Example 7: Loving to Eat Spicy Food

Some people were born in a place where eating chili peppers is common; perhaps because of the climate, or because their family has a habit and likes eating chili peppers, they eat them every day, and their daily diet is often dominated by spicy flavors. This is obviously an innate condition. Which of the innate conditions is it? (A lifestyle habit.) Their lifestyle habit is that they cannot do without spicy flavors in their daily diet; everything they eat must have a spicy taste. How far does this preference go? They even add spice to sweet foods, eat hamburgers and pizza with spicy flavors, and even put chili peppers in tea and coffee—this is the extent of their spicy food consumption. This is a lifestyle habit. Is there any right or wrong in this? (No.) The preference for spicy food is caused by one’s living environment and lifestyle habits; there is no right or wrong in this. Some people eat spicy food to an excessive degree; if there is no spicy food, then they won’t eat. No matter whether you can accept it or not, they insist on eating spicy food, and no one can change it. In short, the love of eating chili peppers is a lifestyle habit, there is no problem with it, and it does not involve the truth. Some people say, “This lifestyle habit is so extreme; should it be considered a negative thing? Should it be criticized or regulated? Should we promote some health knowledge, and spread the idea that the principles of eating and lifestyle habits should prioritize health?” Can you be certain that eating chili peppers and spicy foods is unhealthy? They have been eating this way for many years, for several generations, and they are quite healthy. In particular, people in some places eat chili peppers to such an extent that it is hard for others to accept. When people see how spicy their food is, they feel uncomfortable, yet these individuals are strong, healthy, and fairly well-built, with the stamina and endurance to do physical work. This proves that eating chili peppers does no harm and does not affect health; and it seems that their spicy diet also aligns with health principles. The love of eating chili peppers is an innate lifestyle habit. Regardless of whether or not others like it or can accept it, as long as a person enjoys it and it does not affect the lives or diets of others, it can be maintained. There is no right or wrong in this; it is not a major issue, and God’s house does not make any judgments about it. Some people say, “Eating chili peppers is bad for the stomach.” If you’re worried that it’s bad for your stomach, you can simply choose not to eat them. If others have been eating spicy food for a long time and their stomach becomes uncomfortable, they will sense it themselves and make their own choice. So, everyone has their own tastes—whether they like sweet, sour, bitter, or spicy flavors, it’s a personal matter. No matter how you eat or to what extent, there’s no need to feel guilty. As long as the conditions and environment allow it, you can put aside all worries and eat without scruples. As far as I’m concerned, there aren’t any prescriptions regarding this. If anyone has something to say about it, you can respond with, “This is my freedom, it’s my right, and you don’t need to interfere. Even if I eat a meal consisting solely of chili peppers, that’s none of your business. Whether it harms my stomach or not is my own responsibility, not yours.” Is it okay to speak like this? (Yes.) That’s your own business; it doesn’t concern others, and it doesn’t concern Me either. Why do I say this? Because this matter doesn’t involve the truth, it doesn’t involve a corrupt disposition, and it is not one of the issues God aims to resolve in saving people. Therefore, when it comes to issues of lifestyle habits, we can disregard them. This is not something positive, but it’s also not something negative—it’s simply a preference some people have.

Some people who do hosting like to eat chili peppers, and they want to have spicy food for all three meals of the day. So, when they cook, they prepare spicy dishes for every meal. Some people who have never eaten chili peppers find it hard to handle and suggest that non-spicy dishes be made instead. However, the one cooking is unwilling to accept this and says, “That won’t do. I’m used to eating spicy food; if I don’t make it spicy, it doesn’t taste good to me. You should practice eating spicy food; after eating it for some time, you’ll get used to it and won’t be afraid of the spiciness.” What is the problem here? (There is a problem with their humanity.) What kind of problem does their humanity have? (They’re forcing things onto others.) Forcing things onto others is not good. Is this not compelling others to do what they don’t want to do? Such people attempt to put themselves at the center of everything they do, believing that what they like is the best, and that others must accept it. If they like something, they try to make others like it too; everyone must satisfy them. Isn’t this selfish and base? Not only do they force things onto others, but there is also a bit of maliciousness in it. Is this type of person’s humanity good? (No.) People with bad humanity cannot bring benefit to others; they can only cause hurt, and in severe cases, they can even bring harm. Such people are too selfish and base, and they are also unreasonably rude. If a person has reason, they might say, “I like to eat spicy food, but some people don’t. So when I cook, I can’t just think about myself. I need to make both spicy and non-spicy dishes, so that both I and everyone else are satisfied. The principle I follow when doing my duty is to satisfy everyone, ensuring everyone eats well, and not to focus only on myself. I must do this duty well according to the principles.” What do you think of someone like this? (Their humanity is comparatively good.) In what ways is it good? (They know to care for others and look after others. It’s not that they just satisfy themselves.) They are comparatively kind, right? Good humanity includes kindness—being considerate of others and looking after them. Does this involve one’s humanity? (Yes.) Regardless of a person’s age, gender, or temperament, if they have good humanity, the people around them and those who interact with them will benefit. More specifically, some people will receive support and help from them, while others will be cared for by them in daily life. This is one manifestation of good humanity.

There are also people who love spicy food so much that even when they go out to do their duty, they specifically look for places that serve spicy dishes when it’s time to eat. If they have a meal without spicy food, they feel uncomfortable inside: “Not being able to eat spicy food here, doing my duty really feels unappealing. I want to go home, where I can enjoy spicy food at every meal—that would hit the spot! Without chili peppers, nothing has any taste; even braised pork loses its flavor. What should I do?” So, they keep searching for places where they can eat chili peppers. Later, they find out about a restaurant that specializes in spicy food, but it’s over an hour’s drive away. They say, “No matter how far it is, I have to go! If I don’t eat something spicy today, I won’t do my duty. If I don’t get my spicy food, I won’t feel at ease, and I just can’t get through the day!” Someone tells them, “The environment outside is dangerous right now, and this area is pretty chaotic! Let’s not go there to eat.” But they don’t listen, and say, “What’s there to be afraid of? Eating is what matters! Don’t you usually go out too? Don’t be afraid, nothing will happen—God will protect us!” After eating, they are pleased. As long as they get to eat chili peppers and the delicious food they hanker after, everything feels just right, and they are so happy that they can’t stop smiling, even in their sleep. What kind of humanity is this? (A selfish and base humanity.) In addition to being selfish and base, there is another characteristic: They do not consider the objective environment or conditions when they want to do something. As long as they can satisfy their own desires and preferences, that is all that matters. They are willing to pay any price just for one bite of something they want to eat—even if it means going to great lengths, they will do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. Is this merely being selfish and base? Isn’t this also willfulness? (Yes.) This is willfulness in the extreme! Anyone who is with them has to pay the price for their willfulness and endure grievances because of it. Whatever they say goes, and whatever they want to do is what happens. Today, they’re in a bad mood, so they don’t want to eat. When asked why they aren’t eating, they say, “I’m angry today, I’m in a bad mood, so I don’t feel like eating.” Later in the evening, when it’s time to rest, they don’t go to sleep either, saying they can’t sleep and want to sing to express their emotions. Someone tries to persuade them, saying, “You’ll affect others’ sleep if you sing.” They respond, “I’m in a bad mood right now. I want to sing. Whether you can sleep or not is none of my concern. I’m in a bad mood, and yet no one is comforting me or caring for me—you’re all so selfish!” Isn’t this being willful? They’re extremely willful; they don’t behave themselves, and do whatever they please. When they’re happy, nothing others say bothers them, and they even say, “I’m a broad-minded person. I don’t like to fuss over things.” But when they’re not happy, everyone has to be extremely careful with their words, seeking to not upset them, as doing so could lead to big trouble. They might throw tantrums, smash things, and even refuse to eat. In more severe cases, they might want to give up their duty, down tools and go home, all while saying, “None of you treat me well; you’re all bullying me. There are no good people in the world!” Isn’t this being willful? (Yes.) Is willfulness a problem within one’s humanity? (Yes.) They’re extremely willful—everyone has to cater to them, and if things don’t go their way, they immediately turn hostile, and their explosive temper flares up. No one can cross them, and everyone has to coax them. Despite them not being young anymore, their humanity remains immature, like that of a child. No matter where they do their duty, they never follow public rules. When they’re happy and want to talk, everyone has to listen, and if someone doesn’t listen, they hold a grudge against that person. When you speak to them, you have to smile; if you show no expression and don’t seem that willing to listen, they get angry and lose their temper. In the church, they do whatever they want, whenever they want, without regard for how it affects the normal life routines of others. As long as they feel comfortable and are in a good mood, that’s all that matters to them, and others aren’t allowed to raise any objections. If anyone raises an objection to show disgust or unhappiness, it provokes them, and they won’t let it go. Some people like this are young, with immature humanity, but others are in their forties, fifties, or even seventies or eighties, and they still have this kind of humanity in old age, being especially willful. Regardless of whether the environment or conditions allow it, they do whatever they want. For example, they arrive at a place where the conditions don’t allow for showering, but they insist on taking a shower, saying, “At home, I take a shower every day; I can’t go without one.” However, this place lacks the proper conditions; even taking a shower once a week is difficult. So what would you do? A person with normal humanity knows how to approach and handle this situation. If the weather is humid and stuffy, getting a basin of water and simply wiping down at night so they can sleep is enough—this is a hardship that can be endured. It’s not impossible to overcome. However, this type of person can’t handle it; if they don’t shower, they can’t sleep, can’t eat, and even feel like they can’t survive, as if they’re enduring a huge humiliation. Just how willful are they? They’re so willful that they can’t do their duty normally, can’t interact or get along with others normally, and can’t even live like a normal person. To others, this type of person seems like they have a mental disorder. If they have a good relationship with someone, they’re inseparable, as if they were one person. But if they have a bad relationship with someone or if someone has ever offended them, they can go their whole life without speaking to that person. When they do see them, they roll their eyes, and their face immediately darkens, as if they’re facing an enemy—particularly extreme. Is the humanity of this kind of person normal? (No.) This kind of person is extremely willful, and their humanity is not normal. What does “not normal” mean? It means they lack normal humanity. Can such people have normal interactions and cooperation with others? Can they live normally among people? Can they do their duty well? (No.) As long as they want to achieve their goal—whether it’s having a meal, enjoying good treatment, or doing something they want to do—it must be fulfilled. If not, it feels as if the sky is falling, as if their world is coming to an end. They become perturbed and start to grumble, complaining about others, complaining about the environment, and even complaining about God, saying, “What kind of environment has God set up for me, making me suffer so much? Why haven’t others encountered such environments and suffered like this? Why am I the one suffering? God is biased!” You see, their demonic nature has emerged, right? Is this kind of humanity up to standard? (No.) Such people need to be dealt with. How should this kind of person be dealt with? (Send them away to an ordinary church.) If they reach the point where they can no longer do their duty, only causing disruptions and disturbances when they do their duty, making everyone who sees them feel disgusted and annoyed, and others are unable to get along with them, then they should be sent away immediately—this kind of person is like stinking dog poop. Willfulness includes being selfish, base, and also unreasonably rude. Sometimes it also includes being overly calculative, harsh, and even vicious and malicious. When this type of person does their duty for a period of time, everyone is deeply harmed, and whoever sees them is frightened. If you try to avoid them and not provoke them, they’ll still have something to say: “What are you hiding from, a thief? How did I offend you to make you avoid me?” But if you approach them and try to say something, they still won’t engage in a normal conversation with you. They lack normal humanity, and those who interact with them suffer not only verbal harm but also harm to their integrity, emotional harm, and even some physical harm. Such people are truly detestable! Would it be appropriate to categorize them as having bad humanity? (Yes.) This type of person has bad humanity and is willful. A willful person not only fails to edify others but also makes them feel annoyed and disgusted, and they can’t get along with anyone. Tell Me, can a willful person accept the truth? (No.) Then what kind of disposition do they have inside? (Intransigence.) Their intransigence is obvious, but there is something else as well—what is it? (Being averse to the truth.) That’s right. Having the corrupt dispositions of being intransigent and averse to the truth—these are two characteristics of willful people. This type of person is not only willful but also selfish and unreasonably rude. Their unreasonable rudeness includes an element of bothering others unreasonably and arbitrarily. When you interact with them, speaking kindly doesn’t work—they think you have ulterior motives. If you speak sternly, they think you’re bullying them, but after their willfulness has caused harm to others, they’ll still say, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. If you feel hurt, I apologize.” Although these words sound nice, when the person who was hurt doesn’t forgive them and even criticizes them, the willful person gets angry and says, “You just can’t let it go—aren’t you just taking advantage of my apology? Do you think I’m easy to push around because I apologized? And now you’re pointing out my flaws! Do I have flaws? Are you qualified to point them out?” Isn’t this a case of not accepting the truth? (Yes.) This involves their corrupt disposition. These traits in their humanity naturally also manifest themselves in certain traits of corrupt dispositions—they are connected. The characteristics of corrupt dispositions in people of this type include intransigence, aversion to the truth, and a bit of viciousness. These aspects are the traits of their corrupt dispositions.

Example 8: Human Instincts

Innate conditions include one more aspect, which is human instinct. For example, after some people believe in God, they see the CCP government’s frenzied oppression, arrests, and cruel treatment of God’s chosen people, and they become frightened, agitated, timid, and scared. Sometimes, their legs even go weak, and they constantly want to go to the restroom. What is this a manifestation of? (Instinct.) This is an instinctive reaction. Within normal humanity, when it comes to certain terrifying events, situations involving people’s own lives, or matters that could bring danger to themselves, whether it’s upon hearing information or when confronted with reality, they will have some instinctive reactions, feeling timid and scared. At the same time, their bodies will naturally exhibit some normal reactions, such as being flustered, muscle spasms, temporary deafness or blindness, as well as dry mouth, weak legs, profuse sweating, loss of control over bladder or bowels. Are these reactions likely to occur? (Yes.) These reactions, whether controlled by the nervous system or caused by some other reason, in any case, are responses brought about in the flesh by an external factor, and these reactions are collectively referred to as instinct. The body’s ability to endure has its limits; once it exceeds the limits of a person’s courage, the body will display some instinctive reactions. These reactions may be seen by others as weaknesses, or they might seem laughable, pitiful, or worthy of sympathy, but these are undeniably manifestations of a person’s innate instincts. There are also people who, when faced with danger, will hold their heads and cry, shed tears, or even scream loudly; others may curl up in a dark corner to hide—all such responses are instinctive reactions. These instinctive reactions, whether it’s crying, laughing, or being so excessively frightened that they do something humiliating—is there any right or wrong in these? (No.) So, for those who become afraid when they hear about the government arresting believers, can we say that these people are cowardly and lack humanity? (No.) Is the statement, “Believing in God should come with faith; one should not be afraid!” correct? (No.) “This is weakness, a manifestation of cowardice and incompetence. It shows a lack of faith in God, and it shows that they do not know to rely on God. Such a person is not an overcomer!” Can we say this? (No.) Why not? (It’s simply a physiological reaction that occurs when someone faces external circumstances.) This is a normal physiological reaction, not a manifestation driven by a corrupt disposition. This means that when people have these manifestations and revelations in such circumstances, it is not due to the influence of a corrupt disposition, nor is it because they’re being dominated by some thought or viewpoint within their humanity. These reactions are not something you preconceive; it’s not that when faced with such circumstances, you suddenly have wild thoughts, and then, as you think about it more, you panic, your body convulses, or you even lose control of your bladder or bowels. That’s not the reason behind these reactions. Rather, it’s because after hearing about these events or this news, without any deliberate thought, without any mental filtering or processing, your body quite naturally produces some instinctive physiological reactions. So, this kind of natural reaction is brought about by the innate instincts of the flesh. It carries no right or wrong, no distinction between strength and weakness, and certainly no differentiation between positive and negative. Some people say, “No matter how the government carries out its arrests, I’m not afraid!” I would say, that makes you a blockhead then. When the great red dragon tortures you, let’s see if you’re afraid or not—at that time, it’ll be impossible for you not to cry out. What will you think when the pain reaches its peak? “I’d rather die. If I die, I’ll be free, I won’t be in pain anymore.” These are all instinctive reactions of the flesh, and none of these are an issue. Some people might say, “I’m not afraid; if someone hits me, I’ll hit back, and if I can’t win, I’ll just run away.” But when you run and someone points a gun at you, your legs will go weak, your heart will grow timid, and you won’t be shouting “I’m not afraid” anymore. When your life is at stake, you’ll also be afraid of dying—this is your instinctive reaction. Since these are instinctive reactions, no matter what manifestations one has or what revelations of human weakness one has, it’s not considered wrong, nor is it shameful, and God does not condemn it. Naturally, you shouldn’t try to inhibit these reactions, and onlookers shouldn’t mock them either, because everyone is the same—everyone is made up of flesh and blood. The instinctive reactions of flesh and blood are like this; you’re like this, they’re like this, everyone is like this. It’s like when a person encounters a wolf; what is their first instinctive reaction? “Run! Run as fast as possible!” And while running, they look to see if the wolf has caught up with them, worrying: “What if it catches up with me? What if it bites my neck—will I die? If only I had a gun or an iron rod.” They only think of these things while they’re running. But regardless of what you think about, your first instinctive reaction is definitely to quickly escape its pursuit, to run as fast and as far as possible, to avoid being caught and eaten. These are all instinctive reactions. What is your instinctive reaction? It’s about saving yourself, protecting your own life, and ensuring that your life isn’t put in danger. No matter whether these instinctive reactions may seem cowardly, intolerable, or shameful to an observer, they are actually not shameful, because they are the normal manifestations of people who are flesh and blood; they are natural revelations. An instinctive reaction is simply a natural revelation, and there is nothing shameful about it. For example, you will laugh when you hear a joke. Even if you have food or water in your mouth, you will laugh nevertheless, because this is an instinctive reaction. An instinctive reaction is a God-given, innate function, which will naturally occur and play out when the conditions are right. So, when it comes to instinctive reactions, they are natural revelations. They might be revelations of a weakness or defect of humanity, or they might be revelations of a natural manifestation of your flesh. Regardless, since it is an instinctive reaction, there is no right or wrong. If you feel ashamed, it shows that you lack insight and that your humanity is quite superficial—you want to leave a good impression on others. If you try to inhibit your instinctive reactions, it proves that you are foolish and that there is an issue with your reason. In special dangerous environments and situations, even if you are so scared that you wet your pants, you shouldn’t see it as something shameful. In fact, this is a manifestation of normal humanity. Anyone would have these manifestations in such circumstances—even famous or great people are no exception. In harsh circumstances, there are no supermen—you’re just an ordinary person, nothing exceptional, and nothing to brag about. Even if you were so scared that you wet your pants, and others found out, it’s not a disgraceful thing, as this way, people won’t look up to you or idolize you, and at the very least, you’ll be safe. This should be clear now, right? Instinctive human reactions are very normal and natural. For example, when your hair is dirty and your scalp itches, you instinctively scratch it. Even if your nails get filled with dirt afterward and people think you’re unseemly or unhygienic, what can you do? When your hair is dirty, there will be dirt, because you are flesh and blood, made of dust, and you should acknowledge this fact. This situation is simply telling you that your hair is dirty and needs to be washed. When your scalp itches, scratching is an instinctive reaction. An instinctive reaction is a natural, normal response, a normal manifestation under the innate conditions and nervous system that God created. Even though sometimes the manifestations might make you feel embarrassed, unseemly, or undignified, you shouldn’t try to change or inhibit them. For one thing, doing so helps you treat human instincts correctly; for another, it is also edifying and beneficial for how you conduct yourself. Once you gain a certain understanding and awareness of this aspect, when interacting and dealing with others, if certain aspects of human fleshly instinct naturally manifest and are revealed, you won’t need to deliberately cover them up. And if, sometimes, an embarrassing situation really does arise, there’ll be no need to explain, or to disguise it or put up a facade, because it is a revelation of normal humanity, and it is also an instinctive human reaction—all of this is within the bounds of what a normal person can accept. For example, when people eat beans, their bodies naturally produce some gas, and instinctively they will burp or pass gas. This is a very natural thing. Young men and women often feel that such manifestations are shameful, but there is actually nothing shameful about it. This is simply a normal instinctive reaction of the body, and it has nothing to do with principles of how to conduct oneself or act. Although some people may not understand or may be dissatisfied with it, it definitely doesn’t rise to the level of having no boundaries for one’s self-conduct, having a poor upbringing, being unruly, willful, selfish, or having terrible or evil humanity—there’s no need to escalate it to this extent. This issue doesn’t involve self-conduct, and it certainly has nothing to do with a corrupt disposition. There’s no need to overstate the matter. These things should be approached correctly.