In
a bulletin for priests the writer introduces us to Mo Tzu a Chinese
Philosopher who followed Confucius and was in opposition to his ideas.
At the time he was as influential as Confucius but not as successful in winning people's hearts. Mohism has almost disappeared.
He
uses the book written by a professor who writes about the all embracing
love without discrimination, in Mo Tzu's teaching. According to Mo Tzu that are three things
that bring disorder to our society: the hungry have nothing to eat,
those who are cold have no clothes, and those that work can't rest.
When
we don't have universal love the strong will oppress the weak, the
majority will bully the minority, the rich will despise the poor, the
aristocracy will lord it over the lowly, the smart will deceive the
foolish, and we have chaos.
Mo
Tzu lived around the 390 BC and his times are not much different from
our own times. We have not been able to heal the wounds of war and have
not become any more mature in our love for others. Altruism instead of
growing appears to have decreased. All our attention is on money. We
seem to agree that to live better we need to amass more money. Not only true with the wealthy but with those who sorrow with little, but agree that money will solve all problems.
The
rich want more and are absorbed in its acquisition while those who
sorrow without it want to join the club and are oblivious of those who
are left behind. This is the kind of society that we are in and the
future doesn't look bright.
With
the eyes of faith we see this search for idols as unhealthy, and the teaching of
universal love that the Mohist school professed as the solution.
Apparently the demise of this philosophy was its impracticality, and unrealistic demands. In many ways his way of love is
very similar to Jesus' way and for many also seen as impractical.
The caption for the article is Mo Tzu's expression of his all inclusive love. IF UNDER THE HEAVENS WE HAD LOVE FOR EACH OTHER, A LOVE THAT I HAVE FOR MYSELF, WOULD WE HAVE ANY IMPIETY? Can we imagine what Asia would be today if instead of Confucianism we had Mohism as the mainspring of Asian Culture?