Heaven or heaven on earth

Posted on February 5, 2013 by heaventruth

Have you ever wondered what heaven is like?  Would it be like your best days everyday? Will there be ups and downs in emotion? Will there be stress and worries? Sometimes without stress or the unknown, life becomes complacent, and mundane. It may become like purgatory. The best days of our lives sometimes occur when we overcome obstacles. Will heaven give us these satisfactions?

How about the people that believes in “heaven on earth”? What will this earth be like? Everyone has his or her vision of the perfect planet. In the Tip of the Writing Brush these verses describe heaven on earth

By this salvation given with the mind of sincerity,

you shall be freed from illness, death, and weakening. 3-99

After that, you may stay as long as you wish,

without illness, death, or weakening. 4-37

Further, after the passage of long years,

there will be no aging at all. 4-38

What do you think this salvation is?

It is to be free from illness, death, and weakening. 17-53

These verses only guarantee freedom from death, illness and suffering. Nothing is said about the elimination of stress or obstacles. The perfect world will be a world where every one helps each other from the obstacles that occur in our daily lives.  Heaven on earth is not where everyone has the comforts of life, like big screen TVs, buffets everyday, or unemployment benefits.  It is world, where everyone still is challenged and where every one helps each other to overcome daily obstacles.

Whether one believes in heaven or heaven on earth, the perfect place is not a place where we can gain material possessions, or self-pleasures; but it is a place where we can bring joy to others by helping each other.  It is a world without suffering, death, or illness. Without these worries, we can concentrate on helping each other. Is this heaven or heaven on earth?

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Heaven or heaven on earth, or both?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by heaventruth

Have you ever had a dream, but you could not remember it when you woke up? One would ask how would you know if you actually had the dream? Sometime you become aware of the dream after it happen, but continue to sleep. I presume that one could write it down as soon as it occurred, but most of us have no energy to make the effort.

How many time have we had a thought, like an idea for a blog, but could not remember it later on? How many inventions have the world lost because the thought was lost into the abyss of forgotten ideas?

These events are single ideas or dreams. But is it possible to lose all of our memory, while retaining all other functions of the body?  Edgar Cayce, the clairvoyant in his book “Many Mansion Many Lives” recounted stories of people living many lives (reincarnation).  Like the dreams and thoughts that are forgotten, our minds are erased of our previous lives, bringing forth new opportunities of growth to our soul.

For those who believe in Heaven, don’t disconnect yet. Could there be a combination of both the afterlives, reincarnation as the process to improve the soul and mind, and heaven as the final destination as our reward?  As the shellfish that changes shells for further growth, we are also given plethora of opportunities to grow in spirit.  Sometimes in our present clothing (bodies), we come to a standstill. What better opportunity than a change of clothing that God provides us, in guiding mankind toward the joyous life (heaven, or heaven on earth)!

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God’s Guidance

Posted on February 2, 2013 by heaventruth

 

What if we could predict the score of the Super Bowl? San Francisco 31, Baltimore 17.  Don’t take this to the bank; this is just my guess. But if we were able to year after year to predict who would win, people will have faith or confidence in us.  God has also given us a prophecy. When we see that the prophecy is true, the world will believe in God, and his intentions for a joyous life.

In the Tip of the Writing Brush (sacred book), God prophesizes that guidance will be given to all mankind. When mankind realizes this guidance, we will be able to sweep evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our minds by ourselves. With this process of prayer, guidance, and realization, the joyous world will come one day sooner.

What is this guidance that will plague the world with? Is it Armageddon, the destruction of most of the world? Is it drastic climate changes? Is it a nuclear war?  It is none of these drastic changes; it is minor changes perceptible sometime to the individual only. These are disorders like gastrointestinal problems, eye problems, muscle aches, or any types of physical malfunctions.

What is God telling us with these inconveniences? Perhaps God is telling us that we are using our minds incorrectly (having greed, arrogance, and self love). When we realize the relationship of how we use our minds and God’s guidance, we will be able to sweep the evils from our minds by ourselves. When this happen, the mind becomes pure and illness and pain disappear.

When will this guidance come? Is it here already? Will there be a pandemic of illness?  As more people pray for God’s guidance, the world will begin to realize that God is trying to guide them. So the next time your body feels the aches and pains, it may be just the flu virus; but it also may be God’s guidance. Ponder the illness, and ponder the use of your mind. If you see this relationship, sweep evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from your mind.  Your mind will become pure and you will be spirited!

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Mind and Water

Posted on February 1, 2013 by heaventruth

Have you ever wondered what compound in nature is most important for our survival?  It definitely has to be water. We are made mostly of water. Water is all around us. We can’t  survive without water for more than 3 days.

What structure is most important in the human body? There are many important organs, but the brain may be one of the most important.  Incorporated or attributed to this brain is this intangible asset called the mind. Webster defines the mind as the element or complex of elements in an individual that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and especially reasons  in the brain. Without the mind, humans are like vegetation. It is this importance of the mind that God emphasizes when he compares it to the most important element in life, water.

In the sacred book, God refers to the mind as water, comparing the pure mind to clear water. Sometimes evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) permeates the mind. God compares this to dirt mixing with water to create muddy water. Muddy water is difficult to see through, as a mind that is filled with evil also sees the world differently. Drinking contaminated water causes gastrointestinal problems, as having evil in the mind causes  suffering.

It is this mind like clear water, that delivers us from human sufferings. But how do we sweep our minds of evil? Evil, like good is everywhere. Greed in the world is rampant; one would think it is inherit in our genes. Arrogance bears its influence everywhere. The degradation of females, the abandonment of the poor, and the senseless murders of the opposition. Where do we start to sweep these evils?  In the sacred book, the following verses

However difficult things may appear,

I shall save you all by the Joyous Service (prayer) 12-61

Throughout the world, God is the broom for the sweeping

of the innermost heart. Watch carefully 3-52

In summary, pray for God to sweep your minds of arrogance, greed, and self love. Have a mind like clear water. Using analogy, as more  minds are purified by God, more water will be available to wash the remaining mud ( the power of prayer by numbers). With this process, all mankind will be purified from their innermost hearts, resulting in a joyous world for mankind.

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Age discrimination

Posted on January 31, 2013 by heaventruth

What type of missionary does God want?  Here are two verses from our sacred book

Step by step, I shall nurture trees, starting with aged ones,

and assemble them in preparation for the future. 7-19

Though I have gathered many and varied trees,

those that are like a distorted mirror will not do. 3-50

According to the two verses, God wants older, mature, open minded people to spread God’s truths. But we often see young evangelists on U tube and on television. We also see youths that are determined to make religion their career. Does this mean that we need to be wary of the youth that claim to know God’s truths?

God prefers the elderly because they have gone through the ups and downs of life, and can relate the teachings to their experience.  The good path they follow becomes hardened, like the trail that is traveled much. This proven path to a joyous life, like the trail in the woods becomes easier to follow by others. The younger missionary may know more about God’s teachings, but lacks the experience and has not solidified the path; and like the less traveled trail, becomes difficult to follow. Experience is what God wants.

But God also requires the missionary to be open minded and understanding.  Being old and open minded might be an oxymoron. How many old people are open-minded? There is popular saying that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. Finding an open minded elderly person may be a little difficult. It is the quality of a mirror that reflects the true image that God wants. The distorted mirror is like a mind that does not see the truth. It does not reveal the true image. It is this mind that is open to the truth that God wants in the old missionary. 

It conclusion, many of the prophets in our religions have started in their latter years. The youth may not be God’s first choice as missionaries, but the good news is that eventually they will become old. God wants old and mature missionaries!

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The sin of selfishness

Posted on January 31, 2013 by heaventruth

 

Sometimes I wonder what runs through a person’s mind. The person who steals copper wiring, does he know how many people suffer because of his actions; the dark streets, and the taxpayer expense to replace the wiring.

The teenagers who walk through the crosswalks at a snail’s pace, do they know that there are cars waiting.

The person who flips you off on the road, do they know what kind of person you are?

The person who takes the recreational drugs, do they know that people are murdered daily to satisfy their habits?

The person who refuses to work because of government aid, does he know where the money comes from. Does he or she care?

Do I need to go on? Yes this is plain selfishness. What happens when one becomes selfish?  He or she creates a path to suffering. I remember a story when I was in Japan, where a religious leader told a parable of being unselfish. He asked if we knew the difference between heaven and hell. For some reason God gave giant chopsticks to both the souls in hell and heaven. Of course if he was telling the story in America, it will be giant forks. Any way, the people in hell were becoming emaciated because they were trying to feed themselves with the giant chopsticks. The souls in heaven were happy and plump because they were feeding each other. This is just a silly story, but it gets to the point. Verse 3-47 summarizes it all:

Ponder from your innermost heart to understand.

Through saving others, you are saved. 3-47

 

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God’s anger

Posted on January 30, 2013 by heaventruth

In many of the sacred books, there are stories where the unrighteous and evil people are annihilated by God. Is God vindictive to evil people? There are rapist, and murderers that are in prison, but yet lead healthy lives. Why do these  people not feel the wrath of God?

In our sacred book, there are verses

In this world, landslides, thunder, earthquakes,

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

Thunder, earthquakes, great winds, and flood,

these are from the regret and anger of God 8-58

These verses have always concerned me because people have sometimes died from these events. Like the unrighteous people in the bible, did they deserve their fate? Was God angry at the thousands of people who lost their lives in Japan during the tsunami?  Or were these innocent victims of God’s wrath? 

If we place more emphasis on the body as opposed to the soul(also includes the mind), we would be disheartened by God’s actions. Innocent people were affected by these disasters. But if one believes that God places more emphasis on the development of the mind (soul), then we may begin to understand God’s intentions. The soul in the majority of religions continue on, whether it be in heaven or a return to this earth. These disasters may appear to take a heavy toll from the human perspective, but are only a temporary setback in the development of the mind (soul) in reaching salvation. Some would say that God is guiding us by these warnings. We must sweep evil (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our hearts. Our religion teaches us that every soul will reach a final state of maturity with the guidance of God, so that the joyous world will appear one day sooner. In summary,  it may not be global warming causing havoc on the environment, but it may be God’s anger and regret being released.

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What prayers are effective?

Posted on January 30, 2013 by heaventruth

What type of prayer is most receptive to God? Webster defines a prayer as an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought. In history, there have been prayers for freedom from oppressors, prayers for victory in wars, prayers for freedom from disease (smallpox), etc. Today, we also pray for health, a good job, finding the right mate, etc. Sometime we even try to barter with God, asking for something in exchange for our actions. Many of the prayers are selfish prayers, but there are also sincere ones like during 9-11, and other tragedies, praying for the victims and their family. These are prayers deserving God’s acceptance.

In our religion, our prayer is unique in that we pray for God’ guidance to sweep the evils (greed, arrogance, and self love) from our minds. This is a prayer not asking for materialistic gains, or elevation in stature; but it is a prayer asking God to make us pure and good. In our prayer, there is also a middle part that reminds us that all mankind was created to live the joyous life.

In summary, a prayer asking God to make the heart pure and whole is quite in contrast to a prayer requesting worldly gains. The latter request is probably obvious to God without any type of conveyance; but the former comes from one’s heart. This prayer is sincere and  agrees with God’s intention of a joyous world. Our founder of our religion Oyasama (Parent) once stated that we should pray to adorn our minds than pray to adorn our bodies. It is this prayer that will eventually bring salvation and peace to the world.

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Where does anger come from?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by heaventruth

How often do we get angry in our daily lives. Is this emotion justified? How about the co-worker or employee who makes a mistake at work?  How about the worker that you know is testing your patience? Many of us hold the anger within, causing  an elevation of temperature, acceleration of  heart rate, dull headache, and a difficulty swallowing. Sometime this anger increases to a crescendo, eventually leading to hatred and grudge bearing.

Where does this anger come from. Of course we can blame it on the antagonist. Does this anger originate from our arrogance? Arrogance is  when we think we are more superior because of our education, race, religion, and wealth.  But do these attributes make one more superior? According to the majority of religion, the answer is a resounding no.

If we remove our arrogance, our response to crisis  will be more positive. We may have more knowledge, better physical attributes and more wealth, but these attributes do not make a better person. If we realize the equality of humans, then arrogance should  not appear in our minds.

How often do you think about past incidences where you felt someone had acted against you.  Sometimes anger arises just thinking about the incident. Anger sometimes eats you from within. It is not a good emotion. Some will even go to the far extreme of taking revenge to release the anger.

How do we remove this anger? Remove your self ego (arrogance). This is easy said than done. Sometime we need God’s help to sweep away this arrogance from our minds. With our prayers, our minds will become pure of arrogance, resulting in less anger and more joy.  So the next time anger arises, try praying!

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What mind does God want?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by heaventruth

 

The following two verses come from our sacred book, but it can as easily come from any of the sacred books in this world.

Wherever you may be,

God clearly sees your innermost heart  8-98

If your innermost heart accords with the mind of God,

I shall exert myself in your favor forever  8-99

I believe everyone can concur with the two verses above. But can we all agree what the “mind of God” is like?  Is it a mind that demands respect, praise  and sacrifice (self-love),  a mind that wants riches (greed) or is it a mind that favors a few (arrogance)?  In our religion, we believe that God created mankind to live a joyous life with everyone helping each other.  Any mind congruent with this philosophy  would be like the mind of God.  It is this mind (lack of greed, arrogance, and self love) that God favors forever, and it is this mind that will bring peace to the world. What are your thoughts?

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