NABC Chapter 47 Establishing a Religion
Chapter 47 Establishing a Religion
Shixi Village.
Side hall of the Jiaoshen Temple.
The autumn morning light slanted through the carved wooden windows of the side hall of the Jiaoshen Temple, spreading warm golden spots of light on the blue brick floor, and dust slowly floated and sank in the beams of light.
Lin Shi sat in a chair, with yellow hemp paper on the table.
The incense in the two ancestral halls burned from dawn till dusk, with wisps of smoke rising continuously, a testament to the enduring power of faith. However, this was not without its challenges.
The Taoist priest who had appeared a few days ago vanished into thin air, and the village remained perfectly calm, without a trace of anything unusual.
Lin Shi remained vigilant, knowing that this matter was far from over. Not only would the wild Taoist priest inevitably appear, but there was also a greater possibility of other increasingly powerful opponents emerging.
The only way to cope with increasingly complex situations and increasingly powerful opponents is to improve our strength, and to deepen the foundation of the Jiao God faith as much as possible.
Others may not have many options.
Before I transmigrated, I was an expert in this field and knew exactly how to do it.
Any faith must be based on efficacy and miracles, but it cannot be based solely on efficacy and miracles. This is like building a house. Efficacy and miracles are just the pillars that rise from the ground, but without walls and a roof, it is difficult to shelter from the wind and rain, and it is easily disturbed by external evils and collapses from the inside.
The believers are gathered because of the grace of being saved and the awe they feel, and their hearts are indeed devout. However, this devotion is more based on direct benefits and shock. If it is to last, there must be clear value guidance and behavioral norms. Only in this way can it avoid falling into blind idol worship, can it be more steadfast in faith, and can it not be easily abandoned when facing the complexities of the world and personal desires. It will also make it less likely for unscrupulous people, such as shady Taoist priests, to take advantage of the situation.
Lin Shi had been pondering this matter for some time and came to the conclusion that the belief in the Jiao God must have doctrines and norms in order to establish the Way and to rectify the mind by understanding the principles.
The faith required by the dragon god is not just about "worshiping when it manifests and doubting when it doesn't" but more importantly, it is about the principles that can permeate daily life and guide words and actions. Otherwise, it will ultimately be like building a tower on sand, which will never be stable.
"To persuade people to do good and to protect one's hometown, sincerity will bring results."
Lin Shi put down his pen, and twelve characters appeared on the paper. After a moment of contemplation, he started a new line and began to record the examples and write down the miracles that had occurred.
"On the seventh day of the third month of the Renwu year, Liu from Shanghe Village had a wife who was suffering from a mountain ailment. She coughed and wheezed day and night, and medicine was ineffective. Liu did not complain or abandon her. At night, he knelt by the pool, his clothes soaked with dew, only hoping to relieve his wife's suffering, without any other desires. He brought water back and sincerely offered it to his wife to drink. That night, her cough subsided. The dragon god is merciful and always responds to the requests of such pure filial piety, perseverance, and selfless desires."
……
"In the same year, black miasma suddenly appeared in the vegetable garden of Dongyuan, causing leaves to curl and seedlings to wither. The farmers were anxious, but they did not sit idly by and wait for death. The three households made an agreement to pray on the ridge, thinking that it was not just their own field, but the livelihood of many households. Heaven sent down sweet rain, the raindrops soaked the green soil, and the miasma and insects disappeared. The dragon god loves the land and is especially pleased with the sincerity of the neighbors in overcoming the difficulties together."
……
"However, the eyes of the gods are like torches, and they cannot be deceived. If anyone falsely uses the name of the gods to pursue selfish desires, harm their neighbors, or violate the way of goodness..."
……
"Faith will resonate, but blessings will gradually diminish. There was once a villager who falsely claimed to be a god, extorting bribes and accumulating wealth. Before long, the divine gifts he wore lost their luster, and his home was plagued by inexplicable troubles. This was not divine punishment, but rather the defilement of his own heart, which caused him to lose the foundation of divine inspiration. Therefore, if you wish to receive divine blessings, first cultivate your own heart."
……
"Therefore, the way to receive divine blessings begins with rectifying one's heart. When the heart is rectified, prayers will be reasonable; when actions are upright, divine assistance will naturally follow. The dragon god is not a merchant of trade, but the spirit of our homeland. To protect our hometown, we must all be of one mind and one heart and work together to build good deeds."
……
Lin Shi deliberately omitted the supernatural elements such as toad spirits and wild Taoist priests, which were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, and focused only on the core idea of "people pray to the gods, and the gods respond to people's requests".
Lin Shi put down his pen, stood up, walked to the window, and looked out.
Under the autumn sun, the Bibo Pool shimmered with tiny sparkles, and the surface of the water occasionally rippled silently. That familiar, warm current of spiritual energy was flowing into the bottom of the pool day and night, and the response from the pool was becoming clearer and clearer. The loosening of the chains was causing the power of the dragon to increase at a perceptible speed.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Side hall of the Jiaoshen Temple.
The autumn sun shone through the window paper, bathing the room in a soft honey color.
Lin Shiju is in the center.
More than 20 core believers from Shixi Village and Shanghe Village sat around the long table on both sides.
In Shixi Village, led by Sun Ming and Xu Zheng, the elderly man rested his hands on his knees, his back straight as a pine tree.
Shanghe Village is home to Liu Laosi, Yang Qianchui, Lu Cheng, Xu Zhong, and others.
Lin Shi distributed the more than ten copies of the first draft of "The Response of the Dragon God".
"Sincerity is essential in worshipping the Dragon God."
Lin Shi's voice was not loud, and everyone looked up, their eyes focused on him.
"However, what is the meaning of the word 'sincerity'? How do we do good? How do we avoid evil? Where is divine grace? We need a clear guide."
Lin Shi explained each point in detail.
Encouraging people to do good can be broken down into filial piety and respect for the elderly, harmonious neighborly relations and mutual assistance, and diligence in farming and cherishing blessings.
Protecting one's hometown is specifically defined as ensuring favorable weather, warding off evil spirits, and resolving disputes.
Sincerity brings results, emphasizing a pure mind, upright conduct, and freedom from delusions.
Lin Shi knew that anything too profound or mysterious would be difficult to understand and spread, so he had to make it relevant to the understanding and lives of ordinary people in the two villages. After explaining the reasoning, he immediately followed up with examples.
"Fourth brother, the first one I'm talking about is you!"
Yang Qianchui nudged Liu Laosi beside him with his elbow and lowered his voice.
Liu Laosi lowered his head, his rough fingertips tracing his name on the paper. The ink was dry, and the surface was slightly raised. A warm feeling welled up in his heart.
Those desperate nights, the kneeling on the riverbank, the trembling with pebbles in hand—all of these were remembered by the gods and became chapters in the doctrine. But after the warmth came a heavy weight; once one was indoctrinated, every word and deed thereafter concerned more than just oneself.
"Mr. Lin put a lot of effort into compiling this article. He simplified the complex and taught through examples, so that even young children can understand the principles within."
Xu Zhong read the text word by word twice, then sighed deeply. As a scholar, he was even more aware of the weight of the words—he knew he was not up to that level.
Lin Shi answered Sun Ming, Liu Laosi and others' questions in detail, and instructed them to spread the word and explain to the villagers. He also told them that anyone who had any questions could come to the Jiaoshen Temple to find him.
the next day.
Lin Shi was explaining the worship rituals to several new believers at the Jiaoshen Temple when Li Ergou came running up, panting. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead in the autumn sun. The man, who was in his early thirties, had an honest face, but at this moment his face was full of righteous indignation.
"Mr. Lin! You have to come and judge this!"
Li Ergou shouted loudly, attracting the attention of everyone around him.
"Aunt Zhang's chickens have been crossing the line every day for the past two weeks, pecking my vegetable seedlings to pieces! I've told them three times, but they just called me stingy! I was about to kneel down and beg the Dragon God—please punish that wicked chicken! I wish a weasel would take it away!"
After Li Ergou finished speaking, silence fell over the surroundings.
Several village women covered their mouths, their shoulders trembling slightly. If they weren't worried about being disrespectful in front of the Jiaoshen Temple, they would definitely be laughing.
"Brother Er Gou, the punishment of evil mentioned in the doctrine refers to the evil deeds of the human heart—such as framing, oppressing, and using sorcery to harm others. Chickens and beasts are ignorant and act solely on instinct; how can they be equated with evil?"
Lin Shi smiled. This was a good opportunity to spread the doctrine.
"Sir, that chicken of hers is incorrigible; what else could it be but wickedness? Besides, her letting the chicken commit violence shows her own evil heart! I sincerely pray, shouldn't God intervene?"
Li Ergou stared wide-eyed, his voice full of self-righteousness.
"Neighborhood disputes should be resolved by prioritizing mutual assistance. You could try to negotiate with Aunt Zhang, or ask the village elders to mediate. Constantly seeking divine punishment for trivial matters is treating the gods as mere guardians of the village."
Lin Shi shook his head.
"What if people do evil?"
"For example, if someone steals my fruits, does God care?"
Li Ergou was not convinced.
"If the evidence is conclusive and the offender has repeatedly committed the offense without changing his ways, one can seek divine intervention, but the primary course of action is still to deal with the matter according to village rules and clan laws."
"The gods are above, overseeing the people's hearts and righteousness, and the peace and tranquility of their hometowns, not resolving every trivial dispute for people."
"There are always people in the world who manage human affairs."
"God manages what humans cannot manage."
"Each performs their own duties."
Lin Shi pointed it out directly.
Aunt Zhang and I are neighbors.
"We should all help each other."
"Let's discuss any conflicts."
"If we really can't reach an agreement, we can ask the village elders to judge right and wrong."
"This is because there are always people in the world who manage human affairs."
"Only the big things."
"For example, people only pray to the Dragon God during severe droughts."
Li Ergou scratched his head, a thoughtful expression on his honest face. After a while, he nodded as if he understood.
"That's exactly right."
Lin Shi nodded, glancing at the people around him. They all seemed thoughtful, clearly moved. This was exactly what he had hoped to see—spreading the teachings of the Dragon God through the daily lives of the villagers, integrating into their lives to truly resonate with them.