Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE TEMPLE OF THE TAO OF CHRIST MINISTRIES

Article 1 - Name

The name of the organization shall be Temple of the Tao of Christ Ministries, also referred to as the Temple of the Tao of Christ, or the Temple, or simply as TTC.

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Article 2 - Location of Office

The location of the registered office shall be at a place to be determined by the Senior Pastor ratified by a Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting. The location of the current office is Geddes Town, Free Hill P.O., St. Mary, Jamaica, W.I.

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Article 3 - Mission, Motto

         3.1   The Temple’s Mission and primary motto shall be, “Reaching hearts and          healing the world with the Way of the Tao and the good news and love of            Jesus.”

         3.2   The Temple’s secondary motto shall be, “Your body and mind are the                     temple. What other temple do you need?”

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Article 4 - Objectives

The TTC is hereby formed to carry out the following objectives:

         4.1   To promote the ideals and faith of Taoism, Taoist Christianity, Jediism,                      Theosophy, and the Baha’i Faith.

         4.2   In carrying out the above, the Temple of the Tao of Christ aims:

                                 a)     to penetrate the mysteries

                                 b)     to bless our followers with a good conscience

                                 c)     to guide followers to be great and yet empty

                                 d)     to return to stillness

                                 e)     to be forgiving

                                 f)     to be compassionate

                                 g)     to deliver all people from the weight of sin, karma, and    hopelessness

                                 h)     to do good deeds

                                 i)      to help people reach the other shore

                                 j)      to calm people in stormy times

                                 k)     to help people understand the nature of things

                                 l)      to maintain purity

                                 m)    to nourish all things

                                 n)     to respect all life

                                 o)     to answer the needs of those whose beliefs come from the heart

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Article 5 - Powers

In achieving the above, the Temple of the Tao of Christ may engage in the following activities:

5.1   Gathering for worship, fellowship, meditation, healing, and religious instruction normally either in members’ homes with their consent or in open spaces in natural surroundings abounding with trees/shrubs, open skies and, ideally, naturally running or trickling water, e.g., seas, rivers, streams, etc. whether fortnightly, monthly or bi-monthly as the members shall decide.

         5.2   Posting of blogs, vlogs and other online content for the education, spiritual                development or comforting of members and the public.

         5.3   Training and ordaining of clergy members.

         5.4   Organizing fundraisers and outreach initiatives to cater to the needs of the                     poor and disenfranchised.

5.5   Selling of Temple merchandise, for e.g. branded clothing and ceramics, in order to spread the message of hope and to generate funding for operations of the Temple.

5.6   Buying, owning, selling, leasing, or renting property and other assets for the benefit or efficiency of ministry or to distribute to or manage on behalf of the poor and less fortunate.

5.7   Engaging in any other activities that are incidental to the achievement of the objectives as agreed on at Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting.

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Article 6 - Tenets of the Faith

11 Statements of Belief

Our statement of faith is encapsulated in our 11 Statements of Belief:

         1.     All Religions are from God

                             We believe that all divine revelations are from God and all religions                    serve specific purposes for specific peoples in specific times/ages, but may be              applied to multiple persons and times and places, since they all come from the            Divine.

         2.     Everything that Exists is God in Being; an Extension/Manifestation of          God

                             The universe, existence is God in being. God ‘spoke’ things into                      being, and by ‘speaking’ it and willing it, God became the things that are                       created. Thus, God exists both in and through creation, but at the same time                    also exists outside of creation, space and time, in eternity.

         3.     Human Beings, as Extensions of God, are Able to Communicate with the             Aspect of God Within

                             God is the universe because God became everything that is, but at the                same time, God exists outside the universe. All human beings are extensions               of the universe - God existing in human form as a process of the universe’s                    being - existing in specific points as a person. We are able to reach the God in                 us through meditation.

         4.     Faith, Prayer, Worship and Love Connect Us to the Energies of God                    Outside of and Throughout the Universe

                             We communicate with the aspect of God outside the universe through                faith, prayer and worship, and we touch the aspect of God within others and               allow the energies of God outside and within the universe to fill us through              understanding, love, compassion and goodwill towards others.

         5.     The Most Complete Revelation is Found in Jesus Christ/the Bible, and the               Most Comprehensive Path for Our Times are Found in Christianity and               the Tao (as viewed through The Secret Sayings of Ye Su), and the Baha’i         Faith

                             All major world religions and their holy books are true - at least for a              certain time in a certain place for a certain people in a certain context and for                  specific and general reasons within that time, place and socio-cultural and                               socio-psychological context, and these scriptures and revelations have met                  their purpose, although they were tainted by the biases and perspectives of the          vessels/emissaries that revealed them.

                                 God has spoken to humanity in many ways, but we believe that the                     most complete revelation for a fulfilling life that honours God is found in the              revelation of Jesus Christ as can be seen in the Gospels of the Holy Bible, and             we believe that a complete comprehension of who and how God is, man’s                               natural state and how the universe works and our place in it can be seen most            clearly in the Christian Holy Bible, the Taoist scriptures, most notably, the          Tao Te Ching, and also the Baha’i scriptures; the Kitab-i-Aqdas and Kitab-i-             Iqan. The Secret Sayings of Ye Su unifies the message of the great revelations            of the Holy Bible and the Tao Te Ching.

         6.     Everything Has a Season, and We Forget this as Well as Our True Nature

                             The universe follows certain patterns and phases and is always                        changing. Everything is always becoming, and, in becoming, the universe                       sometimes forgets its true nature. We forget that we are more than we appear           to be and more than we think and feel we are, more than our bodies, more than                     the circumstances and the things we see and feel around us and inside us. We           get in touch with our true reality through connecting with God through                                 meditation, faith, prayer, worship, positive belief, love and goodwill for others           and maintaining a wonder and appreciation for life experiences, nature, the                    gift of life itself, and for other people as extensions and processes of the                              universe and, therefore, manifestations and extensions of God and parts of our                 wider selves.

         7.     The Phases and Seasons of Life and the Universe May Be Fairly Predicted              like the Weather, but Faith in God is Supreme

                             The changes of the universe occur according to established seasons,                patterns and phases. These seasons, patterns and phases follow certain                            sequences, laws and trends. These may be seen and examined through                      astrology, numerology, I Ching, the tarot and other methods. These are as                                dependable as a weather forecast, however, which foretells likely and most                              probable meteorological events based on signs and systems in the atmosphere              but are not always totally accurate and definitive or unchanging. Nevertheless,           they do give a fairly good picture of what energies, phases and cycles are                       affecting a person or events beyond what we can see, and they reveal general           reasons for who and what, why and how someone is and things are as they are                  in a given moment.

                                 Humanity must not rely on these too much for living and ordering their              lives, however, as the purpose of life is to enjoy the journey and make the best            of it while seeking to fulfil our unique purposes and honour the majesty of                             God.

                                 Opening our hearts to faith, our true desire, and focussed positive                   thoughts, as well as goodwill towards others, opens our hearts and lives for                    God to change even the laws, patterns and cycles of nature and the universe to               work good on our behalf. Faith, prayer, yearning, focussed thought, a heart of         compassion and service, and proper planning avail much. Quieting of ego and             desire, and submission to the will of God and phases of the universe, however,                 brings peace and unity with existence.

         8.     Evil, Pain and Death are Necessary, though Unpleasant

                                 As long as we exist in the temporal material world, there must be                    opposites. There must be good and there must be evil. There is no light                           without darkness. There is no life without death. Without pain, there is no                       pleasure or relief. If there is male, there must be female.

                                 As long as we exist within matter, time and space, there must be                     extremes, there must be complements, there must be balance. There cannot be                nor should there be any absence of pain, loss, fear, poverty, death and evil, for         that is not the nature of existence - not while we exist on this plane. There                               must be two sides to a coin; two (or three) sides to a story. Duality is the                      essence of everything. Only when we have translated from time, space and                          matter to eternity, to that realm outside of creation, can we be without                        beginning and end, without maleness and femaleness, death or life, good or                   evil - one with the Oneness - God; the All and Nothing. Until then, we should                   accept the good with the bad in this mystic dance of being and recognize that         all is part of One that is All and the All that is One.

         9.     We Suffer because of Our Ego and Desires… (Yet Desires Applied with                   Firm Belief Brings Us What We Need)

                                 We suffer because of our desires and expectations, because of our                   attachments. We desire love and get hate or indifference, and so we get                         heartbroken and depressed. We desire peace and meet upon war and death,                           and so are conflicted within ourselves. If we but learn to recognize that the                  unfortunate and unexpected, the evil and disturbing are all part of the pattern           and process, we would be much better off.

                                 We must have strong desire and faith to act upon God in the ether - in                and outside of the universe - to give us what we desire as we form and execute         plans towards our goals. The thing to do is to desire strongly, fervently and            totally without attachment. We must not get so attached to people, objects and                  situations so that we cannot remove personally from them without pain or a                 sense of loss of the self. Though we have access to all things, nothing is ours                     or owed to us - though we may partake of it in time when we apply the right              energy.

                                 We must trust the processes and will of the universe and the will of                    God to mean us good, even in the down times, and to bring our desires on                              track in a way that will best suit our purposes although we cannot see or                                comprehend it. We must be firm and resolute in our purpose, desire and belief,                   yet yielding to change and understanding in perceived loss or failure.

         10.   We Serve and Guide Each Other and Learn from Each Other Without                Judgment

                             We share and support one another’s opinions, perspectives, feelings,               experiences, strengths and weaknesses without judgment for we realize that                   through knowing each other, we get to know more about ourselves and to                        know God; through accepting others, we accept God. We reach out to the God          in others through love, compassion and goodwill, and also through honest                          communication and understanding with a view to building each other, while               we connect to the God inside us through meditation. Thus is God’s plan                                manifested.

                                 We are aware that we are not perfect and what we can be is not fully              manifested, but can be brought out through connecting with God and through               self-awareness, self-coaching and co-coaching with others.

         11.   We Seek to Know God and His Will for Us, then Forge Our Own Path                     and Purpose, Based on Our Understanding and Connection with God

                             We read the Scriptures in order to have an understanding of God’s                             nature and plan for us. Having seen a glimpse of God and knowing what is                            needed, we then seek our own purpose and craft our own life plan based on                   our own unique God-given motivations, dreams, talents and desires. We act,                    looking within ourselves and relying on God for guidance, opening ourselves                     to Divine guidance through the Word, prayer, meditation and an attitude of                     positive expectation and openness to learn from our experiences and                               environment in all that we do.

We recognize that while some methods and some religious and ritualistic practices may appeal to some people, they may not appeal to others. What works for one, may not work for all. We are creators of our own happiness and purpose. The ultimate fulfilment is to know who we are in and of ourselves and in our particular contexts, to realize who God is and who we are in God, and to forge our own destiny and happiness while making an impact on the world.

16 Tablets

Our Statements of Belief are affirmed and expanded in sixteen sayings/mini-sermons, which are adopted as the 16 Tablets:

1.             “Righteousness is a state of being; not a matter of doing. Righteousness is being right with God, being right with people, being right with your own true self. There are no set of good works or sacred rituals or purifying acts that can replace being in harmony with God, with your soul and purpose, with nature and with your fellow human beings.”

2.             “The universe, existence is God in being. God spoke things into being, and so by speaking and willing it, God became the things that were created. Thus, God IS both in and through creation, but at the same time, also IS outside of creation, space and time, in eternity.

“God IS the universe because God became everything that is, but at the same, God IS outside of the universe. All human beings are extensions of the universe - aspects of God existing in human form, through the universe existing, for the time being, in specific points as a person or thing. We are able to reach the God in us through meditation. We communicate with God outside and within the universe through faith, prayer and worship, and we touch the God in others and allow the energies of the God within the universe to fill us through a spirit of love, compassion, understanding and goodwill for others, and an attitude of giving. So, we become one with all. We are, after all, despite our differences and distinctions, One.”

3.             “Salvation occurs before the baptism ritual, marriage occurs before the wedding ceremony, a baby is made before the actual birth, education occurs before the graduation ceremony and certification, success and achievement occur before the material culmination and physical evidence.

“Do not confuse the prize with the process. Do not short-change your progress and growth. What matters is your passion, your belief and commitment. Believe it, want it, commit to it, and it is already yours. In addition, have regard for others and develop a giving attitude, and the universe itself will give you your needs.”

4.             “It is not for us to judge, for judging and censoring another is sin. It is for us to love, to seek to understand - for no one acts without reason. It is for us to pray for another.

“A child of God knows that (s)he must show the person who errs and slips his/her danger if (s)he sees the danger coming - love and duty holds the child of God responsible - but (s)he warns and explains with love. If the erring or straying person listens, all is well, but if the person does not, the only thing left to do is pray on that person’s behalf - to beseech the powers of the universe to steer that person’s path right - and to pray for clarity of thought and discernment, for who knows whether what you saw was the truth? And who knows whether his or her own failings and faults are not mirrored in another to accomplish miracles or change in his or her own life?

“In the end, we act out of love and compassion, we act out of wisdom. Meditate. Seek your inner thoughts. Pray without ceasing.”

5.                 “Sin is not an act; it is a state of being, a frame of mind and spirit. Do not worry about your sinful actions. Be concerned about the state of your inner being that influenced those actions, the beliefs you possess, your outlook on life that make those actions occur and reoccur. Your actions, feelings and thoughts are merely symptoms of the disease, and are not the problem itself. God does not care so much about the sinful acts you commit. God cares more about the state of being that feeds your beliefs, feelings, thoughts and actions. That is the real sin.

“And this should not drive you to guilt. Your guilt is useless unless it drives you to be better. And the Way has been provided. The sacrifice of Christ on the cross has absolved you of guilt and karma. Believe this and commit your way to God, or your approximation of God. Let your breath remind you that you are still favoured and the Spirit of God yet breathes in you. Breathe in, breathe out, focus on your breath and release yourself into the care of the One-in-All Who makes all things possible; Who makes all things pure and good, and also makes the universe work out all things together for our good. And determine to love all, for All is One, and love for the One sets us free to be our true selves, and grants us eternity.”

6.                 “It really does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you should jump off a tall building, you will fall and, most likely, hurt yourself very badly, even if you don’t believe in gravity. Even if you disbelieve the notion of oxygen, plants will keep producing it and you will keep breathing it in your disbelief.

“’In Him we live and move and have our being.’ As certain as the laws of gravity and magnetism and the water cycle exist whether we want them to or not, the principle of “God will avenge” stands firm. You may choose to look at it as karma, but what goes around, definitely comes back around, and if we seek Him, we definitely will find Him, in the way most suited for us. Trust Him, yield all to Him and He definitely will direct our path; you see things falling into place with no explanation. Ask for what you truly desire, believe that you have it, trust Him to do it for you, determine to have it and live a life of love, compassion, forgiveness, kindness and understanding, and then you see that you get your desire from unexpected and unexplainable quarters. These laws do not change, whether we believe or not.”

7.                 “Our ego, this craving to satisfy the ‘I’, the ‘me’, our attachment to possessions, people and comfort - these are our sources of suffering. We want so much and so deeply, and when we fail to get what we want, when things don’t go our way, when we lose something or someone we form an attachment to, we are driven to despair, fear, hopelessness, depression, grief, jealousy and anger. We hate, we war, we compete, we cling, we destroy ourselves to satisfy our pride, our desires, our sense of worth and achievement. Yet, we already are champions by being here; out of 300 - 700 million sperm cells, ours made it to the ovum. Despite the many hardships and dangers and potential disasters, natural and man-made, in the world, we have survived to this moment when so many didn’t. Out of the myriad of energies floating around in the ether, out of the different life energies created and recycled in the Source, ours made it to our body to grow into a soul. We are already unique; despite originating from the same Source, and being extensions and manifestations of one universal God-mind-body, we all have unique fingerprints, retina patterns, chromosomal arrangements. No two persons are ever alike, despite all being, in essence, One. So why the strife? Why the fuss?”

                     “We all have everything that we need. The same desires which enslave and hurt us when unfulfilled, bring us providence and peace when they are submitted fully into the hands of God. ‘Lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him.’ Trust in the process. ‘All things will be worked together for good.’ Yielding our desires like this, we are free to desire greatly, and when we believe that we shall have what we want and make plans to bring these things into being, trusting these plans to the will and power of God, then we shall have what we want. And even if things turn upside down, we shall have peace, knowing that it will all be alright.”

8.             “As long as we exist within the temporal plane, there must be opposites. There must be good and there must be evil. There is no light without darkness. There is no life without death. Without pain, there is no pleasure or relief - they become meaningless. If there is male, there must be female.

“As long as we exist within time and space, there must be complement; there must be balance. There cannot be, nor should be any absence of pain, loss, fear, poverty, death and evil - ‘they must grow together with the good until the harvest’. This is essential to the fabric of reality, to the greater picture. There must be two sides to a coin; two (or three) sides to a story.

“Only when we have translated from time and matter and space to eternity can we be without beginning and end, without maleness or femaleness, death or life, good or evil - one with the Oneness - the All and Nothing. Until then, perfection can exist, at best, in the hope and knowledge that all is One and One is All.

“Our mission in light of this? - Maintain the balance - good must always outweigh, but never obliterate, evil; give hope and comfort in times of hopelessness and despair; manifest the Kingdom of God within ourselves until He appear.”

9.                 “There is an unexplainable Energy that permeates the spaces between the planets and stars and various forms and matter in space. Scientists and philosophers have formulated names for it such as anti-matter, dark matter, the ether, etc. There is an unexplainable Energy in living things, which Asian and Indian philosophy, martial artists and New Age healers call chi or prana. We call it God.

“God is Spirit, and spirit is energy. This formless, unexplainable, ever-present, intelligent living energy ‘Person’ permeates and binds everything. When a sperm meets an egg, a biochemical and spiritual process is effected, where energy/spirit is transferred from the surrounding ether/dark matter (God) to the foetus to create chi/prana - life energy. Thus God breathes in us, the breath (or energy) of life. This energy, combined with a fraction of the mother’s own life energy, develops into a soul, a person, which will be molded and shaped by genetics, life experiences, the influence of the stars, personal life choices and their own mental affirmations. We should, therefore, watch our breath - it is the very essence of life, and mind our thoughts and beliefs - they become us, and affect what experiences come to us from the ether.

“When we die, our life energy - our spirit - returns to that surrounding, binding, permeating Force. We once more become a part of God. Why fear death? Whether we live or die, we are a part of God and He is with us and within us.”

10.           “As long as we exist on the material plane within time and space, there will be duality; light and dark, good and evil, death and life, female and male. These exist to complement, balance and complete each other. ‘And so a man shall leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.’

“The two halves make one whole; the dualities blending and complementing each other in marriage to bring about a new creation. But what about those who live by submission to God and the universe, who live naturally without personal desire and are led by the Spirit, by the Tao and still find themselves polyamorous? - By nature, though rare, three things/three states can constitute one whole - Father, Son & Spirit; body, mind/heart & spirit; solid, liquid and gas; and so, it may be permitted that three may become one, with the consent and mutual love and understanding of all, if fairness can be ensured.

“God hath prescribed matrimony unto you. Beware that ye take not unto yourselves more wives [or husbands] than two. Whoso contenteth himself with a single partner from among the maidservants of God, both he and she shall live in tranquility.”  (Kitab-i-Aqdas 63)

“Monogamy is preferable and recommended. Let the child of God be guided by love, compassion, submission and wisdom.”

11.               “The God of faith, spirituality and miracles is also the God of science. Science and faith cannot be enemies, for the same God Who created and exists through one also created and exists through the other. The God Who willed ‘Let there Be’ and so caused all things to Become, can also allow all things to continue becoming in a series of evolutions unto more completion and harmony with the environment and state of existence. Change is the constant principle of the universe, so creationism and evolution do not cancel each other out. Neither do faith and medicine.

“Where the prayer warrior or shamanistic priest sees demonic spirits, the physician sees a malfunction of organs or invasion by foreign bodies, and the holistic healer sees an imbalance or stagnation of emotions and chi or prana, which is life and soul energy. It is all a matter of perspective. All spirit is energy, and whether you cure the physical manifestation of your body by operating on its organic parts or prescribing chemicals to alter its processes and responses, or by manipulating the energies affecting body, emotions and aura through faith, massage, channeling spiritual power, or with natural healing herbs and nutrients, it achieves the desired end ultimately.”

12.               “All religions come from God, and all are true in certain contexts and for certain peoples in certain times. God has spoken to humanity through chosen divines via all religions, which have served specific or general purposes in their given contexts, despite the personal biases of the divines, but the most complete revelation of God is found in the Gospels of Jesus found in the Christian Holy Bible, which has been corroborated by science, archaeology, prophecy and spiritual experience. And the most philosophically sound religious book next to it is the ‘Tao Te Ching’.

“Nevertheless, no religion is more ‘correct’ than another, and it is not for humankind to follow slavishly and blindly after the laws of God contained in the sacred texts. Rather, we first bind ourselves to study of the Scriptures, meditation and service to others, so that we may know the nature of God, the universe, and our place within it, and God’s plan for and requirements of us. Then, submitting ourselves and our path to God, we free ourselves to live our lives, to seek our own path even as we seek God’s will for us specifically, and enjoy our lives and fulfil our purpose.

“And that is the end and point of life; to know God, to glorify Him, to enjoy life and make the best of it and to achieve the purpose(s) for which we were born. Numerology, astrology and the I Ching can be of much help to predict our God-derived purpose, as well as the patterns of change of the universe, just as a meteorologist predicts weather patterns, but these should not be used as a basis to live our lives, but must be submitted to the principle of submission of our desire, ego and life path to God.”

13.               “Understand this, the power that you know as God is very real and living. God is in you and around you; existing in and through everything you experience. Yet, at the same time, God is outside of creation, residing within eternity; at the same time accessible and inaccessible, familiar and incomprehensible.

“God has all power, but His power is made manifest through our belief and desire, and He resides in our praise. Do you want it, really want it? Do you believe that you will have it, that you can attain it? Is your mind stayed on God, or your approximation of Him? Do you yield to Him? Are you thankful? Do you love others?

“Compassion, gratitude and unwavering focus on your desired goal and God’s presence are the catalysts that make your situation and environment ideal for God’s power to work for you and through you. If you can say ‘Yes’ to all of the previous questions, then know that God has all power to accomplish what you will, and He will do it.

“Do not sit like others and say, ‘God, where are you? God, why You don’t do something?’ Instead, why don’t YOU do something? Why don’t YOU invite Him to work in that situation? Why don’t YOU become God-usable?

“Water will flow wherever it will, but it goes more readily and easily where you direct it by digging ditches and trenches. Learn to see the Kingdom in all things.”

14.                           “A pastor/priest is neither holier nor more spiritually accomplished/connected than any other believer or member of the congregation. There is only one mediator between God and man; Christ has paved the way for us to be heard directly by God. A pastor merely holds an administrative post, being Chief Administrator/Steward of the physical church plant and Human Resource Director, directing and placing members as (s)he deems best for the operations of the church and the growth of the church body.

“Since pastors are also responsible for preaching and teaching sermons, they are usually learned; having formally studied the Scriptures and their context so that they may accurately impart the Word of God. But formal, academic knowledge is trumped by wisdom and insight given by God; something that any general member in the church may have in abundance more than the pastor. The pastor may be qualified to teach the Word (based on his/her studies) and to, like a priest, administer rites and sacraments (which in and of themselves, cannot bring righteousness and peace), but it is the indwelling Spirit that provides instruction, guidance and encouragement that refreshes, pierces and rocks the soul.

                     “Therefore no one person should control the message that is preached. No one has a monopoly on God’s word. Read from the Bible and other Scriptures, sing songs of praise and meditate, then let two or three members speak as they are led by God - no prior planning, but inner prompting - only after then should the pastor/priest reveal his/her sermon (and comment on the prior messages, if so led), so that all may be edified.”

         15.               “Your body and mind are the temple. What other temple do you need?

“Recognize the sacredness of your being. God is incarnate through each of us; we are Emmanuel - God is among us - and we are One.”

“Be careful how much you pollute your body and mind with intoxicants. And release hate. Forgive - for hate and rage poison the temple. Manage your ego. You are God’s; an extension and process of His being. Why should you be angry with what God does to Himself?! That does not concern you. Besides, all things will happen (and also work themselves out) in their time.

“By all means, build places of worship from which to sing praise to God, to meditate and read the Scriptures together and be edified, and from which to pool resources to help the poor and serve the community. Let the preacher plan sermons and preach, and let two or three minister as they are led by the Spirit. However, recognize that your dedication to your family and vocation are the ultimate ministry, and the life lived by submitting your ego, your desires, your will, your steps and your plans to God is the ultimate worship.

“And the life lived with love and compassion, while bettering and developing yourself and dedicating the best of yourself into your work and passion is the ultimate service to the universe and your fellowmen.”

16.               “Science, religion and spirituality can never be at odds with each other. A study of all reveals that we are all connected; parts of One whole. They all complement each other. Science is a means of understanding the physical elements and processes of the universe, while spirituality is a means of understanding and harmonizing with the soul and mind of the universe and reaching out to - and being reached by - God, Who created and Who exists in and through it while remaining outside of and beyond His creation. Religion is merely institutionalized and formalized spirituality, and is one means through which we can access the awesome splendor of the Wonder of Wonders and the serene peace and empowerment of the All and Nothing, the One in All and All in One. Through communion with Him and communion within ourselves and with nature, we achieve eternity within this life. We transcend the limits of our minds and bodies, and are linked to the experience of eternal-ness in a single moment. The gift of eternal life is both here and now, and in the future.

“The physical sciences tell us that our sun will die, and explode with searing heat - thus, the sun will be darkened and fire will fall from the sky as foretold in the religious books. It will then implode into a black hole, as all dying stars do, and will swallow everything, even light, bending even the fabric of time and space.

“The residual spirit energies of those who had not brought themselves in line with love and with God’s will/the natural way of the universe will be incinerated and swallowed whole. Perhaps the ozone layer will be destroyed long before this, and the Earth will burn and boil. Whether the last days will be as a result of an astronomical event, the result of wars, pollution and global warming, or direct spiritual purging by God, the residual spirit energies of those who have submitted their lies to loving others and being led by God’s will and purpose, even while seeking their bliss and unique purpose, thus making themselves God-usable, will be repurposed, and these energies, as part of God, will be used in the creation and rebirth of a new universe. And so, we live forever, both in this moment and in the world to come.

“Seek God in the Bible and the Tao, also the Kitab - if possible, also the Koran, the Vedas and other holy books. Spend time in nature. Meditate. Sing songs of praise. Open your mind and listen. With two or three, speak your truth in the congregation. Love. Forgive. Serve. Seek. Purpose to find. Be. Just be. Believe always. Submit all. You will find Him, and you will find eternity.”

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Articles 7 - Scriptures

7.1   The Doctrine of the Temple of the Tao of Christ and A Story About Water shall be the introductory and guiding texts for the TTC.

7.2   The official secondary/background scriptures of the Temple of the Tao of                   Christ are:

a)     the Holy Bible

b)     the doctrines of the Temple of the Jedi Order

c)     The Science of Getting Rich (The Secret)

d)     the Tao Te Ching (or Dao De Jing)

e)     The Secret Sayings of Ye Su

f)     The Jesus Sutras: Rediscovering the Lost Scrolls of Taoist                 Christianity

g)     Christ, The Eternal Tao

h)     Become the Force - 9 Lessons on How to Live as a Jediist                   Master

i)      Kitab-i-Aqdas

j)      Kitab-i-Iqan

k)     the I Ching

                     as viewed through the lens of the Doctrine of the Temple of the Tao of Christ                (The 11 Statements of Belief, the 16 Tablets and the Permissions) and A Story           About Water.

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Article 8 - Days of Worship

The days of worship shall be both Saturday and Sunday mornings, either every two weeks or every month or every two months as local congregations/assemblies/clusters shall decide. Members may attend assembly on either day, or both, as may be convenient to them.

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Article 9 - Membership

         9.1   Membership is open to anyone who has read the 11 Statements of Belief, the                 16 Tablets and the Permissions, and has accepted them as a suitable                         philosophy by which to live and has completed and submitted the prescribed               application form.

         9.2   Prospective members who have signed up, shall officially become members                    when they have been baptized by water and anointed with consecrated oil by              an ordained clergy of  the TTC after they have read out loud the 11 Statements                    of Belief and have sworn to live by them.

9.3   Baptism shall be by total immersion in flowing water or by sprinkling three         times with holy water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,   where total immersion is not possible. Anointing shall be by consecrated olive  oil.

9.4   The Temple does not reserve the right to terminate membership. Termination of membership shall be at the total discretion of the member, once admitted.

9.5   Members may terminate membership orally or in writing. Resignation in writing becomes effective immediately. Oral resignation becomes effective after one year of absence counted from notice of resignation.

9.6   Members who reapply after resignation must go through a complete or abridged version of ministers’ ordination training in order to be readmitted to membership.

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Article 10 - Management

10.1 The business and affairs of the Temple of the Tao of Christ shall be managed                 by:

                                 a)     Biennial Members General Meeting

                                 b)     Semi-annual Ministers Meeting

                                 c)     The Senior Pastorate

                                 d)     Local assemblies/clusters

10.2 Notwithstanding the above, all local clusters/assemblies/churches of the              Temple are individually responsible for their own organization, management, and administration.

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Article 11 - Biennial Members General Meeting

.       11.1 Every two years, members of the Temple of the Tao of Christ shall gather on                  the last Sunday in October or November for communal worship and                         meditation and examining the reports and work of the Semi-Annual Ministers           Meetings and the Senior Pastorate.

         11.2 Biennial Members General Meeting has the power to make decisions on                      behalf of the overall Temple insofar as these decisions and rules are also                         accepted at the local assembly/cluster/congregation level.

         11.3 All such decisions are made by simple majority of those present and voting at                the Biennial Members General Meeting.

         11.4 The Biennial Members General Meeting has the power to change this                          Constitution, in so far that three-quarters or seventy-five percent of those                       members present have voted for the change, and the changes are ratified at                        Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting.

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Article 12 - Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting

         12.1 Twice per year, all ordained ministers of the TTC are eligible to meet,                         meditate together and discuss their ministry experiences. Ministers may also                   advise the Senior Pastor of the TCC on his roles and issues that may arise.

12.2 The first Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting shall take place in January or                February, and the second in the months of July or August at the discretion of the Senior Pastor.

12.3 The Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting shall scrutinize the financial records kept    by the Registrar-Treasurer.

12.4 The Senior Pastor and Assistant Senior Pastor(s) are elected by the Semi-   Annual Ministers Meeting subject to ratification at the Biennial Members    General Meeting.

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Article 13 - The Senior Pastorate

         13.1 The Senior Pastorate shall comprise:

                                 a)     The Senior Pastor   

                                 b)     The Assistant Senior Pastor(s)

                                 c)     The Senior Secretary

                                 d)     The Registrar-Treasurer

                     and is responsible for the overall superintendence of the TTC.

13.2 The Senior Pastor and Assistant Senior Pastors (one-three) are elected every three years at Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting and ratified by the next Biennial Members General Meeting.

         13.3 The Senior Secretary is elected for a two-year term at every Biennial                           Members General Meeting.

         13.4 The Registrar-Treasurer is appointed by the Senior Pastorate indefinitely,                    subject to a yearly review at Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting.

         13.5 The Senior Secretary and Registrar-Treasurer shall jointly appoint an Assistant           Secretary/Treasurer, after approval of the Senior Pastorate.

         13.6 The Senior Pastor shall be responsible to, among other things:

                                 a)     create the policies of the Temple of the Tao of Christ, bearing                                      in mind the advice of the Assistant Senior Pastor, Semi-Annual                                   Ministers Meeting, and Biennial Members General Meeting.

                                 b)     chair the Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting and Biennial                                                 Members General Meeting.

                             c)     preach monthly to the Temple.

d)     speak on behalf of the Temple of the Tao of Christ.

e)     uphold this constitution and the doctrines of the Temple in all                 local assemblies/clusters, Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting, and             Biennial Members General Meeting.

f)     responsibly utilize his/her power of choosing to use three votes in upholding the ideals of the Temple and its constitution

g)     approve all ordinations of Ministers and awarding of degrees (Master/Doctor of Divinity/Philosophy) for distinguished service to humanity or to ministry.

         13.7 The Assistant Senior Pastor(s) shall be responsible to, among other things:

                                 a)     advise the Senior Pastor.

                                 b)     assist the Senior Pastor in his duties as he/she requires.

                                 c)     substitute for the Senior Pastor in his/her absence, assuming all                                    the roles of the office.

                                 d)     carry out any duties assigned by the Senior Pastor, being                                              responsible for any given subject matter/department.

         13.8 The Senior Secretary shall be responsible to, among other things:

                                 a)     communicate to the general body on behalf of the Senior                                             Pastor.

                                 b)     with the Senior Pastor, set an agenda for all meetings.

                                 c)     record and compile the minutes of the Senior Pastorate                                                meetings, Semi-Annual Ministers Meetings, and Biennial                                             Members General Meetings.

                                 d)     sign all official documents of the Temple.

         13.9 The Registrar-Treasurer shall be responsible to, among other things:

                                 a)     manage, maintain and update the files and records of the                                             Temple as is necessary, under the supervision of the Senior                                          Secretary.

b)     counter-sign ordinations and other official Temple documents after the Senior Pastor and/or Senior Secretary after verifying their veracity.

c)     lodge moneys received for the Temple in a chosen bank within three (3) working days of receiving cash or cheque

d)     keep up-to-date records of Temple income and expenditure and prepare these reports for review at meetings of the Pastorate, Semi-Annual Minister Meetings, and Biannual Members General Meeting.

e)     ensure that Temple funds are expended and invested as the Pastorate, Semi-Annual Ministers Meeting, and Biannual Members General Meeting.

f)     carry out the duties of the Senior Secretary in the absence of the Senior Secretary and Assistant Secretary/Treasurer.

         13.10   The Assistant Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible to:

                                 a)     assist the Senior Secretary in his/her duties as required.

                                 b)     carry out the duties of the Senior Secretary in his/her absence.

                                 c)     carry out the duties of the Treasurer in the absence of the                                             Registrar-Treasurer

                     but shall not normally be counted as part of the Senior Pastorate, unless acting               in the roles of Secretary or Treasurer in the absence of the Senior Secretary or               Registrar-Treasurer.

13.11   The Senior Pastorate shall meet monthly or every other month, as decided by                 the Senior Pastor, to conduct the business of the TTC.

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Article 14 - The Local Assembly/Cluster

14.1 Members shall gather in groups of three or more, at least one of which must be               a Minister of Religion voted in as a Pastor, for worship, meditation, ministry,                    outreach/voluntary work or other related activity in pursuance of the                          objectives of the TTC.

14.2 These groups may be termed as clusters, assemblies, congregations or                          churches, and are independently administrated and governed by their own                             elected Pastor and any other office they deem necessary. Clusters/Assemblies                shall make their own rules insofar as they are not inconsistent with this                     Constitution and the Doctrine of the Temple of the Tao of Christ (The 11                            Statements of Belief, The 16 Tablets, and The Permissions).

14.3 Clusters/Assemblies/Congregations may adopt rules of procedure in                            contravention of decisions taken at Bi-Annual Members General Meeting                       insofar that they can satisfy the Senior Pastor of TTC as to the reasons why it            is deemed beneficial to adopt these rules. If the Senior Pastor of TTC is                       dissatisfied with the reason given, he/she may call a discussion with the local                 cluster/assembly and instigate a vote, utilizing his/her power to possess three            votes if he/she so desires.

14.4 Although the Temple of the Tao of Christ emphasizes worship in open woods,               fields and other natural spaces or in members’ private homes, local clusters/                  assemblies/congregations may build places of worship if it is deemed                       necessary and convenient, so far as the physical building is used alternatively,         i.e., every other worship day, or no more than fifty-one percent (51%) of the               time.

14.5 Members shall vote for a Pastor from among the ordained Ministers who shall                hold tenure for either two or three years as the members shall decide.

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Article 15 - Training and Ordination of Ministers

15.1 The Temple of the Tao of Christ affirms that as believers, we are all ministers of the Tao and ambassadors of God through Jesus. As such, any person who so desires may become a Minister of Religion.

         15.2 Prospective Ministers of Religion may only be trained by other ordained                     Ministers.

         15.3 The relationship between Minister and Trainee Minister is one of sacred                      utmost responsibility. The Minister becomes his/her Trainee’s mentor,                              confidante, and brother/sister. He/She becomes responsible for the Trainee                             Minister’s spiritual service and wellbeing in the present and future.

         15.4 It is recommended that no Minister train more than two trainees at a time.                  Because of the level of responsibility and closeness that is necessary for the                    training process, it is recommended that Ministers train only one or two                           Trainees at a time so that they can remain available for their Trainees’ needs.           However, a Minister may have up to three Trainees at a time.

         15.5 Ministry Training may last anywhere between eight months to a year or                      eighteen months, depending on the individual Minister’s and Trainee’s pace.

         15.6 Ministry Training shall include, at minimum:

                             a)     Discussion of the 11 Statements of Belief and the 16 Tablets

b)     Duties and Roles of a Minister of the Temple

c)     The Source Scriptures:

i.      Temple of the Jedi Order Doctrine Handbook

ii.     The Power of Myth

iii.    Become The Force

iv.    The Book on The Taboo Against Who You Are

v.     The Science of Getting Rich

vi.    The Secret Sayings of Ye Su

vii.   Tao Te Ching

viii.  Christ The Eternal Tao

ix.    Kitab-i-Aqdas (and, optionally, Kitab-i-Iqan)

x.     Bible Study and Bible History

d)     Divination/Enquiring of God

i.      I Ching

ii.     Numerology

e)     Re-examination of the 11 Statements of Belief, 16 Tablets and                the Permissions

f)     Creating a Sermon

g)     Confession and Pastoral Coaching

h)     Administration of the Temple

i)      The Sacraments/Ceremonial

i.      Baptism

ii.     The Holy Communion

iii.    Weddings

iv.    Consecration/Blessings

v.     Funerals

j)      Healings (Optional)

i.      Faith Healing

ii.     Reiki

iii.    Acupressure & Reflexology

iv.    Past Life Regression

         15.7 After the completion of Ministry Training, the Teaching Minister will register                 and ordain the Trainee as a Minister of the Universal Life Church, as a                       Priest/Minister of the Church of the Latter Day Dude, and as a Minister of the              Church of Spiritual Humanism.

         15.8 The Senior Pastor of the TTC shall then interview the newly-made Minister                    and satisfy himself/herself as to the adequacy of his/her training,                                            supplementing the training as he/she sees fit, and then shall officially sign to             the Minister’s Certificate of Ordination by his/her own hand, the wording of               which shall read,

Having been satisfied as to his calling to Ministry, his faith, proper conduct and decorum as a Minister of God, and his completing the required studies and having fulfilled the requirements to be ordained as a Minister of the Universal Life Church and of the Church of Spiritual Humanism, and as a Priest of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude

We hereby Recognize and Qualify

Rev. [Insert Name]

As a Minister of God and the Tao/Logos—which we believe to have been Incarnate as our Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of sins—and we grant him to preach to the souls of men, to baptize and anoint the repentant into fellowship, to bury the dead, to unite in marriage, to officiate in the Sacrament/Communion and all religious ceremony, to inquire of God on behalf of others through the Urim & Thummim/I Ching, to feed and minister to the poor, and perform all other functions and duties of the Ministry

In the Name of Jesus Christ, by the anointing and will of the Holy Spirit, and the leading of the Tao.

         15.9 No Minister of Religion for the TTC is automatically a Pastor. Ministers of         Religion become Pastors only when they are voted as such by a local cluster/        assembly/congregation, at which point they become responsible for the                                spiritual development and logistics of that particular cluster/assembly/church.

         15.10   The responsibilities of a Minister who is not a Pastor is to humankind, in                     general, and are spelled out in the objectives of the TTC and also in the                          Certificate of Ordination as worded above, but shall also include the training           of other Ministers as so led.

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Article 16 - Finance

         16.1 The financial year of the Temple shall be November to October.

         16.2 The finances and funds of the Temple shall consist of:

                                 a)     membership dues

                                 b)     sale of Temple-related merchandise

                                 c)     donations from worthy individuals and organizations

         16.3 No part of the income of the Temple may be used for the personal benefit of                  any member, except for the payment of full-time Pastors if local clusters/                         assemblies/congregations shall so desire.

         16.4 The Temple of the Tao of Christ encourages all Ministers and Pastors to seek                  full-time employment elsewhere, and to dedicate to the cause of God as freely         as He has given to us. However, the members may opt to vote to retain a                        Pastor through a salary from local clusters/assemblies’ membership dues if                             they and the Pastor feel after fasting, prayer and meditation that they are best          served in this way.

         16.5 The monetary contribution for membership dues cannot be dictated or                        stipulated by any Pastor or the Temple; it is a personal decision between the                   member and God. The Temple merely presents the following suggestions as                guidelines for those who need it:

                                 a)     one-tenth of income before any other spending or deduction

                                 b)     one-tenth of what is left of what is left of income after first                                         setting aside one-tenth for personal saving/investment (pay                                          yourself first)

                                 c)     one-nineteenth of what is left after all necessary and mandatory                                  expenses are paid

         16.6 The funds and finances of the Temple must be dealt with in this way:

a)     One-tenth (10%) of every donation or contribution made by                            members must be deducted and placed into an investment                       account for their benefit, by the Treasurer, and if there is no                            Treasurer, by the Pastor if the members so decide, regardless of         how much money is paid as dues.

b)     If the local church/cluster/assembly has voted to pay the Pastor,              then no more than two-fifths (40%) or nine-tenths (45%) of the           total collection left after deducting the tenth to the members’          benefit may be used for the Pastor’s salary. One-tenth of the             Pastor’s salary must be deducted to be placed into an                           investment for the Pastor’s benefit (the Pastor may choose to                   reclaim this figure before it is     invested on his behalf), and then                one-tenth of the remaining salary amount is donated back to the         church/assembly/cluster. Of this figure donated back to the                          cluster/assembly, two-tenths (20%) is shared equally among the                    members’ accounts. The rest is put in an Emergency/Missions                  Fund to assist with emergencies or additional mission/outreach             costs that may arise. At the end of the financial year, whatever            is left in the Fund may be returned to the Pastor if he so                        requests.

c)     At least two-fifths (40%) of whatever finances are left back after members’ investment deductions and Pastor’s salary MUST be spent on outreach or poor relief. The Emergency/ Missions Fund may also be utilized for this function.

d)     The remaining sum may be used for upkeep, maintenance, administration, and whatever other purpose the members shall decide.

e)     Donations from external individuals and organizations may never be used as part of payment for the Pastor nor should be used for the financial benefit of any member.

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Article 17 - Amendment and Dissolution

This Constitution may be amended and TCC dissolved and winded up by a seventy-five percent majority of those members present and voting at a Biennial Members General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting convened for this purpose upon receipt of a petition from forty-five percent of the general membership.