How Do We Increase membership in our Churches

Posted on February 7, 2016 by heaventruth

If we were to take the words of the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki) literally, one would think that God was giving the early followers of the religion the recipe to successful harvesting of crops. In 1838 God descended from Heaven and promised the villagers an abundance of crops. The following is the recipe that most farmers would be familiar with:

Planting seeds + water + weeding + fertilizer = crops

But God was not talking about crops. God was talking about how to spread God’s truth to the world. Crops refer to the number of people coming to our churches. God has given us a special prayer, which he refers to as the fertilizer. This prayer is called the Joyous Service.

First we must build a church, to spread God’s truth. This is like planting seeds for a harvest. Some will build large churches hoping to harvest a large crop, while others may build a fellowship to harvest a small crop. For this prayer (fertilizer) to be effective we must have a pure mind. This pure mind without arrogance, greed, and self-love is referred to as water in our sacred book. But many of our minds are contaminated with evil (greed, arrogance, and self love). God refers to this as muddy water. The removal of the dirt (evil) to make the water clear is necessary before our prayers become effective. This requires the weeding of our minds of greed, arrogance, and self-love. When all four of these ingredients are present, our prayers are receptive to God. God will then bring new members to our churches. This becomes the recipe for spreading God’s truth to the world.

Building a church + pure mind + removal of evil + Prayer = New members

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The Easy Path to Salvation

Posted on January 25, 2016 by heaventruth

In the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki), it is said that the path to salvation is a difficult path. Why is it so difficult? People are always looking for: the easy paths, easy jobs, and easy ways to make money. They do not want to invest their time, energy or money to secure a better future. We want results now as the easy path often guarantees temporary bless. Spend the money to receive immediate satisfaction instead of saving to get long-term gains. This desire for an easy path applies to religion also. We want the path to salvation to be easy. We want God to be forgiving for everything we do; all we need to do is praise and acknowledge him. We don’t want to take responsibility for our own action; this will make it too difficult for us. We often blame the devil for our actions; we depend on others to tell us what God wants from us, instead of reading and understanding the scriptures ourselves. It’s easy for us to depend on our religious leaders. They make it easy for us to receive salvation. Who can blame the religious leaders for making it easy for us to gain salvation? The more they entice to their congregation, the more money in their collections, and the more political influence they may gain. They tell us that we only need to follow their doctrine to gain salvation. But the easy path may not lead to salvation? We may be like sheep heading to slaughter.

Like the wine that becomes precious with time, the path to salvation may require much effort and time. Beware of the religions that tell you that salvation requires one to abandon one’s thinking, and have only blind faith in their religious leaders. This may be a temporary path to complacency and satisfaction. But the path to salvation may be a difficult and long path eventually leading to eternal joy.

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Where are the new members?

Posted on January 21, 2016 by heaventruth

It is said that God uses analogies and parables in teaching mankind. In the year 1838, God was said to have descended from Heaven upon a small farming town in Japan, to save mankind. In teaching the early followers, God used words that were familiar with the agrarian community. The following is from the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki) on why God descended from Heaven.

First to help those who grow crops,

I desired to teach you on the matter of the fertilizer.

Do not wonder why the fertilizer is effective.

If only God accepts your mind. 13-61

If one were to take these verses literally, one would believe that God was talking about agriculture, and how to increase the production of crops. But God is talking about how to increase church members. Crops refer to new members. Weeding refers to purifying the mind of evil (greed, arrogance, and self love). The fertilizer refers to a special prayer (Joyous Service) that God has given us to save all mankind. God is telling us that by performing and spreading the Joyous Service with a pure mind, it will bring forth new members to our churches.

Prayer (Joyous Service) + Pure mind = New Members

Why is the weeding of our minds so important for our prayers to be successful? Without a pure mind, how do we teach and help others when God brings them to our churches? This is why without a pure mind our special prayer is not receptive to God. This is why church membership does not increase. We must weed and use the correct fertilizer to harvest a large crop. Now we know why church membership does not increase. This information is all in the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki).

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The Prayer to Bring in New Members

Posted on January 13, 2016 by heaventruth

If we were to take the words of the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki) literally, one would think that God was giving the early followers of the religion the recipe to successful harvesting of crops. In 1838 God descended upon a small village in Japan and promised the villagers an abundance of crops if they performed a special prayer. This is a familiar concept of gaining God’s favor by prostration to a powerful God, a concept accepted by most religions. By performing a service or sacrificing an animal, God will reward the follower.

But God was not talking literally about crops. God was talking about how to increase church members. Crops refer to people coming to our churches. God has given us a special prayer that will bring people to our churches. In the Book of Prophecy, God refers to this prayer as the fertilizer. In farming the fertilizer is spread to enhance the number of crops. In our religion, God encourages us to perform and spread this prayer (fertilizer) to the world. But God also talks about weeding. Weeding is important in agriculture so that the plants can grow unencumbered. But weeding in the Book of Prophecy refers to the removal of evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from the minds of the prayer. By performing the Joyous Service (prayer/fertilizer), and weeding our minds (having a pure mind), God will bless us with new members (crops) to our churches.

God has not descended from heaven to give us the recipe to gaining material wealth, or earthly possessions. God does not need our praise or sacrifice. God has given our religion a prayer to spread our religion, a prayer to save all mankind. This prayer (Joyous Service) is so important, that the first chapter and the last chapter of our sacred book emphasizes the importance of the Joyous Service. The last chapter ends with:

This talk, if the sign (joyous service) brings upon its effect (Gods blessings of guidance, bringing in people to the church)

know that everything proceeds in this way. 17-74

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The Easy Path

Posted on January 9, 2016 by heaventruth

In the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki), it is said that the path of salvation is a difficult path because it involves persistence, determination and commitment to follow this path. This path involves the elimination of evils  greed, arrogance and self-love from our minds. This involves our free will to behave good or bad, especially when faced with adversity.

There are religions that make attaining salvation an easy task by requiring only obedience and praise to a powerful God. Fear is also a common denominator in convincing these people to join the  religion. Fear of God, but also fear of the people who may interpret God’s will. They place their fate on dogma and religious leaders. They sacrifice free will for their hope of salvation. This is an easy path to follow, but it may not lead to salvation. In the Book of Prophecy is the following:

Over steep mountains, through tangles of thorns, along narrow ledges and

through brandished swords, if you come, 1-47

Yet a head a sea of flames, and a deep abyss,

you will arrive at a narrow path. 1-48

After following the narrow path step by step, you will come to a path.

This is the trustworthy main path. 1-49

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The Difficult Path to Salvation

Posted on January 7, 2016 by heaventruth

In the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki), it is said that the path of salvation is a difficult path because it involves persistence, determination and commitment to follow this path. This path involves the elimination of evils  greed, arrogance and self-love from our minds. This involves our free will to behave good or bad, especially when faced with adversity.

There are religions that make attaining salvation an easy task by requiring only obedience and praise to a powerful God. Fear is also a common denominator in convincing these people to join the  religion. Fear of God, but also fear of the people who may interpret God’s will. They place their fate on dogma and religious leaders. They sacrifice free will for their hope of salvation. This is an easy path to follow, but it may not lead to salvation. In the Book of Prophecy is the following:

Over steep mountains, through tangles of thorns, along narrow ledges and

through brandished swords, if you come, 1-47

Yet a head a sea of flames, and a deep abyss,

you will arrive at a narrow path. 1-48

After following the narrow path step by step, you will come to a path.

This is the trustworthy main path. 1-49

 

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The Cause of El Nino

Posted on December 30, 2015 by heaventruth

Recently we have noticed an increase in natural disasters in the world. In our country we have experienced the tornados and flooding in the Midwest. We have also noticed an increase in violence in our country and in the world. There are some that say that global warming is causing an increase in natural disasters. They blame the increase of temperature on pollution caused by humans. In the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki), God says that natural disasters originate from the evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) of mankind. This is manifested as the anger of God.

In this world, landslides, thunder, earthquakes,

And great winds are all from the anger of God. 6-91

In chapter 6, God refers to himself as Moon/Sun? From a scientific view, we know that the moon and sun exert an influence on geological and weather patterns. God is telling us that he is in control of the universe. Can he be manipulating the moon and sun in showing his disapproval of what is happening on earth? Will we begin to see more natural disasters?

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God’s Anger

Posted on December 30, 2015 by heaventruth

Recently we have noticed an increase in natural disasters in the world. In our country we have experienced the tornados and floodings in the Midwest. We have also noticed an increase in violence in our country and in the world. There are some that say that global warming is causing an increase in natural disasters. They blame the increase of temperature on pollution caused by humans. In the Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki), God says that natural disasters originate from the evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) of mankind. This is manifested as the anger of God.

In this world, landslides, thunder, earthquakes,

And great winds are all from the anger of God. 6-91

Is it coincidence that in the same chapter (6), God refers to himself as Moon/Sun? From a scientific view, we know that the moon and sun exert an influence on geological and weather patterns. God is telling us that he is in control of the universe. For those who consider pollution as the source of inclement weather and suffering, consider the evils that originate from the minds of mankind. How does God release this source of negative energy? Natural disasters?

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Has our sacred books been polluted by mankind?

Posted on December 29, 2015 by heaventruth

It is surprising that many of us have not read our sacred books, whether it is the Koran, Bible, or Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki). And even those who have attempted to read the “Holy Scriptures”, many of them do not understand the contents. So what happens is that we have scholars or religious leaders that interpret these sacred writing for us. It is conceivable that throughout time many of these sacred writings have been polluted with human thoughts. For older religions, it will be almost impossible to distinguish between what God revealed, and what was added or deleted by man.

What is God? God does not kill, does not rape, does not punish, does not steal, and does not need praise. These are all traits of mankind, especially of evil man. God is good, and everything opposite of these evil thoughts and behaviors. Religions that advocate these evils upon mankind may be reading a distorted and polluted version of their scripture. If mankind were created out of the image of God, then God would want us to have the qualities of goodness and compassion.

The Book of Prophecy (Fudesaki) is a holy book that is said to be from God. It was revealed in the nineteen century and is said to contain the truths of God. It is a scripture that is in its pure form, and has not been distorted by mankind. It predicts that all mankind will live a joyous life, albeit it may take some of us longer to understand God’s love for all of mankind.

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Why we suffer/revised

Posted on December 27, 2015 by heaventruth

Where is God? You hear stories about someone missing a flight, where the airplane crashes and everyone dies. They are often quoted “God was looking after me”. But what happened to the other 200 passengers that perished on that flight. Was not God looking after them? Maybe God has no control over what happens on a daily basis. Maybe the world is run on cruise control, like many of the natural cycles that are vital to life.

In the Heaven’s Truth Religion (Tenrikyo), it is the principle of Causality (karma, innen) that determines what happens every day. Good thoughts and actions bring forth joy, and evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) thoughts and behaviors brings upon suffering. This principle is Heaven’s truth. The effect of our actions and thoughts may not unfold until our next lives. This explains why some suffer even though they may live exemplary lives today. This is why evil appears to thrive, and the good sometimes perish. By some incomprehensible system to mankind, God has created a complex system where every soul becomes liable for his or her behavior or thought. The effect of each action manifolds itself at selected times, possible awaiting individuals of similar fate through many lifetimes. With seven billion people on earth, imagine the infinite combinations of occurrences that are possible over time and space brought forth by our thoughts and behaviors. Today we see suffering and joy; and we see evil and good. Yet, we do not understand.

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