- The Christians are not knowledgeable individuals as they teach children to lie to their parents because they think that Christianity is right and their parent's religion is wrong. They rationalised that lying to their parents would enable the children to secretly continue learning about Christianity to indoctrinate them when they are still young.
They lacked the knowledge that their actions have legal consequences as it goes against Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia which states "For the purposes of cl. (3) the religion of a person under the age of eighteen years shall be decided by his parent or guardian." Therefore, encouraging children to lie about their religious beliefs goes against this constitutional provision.Moreover, they lacked parenting knowledge that there are relationship consequences when children lie to their parents. Some of these consequences include:
- Damaged trust: Lying erodes the trust between parents and children, making it difficult for parents to understand their children's actions and provide appropriate support.
- Loss of privileges: Parents may impose consequences such as the loss of privileges (e.g., reduced screen time or limited social activities) to teach children the importance of honesty.
- Feelings of guilt and shame: Children who lie may experience feelings of guilt and shame, which can negatively impact their self-esteem.
- Increased risk of other problems: Lying can lead to other problems, such as cheating, stealing, and violence. This is because lying can teach children that it is okay to break the rules and get away with it.
Lastly, they lack Biblical knowledge as encouraging children to lie to their parents goes against the teachings of Christianity and disregards Biblical verses such as:
- Ephesians 4:25: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.
- Ephesians 6:1-3: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'—which is the first commandment with a promise—'so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.'
- Colossians 3:20: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
- Exodus 20:12: "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."
- Proverbs 6:20: My son, keep your father's command and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
- Proverbs 20:11: Even a child makes known by his actions whether his conduct is pure and right.
- Proverbs 20:20: If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.
These verses emphasise the importance of honouring parents and speaking truthfully, reflecting the values taught in Christianity. Encouraging deception and lying contradicts these teachings. It is essential for individuals to align their actions with the principles and values espoused in their faith. - Bible verses that address the concept of "bearing false witness":
- Matthew 19:18: "Jesus replied, 'You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony.'"
- Exodus 20:16: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour."
- Deuteronomy 5:20: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour."
- Leviticus 19:16: "You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people."
- Proverbs 12:17: "A lying witness will perish, but the one who listens to the truth will speak forever."
- Proverbs 14:5: "A truthful witness does not deceive, but a false witness pours out lies."
- Proverbs 19:5: "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will perish."
- Proverbs 21:28: "A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully."
These verses emphasise the importance of truthfulness and warn against the sin of bearing false witness or lying about others. -
The sentence, “Praying to the CREATOR is a reality and should not be forced onto individuals” may sound self-defeating as followers should be actively preaching to convert individuals and possibly by force because the followers know better that praying to the CREATOR is a reality and the only way for individuals to save their own souls. However, Xian Sheng cautioned the followers that praying to the CREATOR is a very serious commitment that should not be taken lightly.
Let's take an example of a marriage between a man and a woman. The institution of marriage, particularly when children are involved, should be regarded as a serious commitment. The impact of divorce varies depending on whether the couple has children or not. Divorces involving couples without children generally have a lesser social impact. However, when children are part of the equation, divorce can lead to a range of negative consequences. These include increased poverty, particularly affecting women and children, a higher likelihood of children engaging in criminal activity compared to those from intact families, heightened social isolation for both parents and children, as well as increased financial strain on the parents and children alike. Therefore, couples intending to enter into the union of marriage should carefully consider these potential social problems and be prepared to make necessary lifestyle changes to foster a successful marriage.
Fortunately, issues related to divorce have been extensively documented and categorised, allowing couples to be aware of the potential challenges. However, in matters of faith, belief, and religion, people often fail to recognise the need for treating religion with even greater seriousness than marriage. The consequences of choosing the wrong religion can have social repercussions in certain communities, where individuals who convert to a different faith may face ostracisation or even persecution. However, the spiritual consequences are not always taken as seriously since they are believed to be reserved for the afterlife.
Citations from the Bible and the Quran highlight the significance of apostasy and its consequences:
Hebrews 6:4-6: It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
2 Peter 2:20-22: If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. The proverbs are true in their case: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud."
Quran 2:217: And whoever among you renounces their faith and dies as a disbeliever, their deeds will become void in this life and in the Hereafter. They will be the residents of the Fire, where they will abide eternally.
Quran 3:90: Indeed, those who disbelieve after having believed and then increase in disbelief, their repentance will never be accepted. They are the ones who are astray.
Quran 4:137: Indeed, those who believed, then disbelieved, then believed again, and then returned to disbelief, only to increase in it—Allah will neither forgive them nor guide them to the Right Way.
The Quran verses emphasise the severe consequences of apostasy, such as the permanent punishment of being burned in fire for eternity (Quran 2:217) or Allah's refusal to forgive and guide those who commit apostasy (Quran 4:137). In Baitiangong, Xian Sheng teaches that apostasy is considered an Unforgivable Sin and only the CREATOR has the power to pardon such a sin.
Xian Sheng emphatically stated that we are granted only one opportunity to pray to the CREATOR, with no second chances. Praying to the CREATOR is a matter that should not be taken lightly or treated in a casual manner, akin to how some individuals trivialise the institution of marriage by engaging in repeated marriages and divorces without considering the consequences. Xian Sheng warned that once an individual accepts praying to the CREATOR and subsequently abandons it for any reason, they would have committed an Unforgivable Sin and their soul is eternally doomed.
The Spiritual Movement adopts a deliberate and slow approach to accepting followers in order to mitigate the risk of individuals unknowingly committing the Unforgivable Sin. Individuals are encouraged to follow the Spiritual Movement to learn and gain knowledge and understanding to prepare them for the eventual full commitment to praying to the CREATOR and undergoing the Acceptance Process to join as permanent followers of the Baitiangong Universal Spiritual Movement.
The Acceptance Process involves a series of questions to assess the follower's knowledge and understanding, as well as a 24-hour fast without food and water. The Council of Elders carefully evaluates whether the follower is ready to proceed with the Acceptance Process. It is important to note that the Acceptance Process, despite its administrative nature, does not indicate immediate spiritual readiness or acceptance of praying to the CREATOR. However, the considerable duration of this process provides ample time for the individual to discern their readiness to commit.
- "嫖赌饮荡吹" is a phrase in Cantonese that refers to five vices or bad habits. Here is what each of the words means:
- 嫖 (piu) - whoring or soliciting prostitutes
- 赌 (dou) - gambling
- 饮 (jam) - drinking alcohol
- 荡 (ceoi) - wandering aimlessly or engaging in frivolous activities
- 吹 (chui) - smoking opium or using drugs
Xian Sheng has mentioned multiple times that he is illiterate in Chinese and, as a result, he uses phrases without fully understanding their meaning, relying on what others have told him.Xian Sheng wanted the Baitiangong followers to be aware of his background so that they could have a broad understanding of his character prior to the Spiritual Revelations that unveiled his purpose on Earth. He wanted the followers to know that he had experienced a complete life, encompassing both the positive and negative aspects that life has to offer. This way, when he assumed the role of a Spiritual Teacher to the followers, he possessed a deep understanding of humanity and how to guide them in saving their own soul.
Throughout his trials and tribulations in his life before Baitiangong, Xian Sheng consistently maintained his integrity and principles. He demonstrated qualities of honesty, courage, dependability, and selflessness. While he openly admitted to his vices, such as smoking, drinking, gambling, and enjoying the company of women, his family members, friends, colleagues, and long-time followers can attest that Xian Sheng does not engage in prostitution, frivolous activities, or the use of opium or drugs. He casually uttered the phrase "嫖赌饮荡吹" to describe the vices and bad habits common among many people, unaware of its full meaning.
- To gain a better understanding of the situation, four questions need to be addressed:
- Did Bro KD Wong's wife commit an unforgivable sin?
- Is Xian Sheng able to pardon someone who has committed an Unforgivable sin?
- Why did Xian Sheng say that conducting Baitiangong's obsequies for her would be futile?
- Why is Xian Sheng unable to heal her pre-existing illness?
Answer 1:
A follower would commit an Unforgivable Sin if they have the knowledge and understanding of the existence of a CREATOR, acknowledge that they are undergoing an examination in life, and recognise that praying to the CREATOR is the most crucial part of the examination in life to save their soul from the Vicious Cycle of Reincarnation. If they are fully aware of these teachings and still choose to reject the CREATOR for any reason whatsoever, then they would unquestionably have committed the Unforgivable Sin.
In the case of Bro KD Wong's wife, Xian Sheng mentioned that she joined the Baitiangong Spiritual Movement specifically for Spiritual Meditation to heal her pre-existing illness. Furthermore, the fact that she left Baitiangong after more than 10 years to pray to Quan Yin in hopes of finding a complete cure for her illness confirms that she did not possess the knowledge and understanding mentioned in the previous paragraph. Therefore, it can be concluded that she could not have committed an Unforgivable Sin.
Answer 2:
The answer lies in the term itself which clearly and unequivocally states 'unforgivable'. Hence, Xian Sheng is unable to pardon anyone who has committed an Unforgivable Sin. Such a sin is considered an offence against the CREATOR, and the authority to grant forgiveness for this sin rests solely with the CREATOR.
Answer 3:
Despite not having committed an Unforgivable Sin, Bro KD Wong's wife made the decision to abandon Baitiangong and reject praying to the CREATOR, even after following the spiritual path for many years. By doing so, she would no longer be able to receive the prayers offered by the brothers and sisters, which was why Xian Sheng stated that a Baitiangong obsequies for her is pointless. However, Xian Sheng has provided an alternative for those who have chosen to leave Baitiangong, and that is through the prayers of their children. If the children of Bro KD Wong continue to pray for their mother with their mind, body, and soul, there may still be hope for her to attain a place in Heaven upon their own deaths, and she would not need to undergo another cycle of reincarnation.
Answer 4:
Xian Sheng has the ability to heal individuals at his discretion, but there are circumstances where the Holy Spirit does not align with his decision due to the nature of the individual's life examination. In the case of Bro KD Wong's wife, it is likely that she was meant to live with her illness, and Xian Sheng can only prolong her life in the hope that she chooses to pray to the CREATOR despite her affliction, allowing her soul to be saved.
- Xian Sheng believes that parents have a responsibility towards their children's upbringing. However, in his capacity as Baitiangong's Spiritual Leader, Xian Sheng has assigned the responsibility of guiding their children to the mother so that he can concentrate on his function as a spiritual teacher. Hence, the indifferent and unconcerned attitude of Mei Lian's mother towards her daughter when she herself was a Baitiangong follower paved the way for the Christians to turned their daughter away from Baitiangong and Xian Sheng.