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Religion and Non-Violence
Mo Tse: Another teacher-sage of China, Mo Tse (468-401 BC), laid great emphasis on peace, universal love and the equality of all men. His arguments against violence are as relevant in modern times as they were in his own day. He said: "Suppose a man enters the orchard of another and steals the other's peaches and plums. Hearing of it, the public will condemn it; laying hold of him, the authorities will punish him. Why? Because be injures others to profit himself. As to seizing dogs, pigs, chicken and young pigs from another, it is even more unrighteous than to steal peaches and plums from his orchard. Why? Because it causes others to suffer more and it is more inhumane and criminal. When it comes to entering another's stable and appropriating the others' horses and oxen, it is more inhumane than to seize the dogs, pigs, chicken and young pigs of another. Why? Because others are caused to suffer more; when others are caused to suffer more, then the act is more inhumane. The innocent stripping him of his clothing, dispossessing him of his spear and sword is even more unrighteous than to enter another's stable and appropriate his horses and oxen. Why? Because it causes others to suffer more; when others are caused to suffer more than the act is more inhumane and criminal.
"All the gentlemen of the world know that they should condemn these things, calling them unrighteous. But when it comes to the great attack of states, they do not know that they should condemn it. On the contrary, they applaud it, calling it righteous. Can this be said to be knowing the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness!
"Now, if there were a man who, upon seeing a little blackness, should say it is black, but, upon seeing much, should say it is white; then we should think he could not tell the difference between black and white.
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"The world's leaders have no idea of what is for their own profit.... Those who love others will be loved in return. Do good to others and others will do good to you. Hate people and be hated by them. Hurt them and they will hurt you. What is hard about that?""
Lao Tse: "The old sage" is said to have composed Tao Teh
1The Works of Mo Tse; Condemnation of War, 1.17, translated by Y.P. Mei: The Wisdom of China and India, edited by Lin Yutang.
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