28A-28B-2000 12032000

Date: 12 March 2000

Location: BUSM Holy Hall, Singapore

Table of Contents

(A) Tampering with nature. Manipulating genes.
  1. Xian Sheng recalled an article he read last year in TIME Magazine on IQ manipulation for children. The magazine issue is dated September 13, 1999, Vol. 154, No. 11, with the title “The I.Q. Gene?“. According to him, the article discusses issues related to increasing the IQ of children. He commented that these are points for serious consideration.
  2. Followers who pray to the CREATOR would accept nature as it comes. We know that we live to undergo an examination in life, and we die to live. Xian Sheng then posed a question to the followers: would they support the classification (based on intelligence) of human beings when the time comes, considering that life itself is an examination?
  3. He presented a hypothetical scenario for the future, envisioning a situation where people can purchase genes. He asked what the followers think would happen. Xian Sheng answered, stating that every wealthy individual would acquire the best genes for their sons and daughters, aiming to ensure the highest possible IQ for them.
  4. These people do not respect nature; they seek to tamper with it. Xian Sheng asked the followers what they would do about it. Regardless of whether Baitiangong followers accept this tampering or not, they would need to think very carefully about it before making their decision.
(B) Baitiangong people must preserve nature.
  1. According to Xian Sheng, the best course of action is to leave nature alone. Furthermore, we must help to preserve nature as it is. He discusses the establishment of environmental bodies or organisations dedicated to help maintain nature as it is. These organisations can help by preventing activities such as deforestation, tree cutting, or open burning. He pointed out that some individuals who couldn’t care less about nature and destroy the environment for monetary sake.
  2. Xian Sheng reiterated that, as people who pray to the CREATOR, we must try as much as possible to keep nature as it is. We can achieve this by joining environmental organisations. Xian Sheng asked the Singapore brothers and sisters if they knew of any environmental organisations (NGOs) in Singapore. A sister mentioned the Greenpeace organisation. Xian Sheng commented that Greenpeace faced challenges like insufficient public and financial support. He also mentioned an incident where the Greenpeace ship was fired upon. (Xian Sheng could be referring to the Greenpeace vessel MV Solo. The Russian coast guard vessel fired three warning shots across their stern as the Greenpeace activists entered Russia’s economic zone in an attempt to photograph the nuclear dump site inside the Arctic Circle. [Source: Russians’ Warning Shots Halt Greenpeace Vessel]). Xian Sheng encouraged the followers to join Greenpeace or other environmental bodies.
  3. Besides environmental organisations, Xian Sheng encouraged the people to also establish a body to oversee the tampering of human beings. He is unsure whether such organisations exist at present. He added that if no such organisations exist yet, the Singapore brothers and sisters could start one, leveraging their various skills and different disciplines. Ultimately, Xian Sheng advocates for movements that would prevent the tampering of human beings, such as cloning1.
  4. Xian Sheng posed a question about whether there is a general consensus regarding human cloning. He stressed the importance of taking this matter seriously, pointing out that cloning and genetic manipulation are already a reality. He once again emphasised the need for serious consideration of this subject, urging people to sit down and list the pros and cons of tampering with human beings.
(C) Followers need to ‘go academic’.
  1. The referenced show is the sci-fi movie “Gattaca” (1997). Xian Sheng urged the followers to expand their scope of discussion by watching shows or movies with real-world implications for humans, rather than exclusively focusing on standard spiritual discussion topics. He encouraged the followers to watch the entire show and then take a moment to reflect. He wanted everyone to express their views by stating whether they endorse or oppose the progression of human beings as portrayed in the movie.
  2. Xian Sheng encouraged the followers to occasionally “go academic” (conduct academic discussions exploring intellectual topics or theoretical interests that may not directly relate to daily life) instead of just sticking to the same routine in spiritual discussions or attending obsequies.  He referred to the movie “Gattaca,” which they had watched the previous night, expressing it as a very interesting show depicting a society where citizens were categorised into valids and invalids based on genetic modifications to the fetus.
  3. The topic of genes came to Xian Sheng’s mind as he sat down for today’s sermon with the Singapore brothers and sisters. So he thought it was best to discuss it with them with the aim of opening their minds to a possible future and preparing them for it. He posited the idea that it could be possible for one of the followers to have the financial means to purchase sperm and inseminate herself with selected donor sperm to achieve pregnancy.
  4. Xian Sheng raised the issue of tampering with nature, asserting that if women can inseminate themselves by purchasing donor sperm from sperm banks, the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, as predetermined by GOD, might no longer be deemed necessary. He urged the followers to reflect on the fundamental questions of why GOD created man and woman and the purpose behind the institution of marriage between them.
(D) What kind of society do we want?
  1. Xian Sheng asked the followers to ponder over the type of society we want. Do we want a society where divorce is at a flick of a finger? Do we want a society that prioritises strong family values or a Western society (the practice of filial piety is less common, and attitudes towards sex are more casual, giving rise to promiscuity, LGBTQ+ acceptance, Woke culture, and the likes.)
  2. Previously, Xian Sheng discussed two incidents involving single mothers. He now elaborates on the situation, explaining that both women are without husbands. The reason for their choice to be single mothers is the ease of divorce in modern society, where one can marry today and divorce the next day. In cases of divorce with a child, proper parental care is often lacking. If the child resides with the mother, they may be deprived of a father figure.
  3. In contemporary times, there is a growing trend of single mothers turning to sperm banks to purchase sperm for pregnancy and conception. When the day comes, should we also endorse and encourage this trend too?
  4. Xian Sheng raised a question based on one of the incidents involving single mothers. Typically, people do not calculate the timing of their death (they expect a natural death in old age when their children are grown and self-sufficient.) However, what would happen in a scenario where the child is only 1 year old and the mother slipped, hit her head and died on the spot, leaving the child alone in a locked house.
  5. If we said single motherhood is good, who would care for the child if the mother were to pass away unexpectedly. Therefore, Xian Sheng advocates that we must give careful thought to the society we want to live in.
(E) Humans must be close to nature to get the respect of nature.
  1. People who pray to the CREATOR want a natural order for men and women. They acknowledge that GOD created men and women, and they are supposed to marry and conceive children. This natural method of procreation would ensure that humans are close and in harmony with nature. Consequently, humans would get the respect of nature. Conversely, if humans distance themselves from nature, they would not get the respect of nature, and they would lose out.
  2. Xian Sheng revisited a discussion where one ‘chap’ said that GOD is nature. Xian Sheng countered, stating, “Nature is not GOD, cannot be the CREATOR.” Baitiangong followers realised that there is such a thing as the ‘Divine Law of Nature’. He explained that nature is defined by this Divine Law of Nature. (The Divine Law of Nature define the characteristics, boundaries, purpose and responsibility of the object being defined.) For instance, he provided examples: The sun generates the right amount of heat which accommodates humans as it’s neither too hot to burn us alive nor too cold that we turn into ice cubes. The Earth spins around its axis in 24 hours which enables us to walk normally. (Astronauts hopping on the moon is attributed to gravity. The faster rotation of the Earth would not significantly affect human walking, as our movements are in sync with the Earth’s rotation.)
  3. The heat given off by the sun, the rotational speed of the Earth on its axis and the Earth’s revolution around the sun in 365.25 days are predetermined by the Divine Law of Nature. He further elaborates that the sun, the Earth and the elements are living.
  4. If we pick up a stone and examine it, scientists would classify it as non-living matter. However, Xian Sheng asserts that everything is living from a spiritual perspective. He explains that a piece of rock is considered living as it can undergo change2, and the transformative process of the rock is evidence of its living nature. Even a leaf that falls from a tree is considered living, as it decomposes, releasing nutrients into the soil and forming humus soil. Pointing to his shirt, Xian Sheng states that it is alive, sharing the same atoms as the cotton plant it originated from. He briefly explains that cotton plants undergo various stages of processing to become a piece of cloth, but the atoms in both the cotton plant and the shirt are similar in nature. Cotton plants fall under the category of the element Wood, emphasising that these elements are created by GOD for the benefit of humans.
  5. Xian Sheng referred to the next-door neighbour’s construction site, currently under development. The materials used for construction include steel bars from the element Metal, planks from the element Wood, and concrete composed of water from the element Water, along with sand, pebbles, and cement from the element Earth. The steel bars are shaped using fire from the element Fire. Xian Sheng emphasises that the CREATOR created the five elements to fulfil the needs of humans.
  6. Baitiangong followers are aware and grateful for GOD’s creations that enable us to undergo our examination in life. That is why they are gathered together with Xian Sheng to respect the CREATOR. The best way to respect the CREATOR is to kneel down, face skywards and pray to the CREATOR.
(F) Why don’t we pray to the CREATOR who created everything for us?
  1. Xian Sheng reflected on a conversation he had with a man (at a temple) regarding the ways to pray to the CREATOR. The man remarked that Xian Sheng’s way involved kneeling and facing skywards, whereas he and fellow temple attendees prayed to the CREATOR through idols. When Xian Sheng asked him why, he explained that the CREATOR is everywhere. He further conveyed that GOD is in him and GOD is in that (the idol).
  2. Xian Sheng politely acknowledged that the man may be right and requested the chance to share his views on why humans must kneel down to pray and why they cannot pray to idols. He disclosed that he was once an idol worshipper following his father’s religion but he got out of it. He pointed to the idol and clarified that it was carved from rock, which is just one element of earth. In contrast, humans have everything in them as they are a combination of metal, wood, water, fire and earth.
  3. Xian Sheng explained to the man that GOD has created everything for us, but not for us to pray to. He pointed to the idol and said that the idol has GOD’s consciousness, but GOD is not in there. He pointed to himself and said that GOD is not in him, but he has GOD’s consciousness.
  4. Xian Sheng explained that he has a subconscious mind that tells him whether his actions are right or wrong. When Xian Sheng realised that his actions in praying to idols were wrong, he got out of it. He calls this his moment of enlightenment. Since then, Xian Sheng has been sharing his enlightenment with his friends so that he won’t be selfish.
  5. He summarised that GOD’s consciousness is in him, in that idol, and in the five elements, but GOD is not in them. He expressed his hope the man would understand his explanation. Although the man accepted Xian Sheng’s explanation, he expressed that he still wanted to pray to idols. Regrettingly, Xian Sheng told him to carry on praying to idols by all means.
  6. Xian Sheng asked the followers why he did not object but instead told the man to carry on praying to idols. He explained that they just cannot simply tell him that he is wrong, as he needs to overcome the ingrained idolistic mindset—a tradition passed down for thousands of years, akin to Xian Sheng’s father and his father before him.
  7. Xian Sheng recounted an incident involving his father bringing back a picture of the Chinese military general, Guan Yu or Guan Gong, and an idol of Guan Yin. He followed his father in praying to the picture of Guan Gong. He remembered that his father bought a new picture of Guan Gong as the old picture turned silverish and the paper wrinkled due to natural ageing. Describing the process, he explained how he opened the frame (by tearing the waxed paper holding the thin piece of wood against the frame). He replaced the old picture with the new one, ensuring it was flush against the glass. Using starch gum, he glued the wax paper tightly onto the thin piece of wood and frame. Xian Sheng then returned the frame to the altar and prayed to it the following day.

     

    Guan Gong photo
    Photo frame of Guan Gong
  8. Even at that age, Xian Sheng pondered over his predicament. He had replaced the old picture of Guan Gong, which he had been praying to, with a new picture that he didn’t even know where his father had purchased. This led him to question why he didn’t just pray to the person who had drawn the picture, as that person is the creator of Guan Gong.
  9. Xian Sheng concluded the topic with the question, “Likewise, why don’t we pray to the CREATOR who created everything for us?”
(G) We cannot cheat GOD because everything we do is recorded within us.
  1. Xian Sheng asked whether the followers heard of the story of two Greek artists who lived in the 5th century BCE. One of the artists, Zeuxis, painted grapes that were so realistic that birds flew down to peck at the grapes. The other artist, Parrhasius, painted a curtain so convincingly real that Zeuxis reached out to pull it aside, expecting to see the painting hidden behind.
    Competition between Zeuxis and Parrhasius
  2. However, while both paintings were astoundingly realistic – Zeuxis fooling birds and Parrhasius deceiving a fellow artist – they are still just paintings. Xian Sheng asked the followers who they consider the greatest painter, emphasising the concept that ‘by thought’ HE painted out humans and ‘by thought’ HE made humans walk. He answered that the greatest painter of all, and more than that, is the CREATOR.
  3. Xian Sheng said that while one artist can cheat another artist, at the end of the day, they cannot cheat GOD. In this world, we can cheat other human beings, but at the end of the day, we would ultimately end up cheating ourselves. However, humans cannot cheat GOD because everything that we do is recorded within us.
  4. Xian Sheng pointed at the computer and explained that an accounting software can keep track of all financial transactions keyed into it such as purchases, sales, creditors, debtors, cash in hand and cash in bank. At the end of the year, it can automatically tabulate the profit and loss. If we have a net profit, then it’s good for us. However, a net loss would be bad for us. Xian Sheng said that he used the analogy of an accounting software to explain that all our good and evil deeds would be tallied up at the end of our lives. This is why we cannot cheat GOD, as everything we do is recorded within us.
(H) The soul is an energy and also a repository of memories.
  1. Xian Sheng has recently returned from Australia, where he met Tom, who is pursuing a graduate program in Computer Science. Xian Sheng requested a group of people to dedicate a few minutes to give some thought to whether humans possess a soul or not.
  2. Tom was the first to provide an answer. His answer was “Nothing”. He used the analogy of a computer, stating that a computer can be switched ON and OFF. In the OFF state, there is nothing at all, naturally implying that humans do not have a soul. Xian Sheng replied to Tom, acknowledging that he was perfectly right in his logic.
  3. Xian Sheng addressed the followers and advised them not to outright declare that he was wrong. The proper approach is to provide him with realisations, allowing him to discover on his own that he may be mistaken.
  4. Xian Sheng re-emphasises that Tom is perfectly right in stating that when he switches the computer off, there is nothing. Xian Sheng then queried him about the man who switched off the computer. Tom acknowledged that it was he who switched the computer on and off. Xian Sheng rephrased the sentence, stating that when Tom toggled the switch to cut off the electricity, the computer would definitely be OFF. Tom is the controller of the computer, and since he also built it by assembling components like the motherboard, power supply, etc., Xian Sheng told Tom that he is like the CREATOR.
  5. Tom is akin to the creator of the computer who switches ON and OFF the computer using electricity as the energy source. Similarly, Xian Sheng asked who switches ON a human body when they were a baby and who switches OFF a human body when they passed away. Xian Sheng stated that the soul itself is an energy. Therefore, the soul enters a body when it’s switched ON, and the soul leaves the body when it’s switched OFF. The natural conclusion to this analogy is that there must exist a CREATOR of humans, and the soul exists to give life to humans.
  6. Xian Sheng switched the topic to right and wrong. He said that we have within us the consciousness of right and wrong. Every time we do something right, the wrong will tell us not to do it. Similarly, when we do something wrong, the right will tell us not to do it. Ultimately, we would decide what we do, whether to do what’s right or what’s wrong.
  7. It is generally considered wrong to cheat someone or cheat the bank. However, it is ultimately up to us to decide whether we think that it’s right or wrong. Nevertheless, our decision would be recorded in our souls. Xian Sheng added that the soul itself is a repository of memories.
  8. The soul records all our actions. Plus for our good deeds and minus for our evil deeds. Xian Sheng clarified by giving the example that the soul would record as such: plus, minus, plus, minus, plus, minus, and so forth throughout our entire life. And if we were to say we want to change, the soul would record it as credit. However, when we fail to change, it would be recorded as debit, and the cycle of credit, debit, credit, debit, and so forth repeats. At the end of the day – using accounting terms – the soul would tabulate either a net profit or a net loss.
  9. Xian Sheng asked the followers the next logical question concerning the results, “Where do you go?” He answered that the soul would go to the particular plane that was already waiting for us. These are the innumerable planes of Heaven and Hell.
(I) Saving our souls is what Xian Sheng is all about.
  1. “Heaven and Hell” is so commonly used to depict the destination of the soul in the afterlife. However, Xian Sheng explained that it is not just a singular Heaven or Hell but an infinite number of planes.
  2. He provided an example in which the soul leaves the body after death and goes to the positive plane of 3.45 to live forever in peace.
  3. Alternatively, an individual could get a negative output at the end of the day (death) and the soul leaves the body to go to a negative plane of 4.25 for a period of suffering. Upon the conclusion of the sufferings or punishments, the soul would return to continue the cycle of reincarnation.
  4. Xian Sheng explains that in Baitiangong, our goal is to get out of this “Vicious Cycle of Reincarnation”.
  5. Xian Sheng asserted that saving our souls is what he is all about (his purpose). He desires for us not to come back to this Earth to reincarnate.
  6. Xian Sheng mentioned that those who reincarnate on Earth to a family that prays to the CREATOR are lucky. He referred to the souls that have done bad in their past lives, leading to suffering in the negative plane. Their parents would have to preach to them to fear nothing except the CREATOR and to think good, see good, hear good, speak good and do good. If the individual follows their guidance, they will have a chance to go to the positive planes at the end of the day. The choice is up to them. It is there for their taking as their life is what they make it to be.
  7. Life is not fated. While some assert that certain individuals are fated to be born rich, Xian Sheng countered that rich people have their own set of examinations, particularly in how they spend their money. If they spend their money wrongly, such as acquiring weapons to kill, using their money to buy politicians to protect their corrupt business practices, or bribing officials to fulfil their selfish desires, they are in the wrong. Xian Sheng reiterates that the examination for the rich man lies in how they choose to spend their money.
  8. On the contrary, the examination for the poor man lies in how they find their money. Will they rob or cheat somebody for the money?
  9. Ultimately, life is what we make it to be. Life is not fated as “We live to go through an examination in life, and we die to live.” Xian Sheng summarised by stating that upon death, we will agree with him on what praying to the CREATOR is all about.
  10. Although it may seem so simple, but to go through life and pray to the CREATOR, we must fear nothing except the CREATOR, and we must think good, see good, hear good, speak good and do good.
  11. However, Xian Sheng added that doing good is not so easy although it may look to be easy. He shared his personal experience that doing good could even lead to jail. That is because certain people do not like him for preaching against their belief system.
  12. Xian Sheng described his experience of being jailed as beautiful, expressing that he loved it. He added that he harboured no grudges against his captors and even thanked them, as the experience made him more determined to succeed in his mission of preaching Baitiangong to the masses.
  13. He stated that he thinks positively throughout the experience and encourages all Baitiangong brothers and sisters to think positively, see positively, hear positively and speak positively under any circumstances.
  14. To those aspiring to preach Baitiangong, Xian Sheng encouraged them to attend the Annual Spiritual Discussion to learn how to preach effectively. He emphasised that effective preaching does not involve telling someone that their spiritual understanding is poor or asserting that they are wrong while claiming to be right.
  15. When it comes to spiritual understanding, Xian Sheng stated that there is no such thing as right or wrong, as right and wrong itself is a subjective matter (based on personal opinions and feelings rather than facts). Xian Sheng emphasised that we cannot just walk up to a person who has been praying in their own way for umpteen years and tell them that they are wrong. Instead, he suggests that we should explain what we do and if they accept our explanation, they may come to realise that they are wrong. We cannot tell them that they are wrong. He concluded by stating that praying to the CREATOR is about a person realising the existence of the CREATOR and willingly choosing to pray to the CREATOR.
  1. There is a wide range of organisations with diverse perspectives that raise concerns about human cloning and genetic manipulation of human genes. Here are some examples, categorised by their general focus:

    Religious Groups:

    • The Pontifical Academy for Life: This Catholic organisation has issued statements cautioning against the ethical and social implications of human cloning and genetic manipulation.
    • The National Council of Churches: This Protestant association in the United States has expressed concerns about the potential for genetic engineering to exacerbate social inequalities and undermine human dignity.
    • The Islamic Society of North America: This Muslim organisation has issued fatwas (religious rulings) prohibiting human cloning and genetic manipulation on the grounds that it interferes with GOD's creation.


    General Organisations:

    • The Council for Responsible Genetics: This non-profit organisation advocates for public oversight of genetic technologies and raises concerns about the potential for unintended consequences of manipulating the human genome. 


    International Organisations:

    • UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has adopted the Universal Declaration on the Bioethics and Human Rights, which outlines ethical principles for the use of genetic technologies, including opposition to human cloning and the germline modification of human genes. UNESCO panel of experts calls for a ban on “editing” of human DNA to avoid unethical tampering with hereditary traits. 
    • The Council of Europe: This intergovernmental organisation has adopted the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine, which prohibits human cloning and sets out ethical principles for the use of genetic technologies. Protection of the human genome by the Council of Europe
    • United Nations: In the Fifty-Ninth General Assembly, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on Human Cloning, by which Member States were called on to adopt all measures necessary to prohibit all forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life.

      It's important to note that these are just a few examples, and there are many other organisations with diverse perspectives on these complex issues. It's also important to remember that the debate surrounding human cloning and genetic manipulation is ongoing, and there is no single consensus on the ethical and social implications of these technologies.

    • Rocks are constantly changing due to natural processes that take place over time. The physical and chemical properties of rocks are constantly changing in a natural, never-ending cycle called the rock cycle. The rock cycle involves three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Each type of rock can be transformed into another type through various processes such as crystallization, erosion and sedimentation, and metamorphism. For example, sedimentary rocks can be transformed into metamorphic rocks through heat and pressure, and metamorphic rocks can be transformed into igneous rocks through melting and solidification. Therefore, rocks can change their properties and even their type through natural processes that take place over millions of years.