geo (05/17/83)
I have been following the debate in this newsgroup religiously, since its inception. Their have been a lot of Christians whose articles have consisted of long quotations from the Bible. These quotations have meant nothing to me, because I don't share their underlying assumptions. In an attempt to help them realize how their extended quotations make me feel, I have quoted what is apparently the key passage from "The Great Learning", one of the main Confuscian classics. "The ancients who wished to be illustriously virtuous throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their own states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things. "Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy. From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides." This translation is taken from the book, "The United States and China", by John King Fairbank. In my edition, (the fourth edition), this quotation is to be found on page 77. Incidentally, I found this an interesting book.