world, sometimes no matter how convinced we are right, we cannot change those who do not believe like we do. Up is down, and left is right to them. It is like politics, where ethics is gone; people will vote for their party candidate even if he or she is corrupt. In religion, sometimes common sense goes out the window, when faith overrides reasoning. What do we do?

It is said that the world is a mirror. What happens in our lives is a reflection of our minds. God shows us what we have done in the past. God is showing us our mindset.  God tells us not to hate the messenger that brings upon the inconveniences to us; God tells us to have understanding and compassion for these fallen souls. God tells us to ponder and reflect on what has occurred. By this process, we can purify our minds of arrogance, greed, and selfishness. We believe that change comes from within, and then spreads to other people, like these fallen souls.

It is this change from anger to compassion in the face of hostility or inconvenience that God accepts as true sincerity.   It is true sincerity that makes the special prayer (Joyous Service) to save the world effective. It is God that eventually saves all mankind when our sincere prayers are accepted.

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Tenrikyo /Genesis According to God

Posted on July 10, 2016 by heaventruth

God saw his world, and wanted to share his joy; and he pondered as he viewed the vast ocean of life. He saw what appeared to be a loach and a serpent, which he picked as the precursors of human beings. From the vast ocean, he picked other living organisms that he thought would be good characteristics of the first man and wife. He added these good qualities to the loach and the serpent. From the earth, he selected the ingredients to house our souls, and from the heavens, he placed the pure heart (soul) of God into the loach and the serpent. In our prayer is the following:

This world’s earth and heaven as a model, I have created woman and man. This is the beginning to the world.

Then God said let there be life and joy, and the loach and serpent procreated seedling of precursors to human beings. This process taking millions of years, from fish like creatures, to amphibians, reptiles and finally to human beings.

But since the beginning of mankind, our hearts have become impure, contaminated with greed, arrogance and self-love. Our hearts are different than what was given to the first parents of mankind, the loach and serpent. Instead of joy that God had planned, mankind is suffering. God has again descended from heaven to teach us how we can regain the pure heart of God.

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Why God is Angry about Racial tension in America

Posted on July 8, 2016 by heaventruth

What is the essence of an individual? It is the soul. It is said to be unique; like our fingerprints there is no soul the same.  It has no form, color, or weight; but each soul is attached, placed, or identified with a physical characteristic that has form, shape and color.  It is God that provides us with these characteristics that house our souls. Like all matter, our bodies decay with time, and we return it back to the earth. Yet there are many who discriminate, or are discriminated based on what God has loaned.

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