2018/02/27

Steps Toward Inner Peace - Wikisource, the free online library

Steps Toward Inner Peace - Wikisource, the free online library



IN MY EARLY LIFE I made two very important discoveries. In the first place I discovered that making money was easy. And in the second place I discovered that making money and spending it foolishly was completely meaningless. I knew that this was not what I was here for, but at that time (this was many years ago), I didn't know exactly what I was here for. It was out of a very deep seeking for a meaningful way of life, and after having walked all one night through the woods, that I came to what I now know to be a very important psychological hump. I felt a complete willingness, without any reservations, to give my life, to dedicate my life to service. I tell you, it is a point of no return. After that, you can never go back to completely self-centered living.
And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to live to give what I could, instead of get what I could, and I entered a new and wonderful world. My life began to become meaningful. I attained the great blessing of good health; I haven't had a cold or headache since. (Most illness is psychologically induced.) From that time on, I have known that my life-work would be work for peace; that it would cover the entire peace picture - peace among nations, peace among groups, peace among individuals, and the very, very important inner peace. However, there's a great deal of difference between being willing to give your life, and actually giving your life, and for me, 15 years of preparation and of inner seeking lay between.
During this time I became acquainted with what Psychologists refer to as Ego and Conscience. I began to realize that it's as though we have two selves or two natures or two wills with two different viewpoints. Because the viewpoints were so different, I felt a struggle in my life at this period between the two selves with the two viewpoints. So there were hills and valleys - lots of hills and valleys. Then in the midst of the struggle there came a wonderful mountain-top experience, and for the first time I knew what inner peace was like. I felt a oneness - oneness with all my fellow human beings, oneness with all of creation. I have never felt really separate since. I could return again and again to this wonderful mountaintop, and then I could stay there for longer and longer periods of time, and just slip out occasionally. Then came a wonderful morning when I woke up and knew that I would never have to descend again into the valley. I knew that for me the struggle was over, that finally I had succeeded in giving my life, or finding inner peace. Again this is a point of no return, you can never go back into the struggle. The struggle is over now because you will do the right thing, and you don't need to be pushed into it.
However progress is not over. Great progress has taken place in this third phase of my life, but it's as though the central figure of the jigsaw puzzle of your life is complete and clear and unchanging, and around the edges other pieces keep fitting in. There is always a growing edge, but the progress is harmonious. There is a feeling of always being surrounded by all of the good things, like love and peace and joy. It seems like a protective surrounding, and there is an unshakeableness within which takes you through any situation you may need to face.
The world may look at you and believe that you are facing great problems, but always there are the inner resources to easily overcome these problems. Nothing seems difficult. There is a calmness and a serenity and unhurriedness - no more striving or straining about anything. Life is full and life is good, but life is nevermore overcrowded. That's a very important thing I've learned: If your life is in harmony with your part in the Life Pattern, and if you are obedient to the laws which govern this universe, then your life is full and good but not overcrowded. If it is overcrowded, you are doing more than is right for you to do, more than is your job to do in the total scheme of things.
Now there is a living to give instead of to get. As you concentrate on the giving, you discover that just as you cannot receive without giving, so neither can you give without receiving - even the most wonderful things like health and happiness and inner peace. There is a feeling of endless energy - it just never runs out; it seems to be as endless as air. You just seem to be plugged into the source of universal energy.
You are now in control of your life. You see, the ego is never in control. The ego is controlled by wishes for comfort and convenience on the part of the body, by demands of the mind, and by outbursts of the emotions. But the higher nature controls the body and the mind and the emotions. I can say to my body, "Lie down there on that cement floor and go to sleep," and it obeys. I can say to my mind, "Shut out everything else and concentrate on this job before you," and it's obedient. I can say to the emotions, "Be still, even in the face of this terrible situation," and they are still. It's a different way of living. The philosopher Thoreau wrote: If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps he hears a different drummer. And now you are following a different drummer - the higher nature instead of the lower.
IT WAS only at this time, in 1953, that I felt guided or called or motivated to begin my pilgrimage for peace in the world - a journey undertaken traditionally. The tradition of pilgrimage is a journey undertaken on foot and on faith, prayerfully and as an opportunity to contact people. I wear a lettered tunic in order to contact people. It says 'PEACE PILGRIM' on the front. I feel that's my name now - it emphasizes my mission instead of me. And on the back it says '25,000 MILES ON FOOT FOR PEACE.' The purpose of the tunic is merely to make contacts for me. Constantly as I walk along the highways and through the cities, people approach me and I have a chance to talk with them about peace.
I have walked 25,000 miles as a penniless pilgrim. I own only what I wear and what I carry in my small pockets. I belong to no organization. I have said that I will walk until given shelter and fast until given food, remaining a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace. And I can truthfully tell you that without ever asking for anything, I have been supplied with everything needed for my journey, which shows you how good people really are.
With Me I carry always my peace message: This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. There is nothing new about this message, except the practice of it. And the practice of it is required not only in the international situation but also in the personal situation. I believe that the situation in the world is a reflection of our own immaturity . If we were mature, harmonious people, war would be no problem whatever - it would be impossible.
All of us can work for peace. We can work right where we are, right within ourselves, because the more peace we have within our own lives, the more we can reflect into the outer situation. In fact, I believe that the wish to survive will push us into some kind of uneasy world peace which will then need to be supported by a great inner awakening if it is to endure. I believe we entered a new age when we discovered nuclear energy, and that this new age calls for a new renaissance to lift us to a higher level of understanding so that we will be able to cope with the problems of this new age. So, primarily my subject is peace within ourselves as a step toward peace in our world.
NOW, when I talk about the steps toward inner peace, I talk about them in a framework, but there's nothing arbitrary about the number of steps. They can be expanded; they can be contracted. This is just a way of talking about the subject, but this is important: the steps toward inner peace are not taken in any certain order. The first step for one may be the last step for another. So, just take whatever steps seem easiest for you, and as you take a few steps, it will become easier for you to take a few more. In this area we really can share. None of you may feel guided to walk a pilgrimage, and I'm not trying to inspire you to walk a pilgrimage, but in the field of finding harmony in our own lives, we can share. And I suspect that when you hear me give some of the steps toward inner peace, you will recognize them as steps that you also have taken.
In the first place I would like to mention some preparations that were required of me. The first preparation is a right attitude toward life. This means - stop being an escapist! Stop being a surface-liver who stays right in the froth of the surface. There are millions of these people, and they never find anything really worthwhile. Be willing to face life squarely and get down beneath the surface of life where the verities and realities are to be found. That's what we are doing here now.
There's the whole matter of having a meaningful attitude for the problems that life may set before you. If only you could see the whole picture, if only you knew the whole story, you would realize that no problem ever comes to you that does not have a purpose in your life, that cannot contribute to your inner growth. When you perceive this, you will recognize problems as opportunities in disguise. If you did not face problems you would just drift through life, and you would not gain inner growth. It is through solving problems in accordance with the highest light that we have that inner growth is attained. Now, collective problems must be solved by us collectively, and no one finds inner peace who avoids doing his or her share in the solving of collective problems, like world disarmament and world peace. So let us always think about these problems together, talk about them together, and collectively work toward their solutions.
The second preparation has to do with bringing our lives into harmony with the laws that govern this universe. Created are not only the worlds and the beings but also the laws which govern them. Applying both in the physical realm and in the psychological realm, these laws govern human conduct. Insofar as we are able to understand and bring our lives into harmony with these laws, our lives will be in harmony. Insofar as we disobey these laws, we create difficulties for ourselves by our disobedience. We are our own worst enemies. If we are out of harmony through ignorance, we suffer somewhat; but if we know better and are still out of harmony, then we suffer a great deal. I recognize that these laws are well-known and well-believed, and therefore they just needed to be well-lived.
So I got busy on a very interesting project. This was to live all the good things I believed in. I did not confuse myself by trying to take them all at once, but rather, if I was doing something that I knew I should not be doing, I stopped doing it, and I always made a quick relinquishment. You see, that's the easy way. Tapering off is long and hard. And if I was not doing something that I knew I should be doing, I got busy on that. It took the living quite a while to catch up with the believing, but of course it can, and now if I believe something, I live it. Otherwise it would be perfectly meaningless. As I lived according to the highest light that I had, I discovered that other light was given, and that I opened myself to receiving more light as I lived the light I had.
These laws are the same for all of us, and these are the things that we can study and talk about together. But there is also a third preparation that has to do with something which is unique for every human life because every one of us has a special place in the Life Pattern. If you do not yet know clearly where you fit, I suggest that you try seeking it in receptive silence. I used to walk amid the beauties of nature, just receptive and silent, and wonderful insights would come to me. You begin to do your part in the Life Pattern by doing all the good things you feel motivated toward, even though they are just little good things at first. You give these priority in your life over all the superficial things that customarily clutter human lives.
There are those who know and do not do. This is very sad. I remember one day as I walked along the highway a very nice car stopped and the man said to me, "How wonderful that you are following your calling!" I replied, "I certainly think that everyone should be doing what feels right to do." He then began telling me what he felt motivated toward, and it was a good thing that needed doing. I got quite enthusiastic about it and took for granted that he was doing it. I said, "That's wonderful! How are you getting on with it?" And he answered, "Oh, I'm not doing it. That kind of work doesn't pay anything." And I shall never forget how desperately unhappy that man was. But you see, in this materialistic age we have such a false criterion by which to measure success. We measure it in terms of dollars, in terms of material things. But happiness and inner peace do not lie in that direction. If you know but do not do, you are a very unhappy person indeed.
There is also a fourth preparation, and it is the simplification of life to bring inner and outer well-being - psychological and material well-being - into harmony in your life. This was made very easy for me. Just after I dedicated my life to service, I felt that I could no longer accept more than I needed while others in the world have less than they need. This moved me to bring my life down to need-level. I thought it would be difficult. I thought it would entail a great many hardships, but I was quite wrong. Now that I own only what I wear and what I carry in my pockets, I don't feel deprived of anything. For me, what I want and what I need are exactly the same, and you couldn't give me anything I don't need.
I discovered this great truth: unnecessary possessions are just unnecessary burdens. Now I don't mean that all our needs are the same. Yours may be much greater than mine. For instance, if you have a family, you would need the stability of a family center for your children. But I do mean that anything beyond need - and need sometimes includes things beyond the physical needs, too - anything beyond need tends to become burdensome.
There is a great freedom in simplicity of living, and after I began to feel this, I found a harmony in my life between inner and outer well-being. Now there's a great deal to be said about such harmony, not only for an individual life but also for the life of a society. It's because as a world we have gotten ourselves so far out of harmony, so way off on the material side, that when we discover something like nuclear energy, we are still capable of putting it into a bomb and using it to kill people. This is because our inner well-being lags behind our outer well-being. The valid research for the future is on the inner side, on the psychological side, so that we will be able to bring these two into balance, so we will know how to use well the outer well-being we already have.
THEN I discovered that there were some purifications required of me. The first one is such a simple thing: it is purification of the body. This has to do with your physical living habits. Do you eat sensibly, eating to live? I actually know people who live to eat. And do you know when to stop eating? That is a very important thing to know. Do you have sensible sleeping habits? I try to get to bed early and have plenty of hours of sleep. Do you get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, exercise and contact with nature? You'd think this might be the first area in which people would be willing to work, but from practical experience I've discovered it's often the last because it might mean getting rid of some of our bad habits, and there is nothing that we cling to more tenaciously.
The second purification I cannot stress too much because it is purification of thought. If you realized how powerful your thoughts are you would never think a negative thought. They can be a powerful influence for good when they're on the positive side, and they can and do make you physically ill when they're on the negative side.
I recall a man 65 years old when I knew him who manifested symptoms of what seemed a chronic physical illness. I talked with him and I realized that there was some bitterness in his life, although I could not find it at once. He got along well with his wife and his grown children, and he got along well in his community, but the bitterness was there just the same. I found that he was harboring bitterness against his long-dead father because his father had educated his brother and not him. As soon as he was able to relinquish this bitterness, the so-called chronic illness began to fade away, and soon it was gone.
If you're harboring the slightest bitterness toward anyone, or any unkind thoughts of any sort whatever, you must get rid of them quickly. They aren't hurting anyone but you. It is said that hate injures the hater, not the hated. It isn't enough just to do right things and say right things, you must also think right things before your life can come into harmony.
The third purification is purification of desire. What are the things you desire? Do you desire new clothing, or pleasures, or new household furnishings, or a new car? You can come to the point of oneness of desire just to know and do your part in the Life Pattern. When you think about it, is there anything else as really important to desire?
There is one more purification, and that is purification of motive. What is your motive for whatever you may be doing? If it is pure greed or self-seeking or the wish for self-glorification, I would say, Don't do that thing. Don't do anything you would do with such a motive. But it isn't that easy because we tend to do things with very mixed motives, good and bad motives all mixed together. Here's a man in the business world: his motives may not be the highest, but mixed in with them are motives of caring for his family and perhaps doing some good in his community. Mixed motives!
Your motives, if you are to find inner peace, must be an outgoing motive - it must be service. It must be giving, not getting. I knew a man who was a good architect. It was obviously his right work, but he was doing it with the wrong motive. His motive was to make a lot of money and keep ahead of the Joneses. He worked himself into an illness, and it was shortly after, that I met him. I got him to do little things for service. I talked to him about the joy of service and I knew that after he had experienced this, he could never go back into really self-centered living. We corresponded a bit after that. On the third year of my pilgrimage route, I walked through his town and I hardly recognized him when I stopped in to see him. He was such a changed man! But he was still an architect. He was drawing a plan and he talked to me about it: "You see, I'm designing it this way to fit into their budget, and then I'll set it on their plot of ground to make it look nice." His motive was to be of service to the people that he drew plans for. He was a radiant and transformed person. His wife told me that his business had increased because people were now coming to him from miles around for home designs.
I've met a few people who had to change their jobs in order to change their lives, but I've met many more people who merely had to change their motive to service in order to change their lives.
NOW, the last part. These are the relinquishments. Once you've made the first relinquishment, you have found inner peace because it's the relinquishment of self-will. You can work on this by refraining from doing any not-good thing you may be motivated toward, but you never suppress it! If you are motivated to do or say a mean thing, you can always think of a good thing. You deliberately turn around and use that same energy to do or say a good thing instead. It works!
The second relinquishment is the relinquishment of the feeling of separateness. We begin feeling very separate and judging everything as it relates to us, as though we were the center of the universe. Even after we know better intellectually, we still judge things that way. In reality, of course, we are all cells in the body of humanity. We are not separate from our fellow humans. The whole thing is a totality. It's only from that higher viewpoint that you can know what it is to love your neighbor as yourself. From that higher viewpoint there becomes just one realistic way to work, and that is for the good of the whole. As long as you work for your selfish little self, you're just one cell against all those other cells, and you're way out of harmony. But as soon as you begin working for the good of the whole, you find yourself in harmony with all of your fellow human beings. You see, it's the easy, harmonious way to live.
Then there is the third relinquishment, and that is the relinquishment of all attachments. Material things must be put into their proper place. They are there for use. It's all right to use them; that's what they're there for. But when they've outlived their usefulness, be ready to relinquish them and perhaps pass them on to someone who does need them. Anything that you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions. We are not free.
There's another kind of possessiveness. You do not possess any other human being, no matter how closely related that other may be. No husband owns his wife; no wife owns her husband; no parents own their children. When we think we possess people there's a tendency to run their lives for them, out of this develops an extremely inharmonious situation. Only when we realize that we do not possess them, that they must live in accordance with their own inner motivations, do we stop trying to run their lives for them, and then we discover that we are able to live in harmony with them.
Now the last: the relinquishment of all negative feelings. I want to mention just one negative feeling which the nicest people still experience, and that negative feeling is worry. Worry is not concern which would motivate you to do everything possible in a situation. Worry is a useless mulling over of things we cannot change. Let me mention just one technique. Seldom do you worry about the present moment; it's usually all right. If you worry, you agonize over the past which you should have forgotten long ago, or you're apprehensive over the future which hasn't even come yet. We tend to skim right over the present time. Since this is the only moment that one can live, if you don't live it you never really get around to living at all. If you do live this present moment, you tend not to worry. For me, every moment is a new opportunity to be of service.
One last comment about negative feelings which helped me very much at one time and has helped others. No outward thing - nothing, nobody from without - can hurt me inside, psychologically. I recognized that I could only be hurt psychologically by my own wrong actions, which I have control over; by my own wrong reactions - they are tricky but I have control over them, too; or by my own inaction in some situations, like the present world situation, that needs actions from me. When I recognized all this, how free I felt! And I just stopped hurting myself. Now someone could do the meanest thing to me and I would feel deep compassion for this out-of-harmony person, this psychologically sick person who is capable of doing mean things. I certainly would not hurt myself by a wrong reaction of bitterness or anger. You have complete control over whether or not you will be hurt psychologically, and any time you want to, you can stop hurting yourself.
These are the steps toward inner peace that I wanted to share with you. There's nothing new about this. This is universal truth. I merely talked about these things in my own everyday words in terms of my own personal experience with them. The laws which govern this universe work for good as soon as we obey them, and anything contrary to these laws doesn't last long. It contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction. The good in every human life always makes it possible for us to obey these laws. We do have free will about all this, and therefore how soon we obey and thereby find harmony, both within ourselves and within our world, is up to us. (From a KPFK radio talk, Los Angeles)

SUMMARY: FOUR PREPARATIONS[edit]

1. Assume right attitude toward life[edit]

Stop being an escapist or a surface-liver as these attitudes can only cause inharmony in your life. Face life squarely and get down below the froth on its surface to discover its verities and realities. Solve the problems that life sets before you, and you will find that solving them contributes to your inner growth. Helping to solve collective problems contributes also to your growth, and these problems should never be avoided.

2. Live good beliefs.[edit]

The laws governing human conduct apply as rigidly as the law of gravity. Obedience to these laws pushes us toward harmony; disobedience pushes us toward inharmony. Since many of these laws are already common belief, you can begin by putting into practice all the good things you believe. No life can be in harmony unless belief and practice are in harmony.

3. Find your place in the Life Pattern.[edit]

You have a part in the scheme of things. What that part is you can know only from within yourself. You can seek it in receptive silence. You can begin to live in accordance with it by doing all the good things you are motivated toward and giving these things priority in your life over all the superficial things that customarily occupy human lives.

4. Simplify life to bring inner and outer well-being into harmony.[edit]

Unnecessary possessions are unnecessary burdens. Many lives are cluttered not only with unnecessary possessions but also with meaningless activities. Cluttered lives are out-of-harmony lives and require simplification. Wants and needs can become the same in a human life and, when this is accomplished, there will be a sense of harmony between inner and outer well-being. Such harmony is needful not only in the individual life but in the collective life too.

FOUR PURIFICATIONS[edit]

1. Purification of the bodily temple.[edit]

Are you free from all bad habits? In your diet do you stress the vital foods - the fruits, whole grains, vegetables and nuts? Do you get to bed early and get enough sleep? Do you get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and contact with nature? If you can answer "Yes" to all of these questions, you have gone a long way toward purification of the bodily temple.

2. Purification of the thoughts.[edit]

It is not enough to do right things and say right things. You must also think right things. Positive thoughts can be powerful influences for good. Negative thoughts can make you physically ill. Be sure there is no unpeaceful situation between yourself and any other human being, for only when you have ceased to harbor unkind thoughts can you attain inner harmony.

3. Purification of the desires.[edit]

Since you are here to get yourself into harmony with the laws that govern human conduct and with your part in the scheme of things, your desires should be focused in this direction.

4. Purification of motives.[edit]

Obviously your motive should never be greed or self-seeking, or the wish for self-glorification, you shouldn't even have the selfish motive of attaining inner peace for yourself. To be of service to your fellow humans must be your motive before your life can come into harmony.

FOUR RELINQUISHMENTS[edit]

1. Relinquishment of self-will.[edit]

You have, or it's as though you have, two selves: the lower self that usually governs you selfishly, and the higher self which stands ready to use you gloriously. You must subordinate the lower self by refraining from doing the not-good things you are motivated toward, not suppressing them but transforming them so that the higher self can take over your life.

2. Relinquishment of the feeling of separateness.[edit]

All of us, all over the world, are cells in the body of humanity. You are not separate from your fellow humans, and you cannot find harmony for yourself alone. You can only find harmony when you realize the oneness of all and work for the good of all.

3. Relinquishment of attachments.[edit]

Only when you have relinquished all attachments can you be really free. Material things are here for use, and anything you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you. You can only live in harmony with your fellow humans if you have no feeling that you possess them, and therefore do not try to run their lives.

4. Relinquishment of all negative feelings.[edit]

Work on relinquishing negative feelings. If you live in the present moment, which is really the only moment you have to live, you will be less apt to worry. If you realize that those who do mean things are psychologically ill, your feelings of anger will turn to feelings of pity. If you recognize that all of your inner hurts are caused by your own wrong actions or your own wrong reactions or your own wrong inaction, then you will stop hurting yourself.

THOUGHTS[edit]

  • We can all spend our lives going about doing good. Every time you meet a person, think of some encouraging thing to say - a kind word, a helpful suggestion, an expression of admiration. Every time you come into a situation, think of some good thing to bring - a thoughtful gift, a considerate attitude, a helping hand.
  • There is a criterion by which you can judge whether the thoughts you are thinking and the things you are doing are right for you. That criterion is, Have they brought you inner peace? If they have not, there is something wrong with them - so keep trying.
  • If you love people enough, they will respond lovingly. If I offend people, I blame myself, for I know that if my conduct had been correct, they would not have been offended, even though they did not agree with me. "Before the tongue can speak, it must have lost the power to wound."
  • To those who feel depressed, I would say: Try keeping your surroundings full of beautiful music and lovely flowers. Try reading and memorizing thoughts that inspire. Try making a list of all the things you have to be thankful for. If there is some good thing that you have always wanted to do, start doing it. Make a meaningful schedule for yourself and keep to that schedule.
  • Although others may feel sorry for you, never feel sorry for yourself - it has a deadly effect on spiritual well-being. Recognize all problems, no matter how difficult, as opportunities for spiritual growth, and make the most of these opportunities.
  • From all the things you read and from all the people you meet, take what is good - what your own 'Inner Teacher' tells you is for you - and leave the rest. For guidance and for truth, it is much better to look to the Source through your own 'Inner Teacher' than to look to people or books. Books and people can merely inspire you. Unless they awaken something within you, nothing worthwhile has been accomplished.
  • No one is truly free who is still attached to material things, or to places, or to people. We must be able to use things when we need them and then relinquish them without regret when they have outlived their usefulness. We must be able to appreciate and enjoy the places where we tarry, and yet pass on without anguish when we are called elsewhere. We must be able to live in loving association with people without feeling that we possess them and must run their lives. Anything that you strive to hold captive will hold you captive, and if you desire freedom you must give freedom.
  • The spiritual life is the real life - all else is illusion and deception. Only those who are attached to God alone are truly free. Only those who live up to the highest light they have find their lives in harmony. Those who act on their highest motivations become a power for good. It is not important that others be noticeably affected. Results should never be sought or desired. Know that every right thing you do - every good thing you say - every positive thought you think- has good effect.
  • All people can be peace workers. Whenever you bring harmony into any unpeaceful situation, you contribute to the total peace picture. Insofar as you have peace in your own life, you reflect it into your surroundings and into the world.
  • That which is received from without can be compared with knowledge. It leads to a believing, which is seldom strong enough to motivate to action. That which is confirmed from within after it is contacted from without, or that which is directly perceived from within (which is my way), can be compared with wisdom. It leads to a knowing, and action goes right along with it.
  • In our spiritual development we are often required to pull up roots many times and to close many chapters in our lives until we are no longer attached to any material thing and can love all people without any attachment to them.
  • You cannot leave a situation without spiritual injury unless you leave it lovingly.
  • If you want to teach people, young or old, you must start where they are - at their level of understanding. If you see that they are already beyond your level of understanding, let them teach you. Since steps toward spiritual advancement are taken in such varied order, most of us can teach one another.
  • Physical violence can end even before we have learned the way of love, but psychological violence will continue until we do. Only outer peace can be had through law. The way to inner peace is through love.
  • Concentrate on giving so that you may open yourself to receiving. Concentrate on living according to the light you have, so that you may open yourself to more light.
  • Sometimes difficulties of the body come to show that the body is just a transient garment - that the reality is the indestructible essence which activates the body.
  • After you have found inner peace, spiritual growth takes place harmoniously because you - now governed by the higher self - will to do God's will and do not need to be pushed into it.
  • Nothing threatens those who do God's will, and God's will is love and faith. Those who feel hate and fear are out of harmony with God's will and are likely to have difficulties.
  • All difficulties in your life have a purpose. They are pushing you toward harmony with God's will.
  • There is always a way to do right!
  • What we suffer from is immaturity. If we were mature people, war would be no problem - it would be impossible.
  • Of course I trust the Law of Love! Since the universe operates in accordance with the Law of Love, how could I trust anything else?
  • For Light I go directly to the Source of Light, not to any of the reflections. Also I make it possible for more Light to come to me by living up to the highest Light I have. You cannot mistake Light coming from the Source, for it comes with complete understanding so that you can explain and discuss it.
  • Judging others will avail you nothing and injure you spiritually. Only if you can inspire others to judge themselves will anything worthwhile have been accomplished.
  • Never think of any right effort as being fruitless - all right effort bears good fruit, whether we see results or not. Just concentrate on thinking and living and acting for peace, and inspiring others to do likewise, leaving results in God's hands.
  • You cannot change anyone except yourself. After you have become an example, you can inspire others to change themselves.
  • In a conflict situation you must be thinking of a solution which is fair to all concerned, instead of a solution which is of advantage to you. Only a solution which is fair to all concerned can be workable in the long run.
  • Your motives must be good if your work is to have a good effect.

FROM MY CORRESPONDENCE[edit]

Q: Do you work for a living?
A: I work for my living in an unusual way. I give what I can through thoughts and words and deeds to those whose lives I touch and to humanity. In return I accept what people want to give, but I do not ask. They are blessed by their giving and I am blessed by my giving.
Q: Why don't you accept money?
A: Because I talk about spiritual truth, and spiritual truth should never be sold - those who sell it injure themselves spiritually. The money that comes in the mail - without being solicited - I do not use for myself; I use it for printing and postage. Those who attempt to buy spiritual truth are trying to get it before they are ready. In this wonderfully well-ordered universe, when they are ready, it will be given.
Q: Don't you get lonely or discouraged or tired?
A: No. When you live in constant communication with God, you cannot be lonely. When you perceive the working of God's wonderful plan and know that all good effort bears good fruit, you cannot be discouraged. When you have found inner peace, you are in contact with the source of universal energy and you cannot be tired.
Q: What can retirement mean to a person?
A: Retirement should mean, not a cessation of activity, but a change of activity with a more complete giving of your life to service. It should therefore be the most wonderful time of your life - the time when you are happily and meaningfully busy.
Q: How can I feel close to God?
A: God is Love, and whenever you reach out in loving kindness, you are expressing God. God is Truth, and whenever you seek truth, you are seeking God. God is Beauty, and whenever you touch the beauty of a flower or a sunset, you are touching God. God is the Intelligence that creates all and sustains all and binds all together and gives life to all. Yes, God is the Essence of all. So you are within God and God is within you - you could not be where God is not. Permeating all is the law of God - physical law and spiritual law. Disobey it and you feel unhappiness - you feel separated from God. Obey it and you feel harmony - you feel close to God.
Q: What are the good things, and how do I fill my life with them?
A: Good things are of benefit to you and to others. You may get some inspiration from the outside, but in the final analysis you must know from the inside what good things you want to fill your life with. Then you can make a schedule of what you think the good life should be like, and live according to that schedule. It may include something beneficial to the body - like walking or exercise. Or something stimulating to the intellect - like meaningful reading. And something uplifting for the emotions - like good music. But most important of all, it needs to include service to others if it is to be spiritually beneficial to you.
Q: When confronted with a problem, can I do anything about it intellectually?
A: If it's a health problem, ask yourself, "Have I abused my body?" If it's a psychological problem, ask yourself, "Have I been as loving as God would want me to be?" If it's a financial problem, ask yourself, "Have I lived within my means?" What you do in the present creates the future, so use the present to create a wonderful future. Constantly through thought you are creating your inner conditions and helping to create the conditions around you. So keep your thoughts on the positive side, think about the best that could happen, think about the good things you want to happen - think about God!
Q: How can I begin to really live life?
A: I began to really live life when I began to look at every situation and think about how I could be of service in that situation. I learned that I should not be pushy about helping, but just willing. Often I could give a helping hand - or perhaps a loving smile or a word of cheer. I learned it is through giving that we receive the worthwhile things of life.
Q: How does an ordinary housewife and mother find what you seem to possess?
A: One who is in the family pattern (as most people are) finds inner peace in the same way that I found it. Obey God's laws, which are the same for all of us - not only the physical laws, but also the spiritual laws which govern human conduct. You might start by living all the good things you believe, as I did. Find and fit into your special place in the divine plan, which is unique for every human soul. You might try seeking in receptive silence, as I did. Being in the family pattern is not a block to spiritual growth, and in some ways it is an advantage. We grow through problem-solving, and being in the family pattern provides plenty of problems to grow on. When we enter the family pattern, we have our first outgoingness from self-centeredness to family centeredness. Pure love is a willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return, and the family pattern provides the first experience of pure love - a mother's and father's love for their baby.
Q: Will there always be pain in one's becoming more beautiful?
A: There will be pain in your spiritual growth until you will to do God's will and no longer need to be pushed into it. When you are out of harmony with God's will, problems come - their purpose is to push you into harmony. If you would willingly do God's will, you could avoid the problems.
Q: Will I ever come into a state of feeling at rest, with no more need to become?
A: When you have found inner peace, you have no more feeling of the need to become - you are content to be, which includes following your divine guidance. However, you keep on growing - but harmoniously.
Q: What is a truly religious person?
A: I would say that a truly religious person has religious attitudes: a loving attitude toward fellow human beings, an obedient attitude toward God - toward God's laws and God's guidance, and a religious attitude toward self - knowing that you are more than the self-centered nature, more than the body, and life is more than the earth life.
Q: What overcomes fear?
A: I would say that religious attitudes overcome fear. If you have a loving attitude toward your fellow human beings, you will not fear them. "Perfect love casteth out fear." An obedient attitude toward God will bring you into constant awareness of God's presence, and then fear is gone. When you know that you are only wearing the body, which can be destroyed - that you are the reality which activates the body and cannot be destroyed - how can you be afraid?

PEACE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS: EXCERPTS from the NEWSLETTERS[edit]

FOUR LETTERS: One day as I was answering my mail a woman said to me, "What can people do for peace?" I replied, "Let's see what these letters say." The first one said, "I'm a farm housewife. Since talking with you, I've realized I should be doing something for peace - especially since I'm raising four sons. Now I am writing one letter every day to someone in our government or in the United Nations who has done something for peace, commending them to give them moral support." The next one said, "World peace seemed a bit too big for me, but since talking with you, I have joined the Human Relations Council in my town, and I'm working on peace among groups." The third one said, "Since talking with you I have resolved an unpeaceful situation between myself and my sister-in-law." The last one said, "Since talking with you, I have cut out smoking." When you do something for world peace, peace among groups, peace among individuals, or your own inner peace, you improve the total peace picture. Whenever you bring harmony into any unpeaceful situation, you contribute to the cause of peace.
THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS: After a wonderful sojourn in the wilderness, I walked again alone the streets of a city which was my home awhile. It is 1:00 p.m. Hundreds of neatly-dressed human beings with pale or painted faces are hurrying in rather orderly lines to and from their places of employment. I, in my faded shirt and well-worn slacks, walk among them. The rubber soles of my soft canvas shoes move noiselessly along beside the clatter of trim, tight shoes with high heels. In the poorer sections I am tolerated. In the wealthier sections some glances seem a bit startled, and some are disdainful. On both sides of us as we walk are displayed the things which we can buy if we are willing to stay in the orderly lines, day after day, year after year. Some of the things are more or less useful, many are utter trash - some have a claim to beauty, many are garishly ugly. Thousands of things are displayed - and yet the most valuable things are missing. Freedom is not displayed, nor health, nor happiness, nor peace of mind. To obtain these, my friends, you too may need to escape from the orderly lines and risk being looked upon disdainfully.
NEGATIVE vs. POSITIVE: I have chosen the positive approach - instead of stressing the bad things which I am against, I stress the good things which I am for. Those who choose the negative approach dwell on what is wrong, resorting to judgement and criticism, and sometimes even to name-calling. Naturally, the negative approach has a detrimental effect on the person who uses it, while the positive approach has a good effect. When evil is attacked, it mobilizes, although it may have been weak and unorganized before, and therefore the attack gives it validity and strength. When there is no attack but instead good influences are brought to bear upon the situation, not only does the evil tend to fade away, but the evil-doer tends to be transformed. The positive approach inspires - the negative approach makes angry. When you make people angry they act in accordance with their baser instincts, often violently and irrationally. When you inspire people they act in accordance with their higher instincts, sensibly and rationally. Anger is transient, whereas inspiration sometimes has a lifelong effect.
WORKING FOR PEACE: A few really dedicated people can offset the ill effects of masses of out-of-harmony people, so we who work for peace must not falter, we must continue to pray for peace and to act for peace in whatever way we can. We must continue to speak for peace and to live the way of peace; to inspire others, we must continue to think of peace and to know it is possible. What we dwell upon we help to bring into manifestation. One little person, giving all of her time to peace, makes news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history.
BLESSED are they who give without expecting even thanks in return, for they shall be abundantly rewarded.
BLESSED are they who translate every good thing they know into action - even higher truths shall be revealed to them.
BLESSED are they who do God's will without asking to see results, for great shall be their recompense.
BLESSED are they who love and trust their fellow human beings, for they shall reach the good in people and receive a loving response.
BLESSED are they who have seen reality, for they know that not the garment of clay but that which activates the garment of clay is real and indestructible.
BLESSED are they who see the change we call death as a liberation from the limitations of this earth-life, for they shall rejoice with their loved ones who make the glorious transition.
BLESSED are they who after dedicating their lives and thereby receiving a blessing have the courage and faith to surmount the difficulties of the path ahead, for they shall receive a second blessing.
BLESSED are they who advance toward the spiritual path without the selfish motive of seeking inner peace, for they shall find it.
BLESSED are those who instead of trying to batter down the gates of the kingdom of heaven approach them humbly and lovingly and purified, for they shall pass right through.
YOU CAN KNOW GOD: There is a power greater than ourselves which manifests itself within us as well as everywhere else in the universe. This I call God. Do you know what it is to know God - to have God's constant guidance - a constant awareness of God's presence? To know God is to reflect love toward all people and all creations. To know God is to feel peace within - a calmness, a serenity, an unshakeableness which enables you to face any situation. To know God is to be so filled with joy that it bubbles over and goes forth to bless the world. I have only one desire now - to do God's will for me - there is no conflict. When God guides me to walk a pilgrimage I do it gladly. When God guides me to do other things I do them just as gladly. If what I do brings criticism upon me I take it with head unbowed. If what I do brings me praise, I pass it immediately along to God, for I am only the little instrument through which God does the work. When God guides me to do something I am given strength, I am given supply, I am shown the way, I am given the words to speak. Whether the path is easy or hard I walk in the light of God's love and peace and joy, and I turn to God with psalms of thanksgiving and praise. This it is to know God. And knowing God is not reserved for the great ones. It is for little folks like you and me. God is always seeking you - every one of you. You can find God if you will only seek - by obeying divine laws, by loving people, by relinquishing self-will, attachments, negative thoughts and feelings. And when you find God it will be in the stillness. You will find God within.
ON FEAR: There's no greater block to world peace or inner peace than fear. What we fear we tend to develop an unreasoning hatred for, so we come to hate and fear. This not only injures us psychologically and aggravates world tension, but through such negative concentration we tend to attract the things we fear. If we fear nothing and radiate love, we can expect good things to come. How much this world needs the message and example of love and faith!
THE FREEDOM OF SIMPLICITY: Some seem to think my life dedicated to simplicity and service is austere and joyless, but these do not know the freedom of simplicity. I know enough about food to nourish my body properly, and I have excellent health. I enjoy food, but I eat to live. I do not live to eat, and I know when to stop eating. I am not enslaved by food. My clothes are most comfortable as well as most practical. My shoes, for instance, have soft fabric tops and soft rubberlike soles - I feel free as though I were walking barefoot. I am not enslaved by fashion. I am not a slave to comfort and convenience - for instance, I sleep equally well in a soft bed or on the grass beside the road. I am not burdened by unnecessary possessions or meaningless activities. My life is full and good, but not overcrowded, and I do my work easily and joyously. I feel beauty all around me and I see beauty in everyone I meet - for I see God in everything. I recognize the laws which govern this universe, and I find harmony through gladly and joyously obeying them. I recognize my part in the Life Pattern, and I find harmony through gladly and joyously living it. I recognize my oneness with all mankind and my oneness with God. My happiness overflows in loving and giving toward everyone and everything.
ON PEOPLE IN OUR TIMES: In order to help usher in the golden age, we must see the good in people - we must know that it is there, no matter how deeply it may be buried. Yes, apathy is there and selfishness is there - but good is there also. It is not through judgement that the good can be reached, but through love and faith. Love can save the world from nuclear destruction. Love God - turn to God with receptiveness and responsiveness. Love your fellow human beings - turn to them with friendliness and givingness. Make yourself fit to be called a child of God by living the Way of Love!
SPIRITUAL GROWTH is a process the same as physical growth or mental growth. Five year old children do not expect to be as tall as their parents at their next birthday; the first grader does not expect to graduate into college at the end of the term; the truth student should not expect to attain inner peace overnight.
MAGIC FORMULAS: There is a magic formula for resolving conflicts. It is this: Have as your objective the resolving of the conflict, not the gaining of advantage. There is a magic formula for avoiding conflicts. It is this: Be concerned that you do not offend, not that you are not offended.
ON IMMATURITY: What people really suffer from is immaturity. Among mature people war would not be a problem - it would be impossible. In their immaturity people want, at the same time, peace and the things which make war. However, people can mature just as children grow up. Yes, our institutions and our leaders reflect our immaturity, but as we mature we will elect better leaders and set up better institutions. It always comes back to the thing so many of us wish to avoid - working to improve ourselves.
MY MESSAGE: My friends, the world situation is grave. Humanity with fearful faltering steps, walks a knife-edge between complete chaos and a golden age, while strong forces push toward chaos. Unless we, the people of the world, awake form our lethargy and push firmly and quickly away from chaos, all that we cherish will be destroyed in the holocaust which will descend.
This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.
The Golden Rule would do as well. Please don't say lightly that these are just religious concepts and not practical. These are laws governing human conduct, which apply as rigidly as the law of gravity. When we disregard these laws in any walk of life, chaos results. Through obedience to these laws this frightened, war-weary world of ours could enter into a period of peace and richness beyond our fondest dreams.
GRASS-ROOTS PEACE ACTIVITY: You can start a Community Peace Fellowship with a peace prayer group for seeking the way of peace. In some places my literature has been used since it deals with peace from a spiritual standpoint. Read a paragraph, dwell upon it in receptive silence, then talk about it. Anyone who can understand and feel the spiritual truths contained therein is spiritually ready to work for peace.
Then would come a Peace Study Group. We need to get a clear picture of what the present world situation is like and what will be needed to convert it into a peaceful world situation. Certainly all present wars must cease. Obviously, we need to find a way to lay down our arms together. We need to set up mechanisms to avoid physical violence in a world where psychological violence still exists. All nations need to give up one right to the United Nations - the right to make war.
We people of the world need to learn to put the welfare of the whole human family above the welfare of any group. Starvation and suffering need to be alleviated, as do fear and hatred. There are some national problems in connection with peace. Work needs to be done on peace among groups. Our number one national problem is the adjustment of our economy to a peacetime situation. We need a Peace Department in our national government to do extensive research on peaceful ways of resolving conflicts. Then we can ask other countries to create similar departments.
After world problems and steps toward their solutions become pretty clear to you, you are ready to become a Peace Action group. You can become a Peace Action group gradually - acting upon any problem that you have learned to understand. Peace action should always take the form of living the way of peace. It can also take the form of letter-writing - to commend those who have done something good for peace, to members of Congress about peace legislation, to editors on peace subjects, to friends on what you have learned about peace. It can take the form of public meetings on peace subjects, speakers on peace subjects, distributing peace literature, talking to people about peace, a Peace Week, A Peace Fair, a Peace Walk, or a Peace Float. It can take the form of voting for those who are committed to the way of peace.
Grass-roots peace work is vitally important. In this crisis period, there should be a Community Peace Fellowship in every town. Such a group can begin with a handful of concerned people. It can begin with you!

2018/02/21

한국은 하나의 철학이다. / Korea is a philosophy. — Steemit

한국은 하나의 철학이다. / Korea is a philosophy. — Steemit

한국은 하나의 철학이다. / Korea is a philosophy.

tsjoe (47) in kr • 지난달


안녕하세요. tsjoe입니다. 오늘은 최근 재밌게 읽은 책 한권을 소개하겠습니다.



"남자들은 밤에 술을 마시며 어머니, 어머니하며 울부짖는다." 내용 중 가장 인상 깊게 다가오는 귀절입니다.

저자인 오구라 기조 교수는 서울대 철학과에서 8년 간 한국철학을 연구한 대표적인 지한파 학자입니다. 일본에서도 NHK에서 한국어 강좌를 진행했고, 한국과 관련한 저서를 여러권 출간했습니다.

저자는 성리 주자학을 근간으로 한국인의 심리를 리(理)와 기(氣)로 나눕니다.

리의 세계의 한국인은 이론적이고, 냉철하며 수직 위계적이며, 기의 한국인은 감정적이고 즉흥적이며, 폭력적이며 동시에 다감하다고 표현하고 있습니다. 흔히 리의 인간과 기의 인간을 나누지만, 정도의 차이만 있을 뿐 리와 기 모두를 가지고 있다고 하는데요.

하나의 시각으로 모든 것을 맞추는 저자의 논리에 이론의 여지가 없는 것은 아니나, 직관적으로 보이는 타자화된 '우리' 모습의 또렷함에 웃음이 나올 정도로 재밌는 책입니다.

이 책은 한국인을 일방적으로 비판하거나 찬양하는 의도가 아니라 유교의 근간인 성리학 그중 주자 성리학의 이기불분으로 한국인을 분석합니다.

누구나가 마찬가지겠지만 저자가 주장하는 리기의 전장로서의 가마솥 같은 한국 사회에 살고 있는 사람이라면, 일면 블랙코메디 같은 자신과 사회의 모습에 맞아 맞아 박수 치며 읽을 수 있을 것이라 생각합니다.

성리학 관점에서 한국에 대해 우호적인 눈길로 바라보는 책인데, 이런 시각도 있을 수 있다고 감안하며 읽어 보면 재밌을 것입니다.

개인적으로는 오래 간 추론했던 우리 사회의 퍼즐을 이 책으로 많은 부분 짜맞춰 넣을 수 있었습습니다.

저작 내 몇몇 귀절을 나열 하는 것으로 마무리 하겠습니다.

한국은 '도덕 지향성 국가'이다. 한국은 확실히 도덕 지향적인 나라이지만, 그렇다고 해서 이것이 "한국인이 언제나 모두 도덕적으로 살고 있음"을 의미하는 것은 아니다. '도덕 지향적'과 '도덕적'은 다른 것이다.

'도덕 지향성'은 사람들의 모든 언동을 도덕으로 환원하여 평가한다. 그것은 '도덕 환원주의'와 표리일체를 이루는 것이다.

현대 일본은 '도덕 지향성 국가'가 아니다. 이것이 한국과 결정적인 차이이다. 그러나 그렇다고 해서 한국인이 도덕적이고 일본인이 부도덕적이라는 것은 아니다. 한국인이 "우리야말로 도덕적인 민족이고 일본인은 부도덕적인 민족이다"라고 주장하는 것은, 한국인이 도덕적이기 때문이 아니라 도덕 지향적이기 때문인 것이다.

......

유가가 가장 싫어하는 것은 삐뚤어진 것, 삐뚤어진 마음인데, 이는 강렬한 반항 정신을 만들어 내는 요인이다. 한국인은 삐뚤어진 것에는 올곧은 것으로 맞서고, 올곧은 것을 상대할 때에는 올곧음으로 겨룬다.

상대방보다 자신이 올곧으면 상대방의 정신적 주인이 되고, 그 반대의 경우는 상대방에게 동화되려고 한다.

......

한국인에게 '한'이라는 정서가 있는 것은 유명하다.

중략
단순한 원한이 아니라 거기에는 동경이 뒷받침되고 있다. 그렇다면 무엇에 대한 동경인가? 바로 '리'를 체현하고 싶다는 동경이다. '리'의 체현자는 '님'이기 때문에, '한'이란 '님'으로 상승하고 싶은 끝없는 동경이다.

중략

'한'은 상승에 대한 동경임과 동시에 그 동경이 어떠한 장애에 의해 좌절되었다는 슬픔, 억울함, 아픔, 맺힘, 고통의 느낌이기도 하다. 사장님이 된다, 박사님이 된다, 선생님이 된다와 같이 갖가지 '님'이 되려고 한국인은 맹렬하게 분투한다.

그러나 개인의 자질이나 환경 탓으로 어떻게 해도 상승할 수 없는, '리'를 체현할 수 없는, '님'이 될 수 없는 불행한 사태가 자주 발생한다. 이때 한국인은 '아이고!'라며 한탄한다. 한국인이 말하는 '한'이란 바로 이런 때 작동하는 정서이다.
......

한국에서 처음 만난 사람과 첫인사를 해보는 것도 좋다. 웃는 얼굴로 악수하고 "앞으로 잘 부탁합니다"라는 말을 주고 받는다. 그러나 웃는 얼굴로 말을 주고받아도 눈은 매처럼 예리하게 빛나며 상대의 '리'의 많고 적음을 평가하고 있다. 상대의 머리에서 발끝까지를 위아래로 훑어보고 나이, 지위, 학력, 가문, 고향, 부 등을 측정하여 총계를 산출해 낸다.

보기만 해서는 알 수 없는 부분은 정확성을 기하기 위해서 주저 없이 직접 묻는다. 한국인과 처음 대면했을 때 개인적인 데이터를 내놓는 데 인색해서는 안 된다. 기본적인 '리'의 많고 적음을 모르고서는 상대에게 안심하고 말을 건네는 것조차 할 수 없기 때문이다.

......

어머니는 한국에서 전형적인 '기'의 존재로 여겨져 왔다. 어머니는 수평적 질서의 유지자이다. 그녀는 용서하고 긍정한다. 낮의 '리'의 세계(수직적 억압의 세계)에 억눌려 있던 남자들은, 밤에 술을 마시면서 "어머니, 어머니!"라고 울부짖는다.
80년대 까지는 밤거리에서 취한 남자들이 다 죽어 가는 매미처럼 울면서 나뒹굴곤 했다. 환상 속의 어머니는 수평적인 힘으로 그들을 치유하고, 치유받은 그들은 다음날 아침 다시 <직장='리'의 격전장>에 출정한다.

.....

뿌리가 있는 자야말로 존경받을 만하다. 왜냐하면 뿌리란 '리'의 근원이기 때문에. 한국인의 '뿌리'에 대한 '한'은 거대하다. 그것은 커다란 상처이다. 왜인가?

우선은 일본 때문이다. 일본의 뿌리는 한국이다. 고로 반드시 일본인은 한국인을 존경하지 않으면 안된다. 그런데도 일본인은 한국인이 문화를 전달해 준 고마움을 잊고, 역으로 한국에 대해서 모독을 일삼고 있다. 이것이 한국인에게 있어서는 상처이다.

또 하나는 중국 때문이다. 한국인이 뿌리로 열거하는 것의 대부분이 한자나 유교, 도자기나 차와 같이, 실제로는 중국에 뿌리가 있는 것이기 때문이다.

한국의 고민 중 하나는 중국이라는 보편과 일본이라는 특수 사이에 끼어 있다는 것이다. 특수에 맞서서는 보편을 무기 삼아 능수능란하게 나오고, 보편에 맞서서는 그 보편의 정수를 손안에 쥐고 순도를 가지고 싸운다. 이것이 종래의 전법이었다.

......

반일 감정이라는 것도 마찬가지이다. 이것은 "일본을 증오한다"는 감정과는 별개이다. 일본을 증오하는 감정을 "증오하지 않으면 안 된다"고 하는 '리'로서 당위화하고 있는 것이다. 즉 일본을 증오하고 혐오하는 것은 <감정=기>이지만, 일본을 반대하고 멸시하는 것은 <논리=리>인 것이다.

'반일감정'은 실은 이미 감정이 아니라 '리'이기 때문에 이것이 얼마나 체현되고 있는가에 의해서 모든 한국인은 수직적으로 서열이 매겨진다. "일본인에 대해 반항심이 없다니, 한국인이 아니다." 이 말이 매스컴, 학교, 지역사회, 가정 등 모든 장소에서 반복된다.

중략

반일이라는 '리'가 '한국인'이라는 환상 공동체를 만든다. 그리고 그 '리'에 의문을 던지려고 하는 인간은 '한국인'이라는 공동체에서 배제되었다.

......

"일본은 역사를 중시하지 않는 나라이다" 한국인의 대부분이 이렇게 생각하고 있다. 왜냐하면 일본은 과거를 도덕지향적으로 재해석하고, 그것에 기초하여 미래를 당위적으로 창조하려고 하는 의지가 결여되어 있기 때문이라는 것이다. 이것은 올바른 지적일 것이다.

그렇다면 한국은 역사를 중시하는가? 한국인은 당연히 긍정할 것이다. 확실히 한국인은 역사에 집착하고 첨예한 역사의식으로 몸을 무장하고 있는 것처럼 보인다. 그러나 과거를 흠잡을 데 없을 정도로 도덕지향적으로 재구축하고, 춘추 필법에 의해 훼예포폄으로 일관하는 태도는, 유교적 의미에서 역사를 중시하는 것에 지나지 않는다.

예를 들면 '식민지 근대화론'에 대한 거부는 식민지 시대의 역사적 사실을 일절 인정하지 않고, 주자학의 동기주의와 도덕지향성을 가지고 "그래, 그것들이 우리나라 근대화를 추진했다고 해도, 그것은 일본이 조선을 위해서 한 것이 아니라 어디까지나 일본의 이익을 위해 한 것이다"라고 반론하는 것이다. 여기서 역사적 사실은 소홀히 되고 동기와 도덕만이 문제가 되고 있다.

그래서 한국에서 보면 일본인은 역사를 중시하지 않지만, 일본에서 보면 한국인도 역시 역사를 중시하지 않는 것이다.

......


사례가 90년대 중심이라 조금 의아했는데, 이 책은 놀랍게도 1998년에 출간되어 당시 일본 내 베스트 셀러가 되었던 책입니다. 20년간 번역 출간을 지속 시도했으나 최근에야 출간 되었습니다.
kr-book 이라는 태그로 책 좋아하시는 분들의 소모임을 확장해볼까 고민 중입니다. 관심 있으신 분들은 의사 주시면 한분두분 모아갈 수 있지 않을까
싶네요.
긴 글 읽어주셔서 감사합니다. ^^

Words of Sympathy - What To Say In Times Of Loss & Sympathy Quotes ♥Acknowledgements.net

Words of Sympathy - What To Say In Times Of Loss & Sympathy Quotes 



Sympathy Quotes
  • You are in my thoughts.
  • Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
  • We are thinking of you.
  • We are thinking of you during this difficult time.
  • With deepest sympathy,
  • My sincere sympathy,
  • Our warmest condolences,
  • With heartfelt condolences,
  • Please accept my condolences,
  • We are deeply sorry to hear about the death of “name of deceased”.
  • Remember that we love and care about you.
  • As you grieve know that we are remembering you and honoring the memory of “name of the deceased”.
  • With caring thoughts,
  • With loving memories of “name of deceased”,
  • Sent with love and remembrance,
  • Our hearts go out to you in your time of sorrow.
  • “Name of Deceased” will remain in our hearts forever.
  • We pray the love of God enfolds you during your journey through grief.
    We send you thoughts of comfort.
  • Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss…our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
  • With love and hugs,
  • We will miss “name of deceased”.
  • We share comfort in knowing “name of deceased” is no longer suffering.  We send thoughts of sympathy and support to you as you begin your journey without “name of deceased”.
  • Remembering you and “name of deceased” in our minds and in our hearts.
  • With thoughts of peace and courage for you,
  • We send you thoughts of peace and courage.
  • Words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel about  “name of deceased” death.  We are here to support you in your grieving process.  With sincere sympathy,
  • “Name of deceased” brought so many gifts to our life. We will never forget him/her!
  • May your heart and soul find peace and comfort.
  • Peace, Prayers and Blessings,
  • Wishing you peace to bring comfort, courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts.
  • May you be comforted by the outpouring of love surrounding you.
  • When reason fails, pray for peace. We will be praying with you.
  • While there is no way we can feel your pain, we do feel your loss as we have known “name of deceased” for many years. Peace and love to you and your family during this sorrowful time.
  • “Name of deceased” is everywhere and inspiring us all to love more deeply.
  • I’m wish you the comfort in the strength he/she gave you, the love he/she wraps your heart with and his/her healing power to get you through this very difficult time.

2018/02/20

東京新聞:拉致問題で教員に研修 政府、若者へ啓発強化:政治(TOKYO Web)

東京新聞:拉致問題で教員に研修 政府、若者へ啓発強化:政治(TOKYO Web)


拉致問題で教員に研修 政府、若者へ啓発強化

2018年2月19日 朝刊

 政府は北朝鮮による日本人拉致問題を巡り、小中高校の教員を対象とする研修を今秋から実施する方針を固めた。内閣府による昨年秋の世論調査で、拉致問題への若年層の関心が低い傾向が出たことを踏まえ、啓発活動を強化する。教員に拉致問題に対する理解を深めてもらい、授業内容に反映するよう促す。政府筋が十八日、明らかにした。


 拉致問題を風化させないとの意思を北朝鮮に示す意味合いもある。政府関係者は「日本国民全体が拉致問題を解決するとの思いを持ち続けることが重要だ」と説明する。


 内閣府が昨年十~十一月に実施した外交に関する世論調査で、北朝鮮への関心事項を複数回答で聞いたところ、拉致問題を挙げた人の割合は十八~二十九歳が最も低く64・9%。最多は六十~六十九歳の85・3%で、若い世代の拉致問題への関心が薄れつつある現状が浮き彫りになった。政府内では、二〇〇二年の拉致被害者五人の帰国から十五年以上が経過し、拉致問題を知らない小中高校生が増えているのではないかとの懸念が広がっている。


 政府は四月以降、都道府県や政令指定都市の教育委員会事務局を通じ研修参加者を募集する予定。当初は数十人規模の参加を見込む。拉致現場視察や被害者との懇談のほか、実際に授業で拉致問題を取り上げている教員と指導法を意見交換する場も設ける。政府が毎年十二月に開く拉致問題に関する国際シンポジウムへの参加も求める。

=======
납치 문제로 교원 연수 정부, 젊은이 계발 강화 2018 년 2 월 19 일 조간 

정부는 북한에 의한 일본인 납치 문제를 둘러싸고 초중고교 교원을 대상으로 하는 연수를 올 가을부터 실시 할 방침을 굳혔다 . 내각부에 의한 지난해 가을 여론 조사에서 납치 문제에 대한 젊은층의 관심이 낮은 경향이 나온 것을 근거로 계발 활동을 강화한다. 교원에게 납치 문제에 대한 이해가 깊이 해 달라고 수업 내용에 반영하도록 촉구한다. 정부 소식통이 18 일, 밝혔다. 

납치 문제를 극복 않는다는 의사를 북한에 나타내는 의미도 있다. 정부 관계자는 "일본 국민 전체가 납치 문제를 해결하겠다는 생각을 계속하는 것이 중요하다"고 설명한다.

 내각부가 지난해 수십 ~ 십일월에 실시한 외교에 관한 여론 조사에서 북한에 대한 관심 사항을 복수 응답으로 물어 본 결과, 납치 문제를 거론 한 사람의 비율은 열 여덟 ~ 스물 아홉 살이 가장 낮 64 · 9 %. 최다 예순 ~ 69 세의 85 · 3 %로 젊은 세대의 납치 문제에 대한 관심이 희미 해지고 있는 현상이 나타났다. 

정부 내에서는 2002 년 납치 피해자 다섯 명의 귀국에서 십오 년 이상이 경과하고 납치 문제를 모르는 초중고교 생이 늘고 있는 것이 아니냐는 우려가 확산되고 있다. 정부는 만우절 이후 도도부 현 및 정령 지정 도시 교육위원회 사무국을 통해 연수 참가자를 모집 할 예정이다. 처음에는 수십명의 참여를 전망한다. 납치 현장 시찰 및 피해자와의 간담회 외에도 실제로 수업에서 납치 문제를 거론하고 있는 교원과 지도방법에 대한 의견교환을 할 기회를 마련한다. 

정부가 매년 12 월로 열 납치 문제에 관한 국제 심포지엄 참여도 구한다.

2018/02/19

Amazon.com.au Help: Kindle Unlimited Terms of Use



Amazon.com.au Help: Kindle Unlimited Terms of Use



Kindle Unlimited Terms of Use


Last updated: March 06, 2017

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You Shall Be As Gods: A Radical Interpretation of the Old Testament and Its Tradition: Erich Fromm: 9780805016055: Amazon.com: Books

You Shall Be As Gods: A Radical Interpretation of the Old Testament and Its Tradition: Erich Fromm: 9780805016055: Amazon.com: Books


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You Shall Be As Gods: A Radical Interpretation of the Old Testament and Its Tradition Paperback – July 1, 1991
by Erich Fromm (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 12 customer reviews


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Biography
Erich Seligmann Fromm (German: [fʀɔm]; March 23, 1900 – March 18, 1980) was a German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. He was associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Arturo Espinosa [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
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Customer Reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
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4.1 out of 5 stars
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Top customer reviews

James E. Egolf

5.0 out of 5 stars"Cheap Grace" vs. Ultimate ValuesAugust 21, 2013
Verified Purchase

Erich Fromm (1900-1980)wrote a facinating study of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. His book YOU SHALL BE AS GODS is an interesting view of Old Testament literature. Fromm focused on the concepts and convictions of the Old Testament as opposed to formality and fixation on traditions. Fromm's book was an attempt to integrate such ideas as compassion, kindness, mercy, etc. with traditions to make the Old Testament literature a call to action rather than comfortable apathy. Fromm cited interesting quotes from the Rabbincal Midrash and Talmud.

The beginning sections of the book provided an interesting study of interpretations of God. Fromm argued that God changed from an unrestrained tyrant to a constitutional monarch Who was bound by His own convenents and rules. For example, even God repented re the Flood Story when He repented via Genesis 9:11. When Abraham confronted God re Genesis 18, Abraham bluntly asked God if God would act unjustly by condemning the innocent with the guilty. Fromm cited Moses' attempt to undermine God's wrath. An interesting interpretation of these confrontations is intimacy with the Supreme Being. Closeness to God and His "laws" is a thoughtful analysis.

Yet, Fromm was clear that closeness to God was NOT an attempt to define God. The phrase in Exodus 3:14 that, "I AM WHO I AM" was attempt to deter idol worship. Fromm noted that idols are dead while God and people are creative and active. Men and woman should act and should act according to God's commands and rules. Basically, as Fromm knew, the Ancient Hebrews had different views of God. God could be tied to the land and race of the Hebrews. Or God could be universal as suggested in the narrative re Noah when God made a convenent with the human race. The Hebrew Prophet Habakkuk was probably the first to separate the concept of God from the land and race. Supposedly King David's father was Hebrew, but his mother was a Moabite woman.

Not only did Fromm write about the concept of God, Fromm wrote about the concept of man (men and women). Fromm cited the Creation Story in that everything God created was good except man. God created men and women in His Image, and Fromm interpreted this view that people had to the capacity for good or evil. The goal was for people to live according to the Image of God, but people had freedom to make a choice. God's call that people should be a "Holy Nation" meant that men and women should be better than their current status.

Are men and women predestined? According to Fromm the answer was "No." As Fromm noted, a difference exists between predictions and predestination. In other words, careless behavior and evil acts will eventually result in terrible consequences. Since people are free to make decions, their acts have consequences-good or evil. Much of The Decalogue dealt with social relationships such as murder, theft, adultry, etc. Fromm alerted readers that some of the Old Testament "heroes" had serious character flaws. Noah was confused. Cain was irresponsible. Abraham was a coward when he let the men of Sodom and Gomorrah violate his wife and daughters. King David committed unforgiveable crimes. In other words, men and women can overcome their evil inclinations if willing to recognize their weaknesses and their potential to be better people.

One of the last sections of the book dealt with the Psalms. Fromm catagorized the Psalms into four types of poetry. He explained a one mood Psalm as one where the mood did not change. The first Psalm is one of self righteousness. The 23rd. Psalm is one of contentment. The 137th. Psalm is one of bitter hatred. From described a dynamic Psalm as one with a sudden mood change such as the sixth and eighth Psalms. A messianic Psalm is one that is optimistic about the future such as the 90th Psalm. A hymnic Psalm is one of praise such as the 150th Psalm.

The Epilogue of the book dealt with the 22nd. Psalm and Christ's Passion. From argued that he found the usual interpretation unsatisfactory. Yet, as G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)noted, Christ's depair was as radical statement as could be, and God was complaining to God. This is obviously a matter of interpretation, and this writer will leave the theologians to debate the issue.

Fromm's book is a good book especially for those readers who are not familiar with the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. Fromm provided what may be a radical assessment of the Old Testament, but such assessments can force people to carefully read and think which was Fromm's intention.

James E. Egolf

August 21, 2013
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Jaime Gonella Diaza

4.0 out of 5 starsThe Concept of God and how it evolvesMay 11, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

Well documented historical evolution of the concept of God. Personally I'm not keen on history
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Burton

4.0 out of 5 starsFour StarsDecember 12, 2016
Format: Mass Market Paperback|Verified Purchase

An interest take of the OT.
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Charles F. Herr

5.0 out of 5 starsI think this book is one of Froom's best. I found his discussion of Judaism is radicalJanuary 31, 2017
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

I think this book is one of Froom's best. I found his discussion of Judaism is radical, challenging and surprising. His analysis of Exodus is psychologically fascinating. And the Appendix in which he gives what seems like an obvious explanation of Jesus's saying "My God, my God, why hast thought forsaken me" on the cross resolved the enigma of why Jesus died in despair. (If Froom's explanation is correct, he didn't.)
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Dr. Lee D. Carlson

HALL OF FAME
5.0 out of 5 starsHighly interesting and very originalMay 28, 2002
Format: Paperback

Erich Fromm is not only an interesting thinker but a fine writer, and in this book, one of many that he has written and all of which I have read, he outlines what he calls a radical humanist interpretation of the Old Testament and its history and traditions. In this interpretation, the concept of God evolved from that of a jealous, vengeful spirit to that of a constitutional monarch, and ultimately to a nameless God who is bound by the same morals and principles that govern humankind. Fromm is convincing in his arguments, and even for those readers who will remain unconvinced after the reading of the book, all will no doubt take away an appreciation of the depth of his scholarship.
All of the three major Western religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, owe their origins to the Old Testament, whether this is acknowledged or not, and all have to this day a powerful influence on the lives of millions of people. And yes, as Fromm states in the book, the world's populations do hold a materialistic philosophy that is coupled with ever-increasing globalization and technology, but the acquisition of material goods and the indulgence of their pleasures coexists with a commitment to spirtual values and religion. This superposition of religious and materialistic philosophy shows no sign of abatement.

The radical humanism of Fromm is a philosophy that is delightfully optimistic, and emphasizes the capacity of humans to develop their intellectual powers, to become fully independent, to understand reality as it is, and a renunciation of the initiation of force, the latter of which, Fromm argues, results in intellectual disintegration and emotional dependence. Eschewing a static allegiance to doctrines and concepts that therefore become divorced from experience, Fromm encourages the thinking of concepts as dynamic objects, and cautious that "they have their own lives", and can be aliented from the experiences by which they were invented (discovered). Forgetting the roots of a conceptual structure in experience will transform it to ideology, argues Fromm, and this ideology will usurp the underlying reality of human experience. History will become a history of ideologies, rather than a history of concrete, real individuals who produce ideas. Conceptual structures according to Fromm can never adequately express the experience from which they refer to, and the symbols used allow communication of experiences. But, this also allows an alienation of their use, since such structures are incomplete, and a rush to fill in the gaps, to pad the system, results in one that appears complete, but in reality is still fragmented. It then tends to a state of stagnation and sterility, making it inert and useless. Such is the history of religious concepts in particular, asserts Fromm.

Fromm's interpretation of the Old Testament is essentially as follows: 

Stage 1: A dictatorial God as absolute ruler, jealous of the human potential to be God's rival. The use of force and brutality characterizes such a God, who expels Adam and Eve from Paradise and limits human lifetime to 120 years. 

Stage 2: God establishes a covenant with Noah and his descendants, promising to never again flood the Earth. For Fromm, the concept of the covenant is one of the most decisive steps in the evolution of Judaism, in that it leads to a conception of complete freedom for humankind, in particular freedom from God. God and human beings become partners in a treaty, this transforming God from an absolute ruler into a constitutional monarch. God then has less freedom to be brutal, to disrepect human life and other living creatures. Abraham's numerical challenge to God at Sodom and Gommorrah is offered in evidence. Abraham's confidence in the principle of universal justice is a departure from the concept of human beings as meek supplicants, fearful of God's reprisals. 

Stage 3: The rejection of idols and the subsequent concept of God as a nameless God. One must talk to God, not about him, the latter results in idolatry. The philosophy of Moses Maimonides is offered as evidence of this. The "negative theology" of Maimonides allows only the employment of attributes of actions of God. Both God and humans in this stage become subjected to the same universal principles of truth and justice, and their relationships is no longer confrontational . Conceptions of God then evolve to the more abstract, with God working through history ("horizontally"), and not into it ("vertically").

Fromm's viewpoints on sin and repentance are also very interesting. He points out that in the story of Adam's fall, no mention is made of Adam having committed a sin. Fromm also gives interesting arguments that support his notion that the Old Testament scriptures do not state that humans are intrinsically evil. Humans can choose good with the same potential as their choice for evil, is his reading of these scriptures. The Biblical view, at least from the standpoint of the Old Testament, argues Fromm, is that humans can choose between life and death, good versus evil, and their does not exist any compulsion to choose one rather than the other. God points out the alternatives and asks us to choose life and the good.

Erich Fromm has been away from us for 22 years now, but his writings are to this day still studied diligently by many individuals and they still have a lot to say about human beings, their beliefs, and their relationship to reality. With the complexity of life and knowledge increasing at an accelerating rate, humans now can make copies of themselves, can create thinking machines from mere sand, can travel in space, and can live their lives in ways that the ancient writers of the Old Testament never envisioned. Fromm translates Deuteronomy 30:19: "....I have set before you life and death, choose life....". I think if Fromm were alive, being the optimist he is, he would be proud of what humans now stand for, despite some areas of conflict in the world.
Humans have indeed chosen life, and have become as gods.......
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Jonathan Groner

VINE VOICE
4.0 out of 5 starsJudaism reinterpreted for the modern ageOctober 12, 2009
Format: Paperback

Fromm, a radical humanist (and a nonbeliever in God) still writes in the great Jewish tradition of optimism and of belief in human potential. Fromm had an excellent traditional Jewish upbringing, and although more traditional thinkers will disagree with his conclusions, they are at least well grounded in Old Testament texts.

The book is a bit dated in that one of its intellectual underpinnings is the belief that human beings can perfect themselves through self-understanding, specifically through psychoanalysis. The twenty-first century has not been charitable to that conclusion.
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Aron Mueller

4.0 out of 5 starsMakes the best out of religionDecember 11, 2014
Format: Paperback|Verified Purchase

It demonstrates that if one understands religion and tradition properly as a way to rekindle the human fire not just as a way to dig in its ashes, it can be everlastingly beneficial.
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You Shall Be As Gods, by Erich Fromm | commentary 1967

You Shall Be As Gods, by Erich Fromm | commentary

You Shall Be As Gods, by Erich Fromm

ERICH ISAAC / MAY 1, 1967


Mystical Humanism

You shall be as Gods: a Radical Interpretation of the Old Testament and its Tradition.

by Erich Fromm.


Holt, Rinehart & Winston. 240 pp. $4.95.

--------------

In this book, Erich Fromm seeks to support his particular Weltanschauung—that of atheistic (or nontheistic) mystical humanism—by articulating its roots in the Hebrew Bible and the subsequent Jewish tradition. He attempts to show how the concept of God evolved from that of a clannish authoritarian deity (the God of Eden), to a progressively limited constitutional monarch (the covenant-making God), to the nameless God who reveals himself to Moses (“I am Who I am”), to the God of Maimonides (without attributes of essence). At this point, Fromm believes, the stage is set for “atheism,” for the next step would be to eliminate the concept “God” altogether, except perhaps as a “poetical symbol of x.” That x is a projection of the primary and mystical ego-transcending experience of man in which he sees himself as an “open system” rather than a fixed entity.

So much for mysticism. As for humanism, Fromm finds evidence for it in the paucity of biblical theology, in the negative theology of the rabbis, and in the emphatic Jewish insistence on man’s freedom of moral action. He retells the talmudic story of Rabbi Eliezer, who called for miracles to prove him right in a dispute against the majority of his fellow rabbis. After a whole series of such miracles failed to shake his adversaries from their position, Rabbi Eliezer cried:

“If the Halakhah agrees with me, let it be proved from Heaven!” Thereupon a heavenly voice cried out: “Why do you dispute with R. Eliezer, seeing that in all matters the Halakhah agrees with him!” But R. Joshua arose and exclaimed: “It is not in heaven!” What did he mean by this? R. Jeremiah said: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai; we pay no attention to a heavenly voice, because Thou hast long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai that after the majority must one incline.

As further proof of his thesis, Fromm points to the genre of Hasidic tales in which God is actually called to account by man, sometimes in a formal juridical procedure. He also argues that the Bible is more concerned with the fight against idolatry than with theology, and he interprets idolatry as the worship of a partial self—intelligence, strength, etc.—in the idol. The Bible and Jewish tradition are then humanistic because they conceive of man as finally capable of complete freedom from such false worship and because they make the whole man the measure of all things.

____________

It is difficult to criticize all this, since what Fromm ultimately does is to claim that the mystical experience which others have had of God is the same mystical experience which he has had of “man the open system” and that his own interpretation of that experience is the correct one. He does not, however, want to argue with those who think they see God in their visions; instead, he chooses to emphasize what he has in common with them. Now, it is always a formidable task to deal with someone’s interpretation of his own experience or to take exception to it. Nor can one find much fault with Fromm’s use of Jewish tradition to support his case, since the current of which he speaks really does exist, and since he is careful to point out that it is by no means the only current.

_____________

Fromm’s interpretation of that tradition, however, is open to question. He sees only man and thinks that the Jewish tradition, too, saw—or progressively grew to see—only man; the proof being that the concept of God comes to be treated as unthinkable, “hidden,” “the silent,” “the Nothing.” Why, then, have God at all? Fromm explains that God was not abolished by Judaism because a religion with God as its central idea could not afford to abandon that concept; he says, however, that Judaism did outgrow it. But to argue, as Fromm does, that the mystics’ reference to “the Nothing” means that nothing exists outside themselves, that there is no reality corresponding to their experience, is scarcely to make a logical deduction, unless one begins with the premise that “There is nothing outside the self.”

It is a misconception to assume that negative theology intends to describe the divine; rather, it seeks to avoid a rational determination of God before the essence of the divine is experienced. Rudolf Otto, in The Idea of the Holy, has put it very well:

“Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” . . . It is instructive that in such phrases as these, in which consciousness would fain put its highest consummation into words, “all images fall away” and the mind turns from them to grasp expressions that are purely negative. And it is still more instructive that in reading and hearing such words their merely negative character simply is not noticed; that we can let whole chains of such negations enrapture, even intoxicate us. . . . All this teaches us the independence of the positive content of the experience from the implications of its overt conceptual expression. . . .

Moreover, Max Scheler—anticipating just such misconceptions as Fromm’s—has pointed out that if negative theology is misunderstood as a rational theory, it necessarily leads to religious nihilism, “yes, indeed, into atheism.”

Though he misunderstands mysticism, Fromm is well advised to seek a firm foundation for his radical humanism. In attempting to anchor his vision in transcendence, he shows implicit awareness of the fact that past attempts to make “mankind” the object of the devotion and love formerly reserved for God have usually been followed by the destruction of individuality and freedom. The line leads from Rousseau to Robespierre and Marat, and from there to some 20th-century butchers who raged in the name of humanity. The concept of “humanity” is not simply an empirical one, and when it is falsely interpreted as such there results an attempt to wipe out the objective differences between people and to negate the individual’s value. Thence derives, as has often been shown, the dangerous tendency to pit the numerically greater objects of love against the numerically smaller: mankind against country, nation against tribe, tribe against family, family against person. The goal becomes, to use Bentham’s famous formulation, “the greatest happiness for the greatest number.” It may be precisely to counteract these dangers that Judaism—though it is certainly sensitive to the claims of humanity—emphasizes the commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

_____________

Since Fromm is committed to atheism, however, he cannot accept that commandment. What, then, is the foundation for ethics, and what is the “Halakhah” that is to be followed? Fromm notes that the Jewish Halakhah is a mixture of irrational laws and of precepts conducive to the highest development of man. He cannot accept the whole, nor does he believe that the Halakhah could stay alive “if the two parts were torn asunder.” But the ego-transcending experience of which Fromm speaks is a poor ground on which to build his own ethics, for there is no guarantee that it will lead man to build a “messianic” society. Fromm compares the experience of ego-transcendence to the experience of what Tillich calls the “ground of being,” but he seems to forget that the. same expression was used by Schopenhauer to describe the experience of a terrible, demonic, blind will. Schopenhauer’s conclusions and those of Nietzsche, based on a similar metaphysical concept, would certainly not appeal to Fromm. The former ran away from the experience and the latter abandoned himself to it, but in neither case were the results happy. Perhaps the lesson to be drawn from the story of the rabbis who would not trust the miracles called down by Rabbi Eliezer is not the one Fromm draws—of man’s freedom from God—but rather that human experience alone cannot be trusted to point the way which humans must follow.

2018/02/14

서울모임 신앙반성질문서

서울모임 신앙반성 질문서


I. 배모임과 사무모임

1) 종교모임
  • 예배모임과 사무모임은 룩하신 인도를 기다리는 가운데 되어가고 있습니까?
  • 모임 가운데 하나님이 계시어 그 능력으로 서로 하나로 연결된다고 느껴지는 산 침묵이 있습니까?
  • 친우들이 예배하기 위해 정신과 마음을 준비해서 온다는 증거가 모임에 있습니까?
  • 모임은 크리스천으로서 일상활의 힘과 인도의 원천이 되고 있습니까?


2) 감화
  • 모임에서 하는 감화는 미리 비함 없이 성령이 직접 인도하시는 대로 되며, 진리의  솔직하고 진실한 대로 됩니까? 
  • 회원의 영적 은사의 활용과 성장을 돕고 있습니까?


3). 모임 참여
  • 회원들은 규칙적으로 시간을 지켜 모임에 나옵니까?
  • 회원 아닌 사람들이 예배모임에 나오면, 그들을 환영하고 계속해서 나오도록 권면하고 있습니까?
  • 사무모임은 사랑과 이해와 인내의 정신으로 모이고 있으며, 진리의 권위에 겸손히 복종하며참음으로써 일치를 찾는 가운데 올바른 행동의 방향을 찾고 있습니까?

II. 
친우 서로끼리의 돌봄


4). 모임 안의 일치
  • 회원 사이에 사랑과 일치가 되어갑니까?
  • 용서의 정신을 나타내며 남의 명예를 존중합니까?
  • 불화가 일어났을 때 그것을 재빨리 온유와 사랑의 정신으로 해결하려고 노력합니까? 

5). 교육
  • 아이들이 모임의 친절한 애호를 받고 있으며, 종교생활을 발전시킬 수 있는 감화 속에 놓여 있습니까?
  • 모든 회원에게 성경과 기독교와 친우회의 역사와 원리의 지식을 가르쳐주기 위해 어떤 노력을 하고 있습니까?


6). 회원 지도
  • 회원들을 우애로서 묶기 위해 어떤 일을 하고 있습니까?
  • 모임은 심방 또는 개인적인 서신을 통해서 모든 회원들과 연락하고 있습니까?
  • 물질적인 면에서 결핍되어 있는 친우들은 사정이 필요한 대로 도움을 받고 있습니까?
  • 행동이나 생활 모양에서 문제가 되는 회원을 위해 그와 함께 의논을 하고 있습니까?


III. 모임 밖의 책임

7). 사회적 경제적 관계
아래의 일을 위해 개인 또는 모임으로서 어떻게 하고 있습니까?

  • 첫째, 물질적 원조가 필요한 사람을 돕기 위해.
  • 째, 금주를 장려하고 술 마시는 원인을 제거하기 위해.
  • 셋째, 인종적 종교적 또는 사회계급적 차별 대우로 고통받는 사람들에게 사회적 경제적으로 평등한 기회를 마련해주기 위해.
  • 넷째, 모든 사람이 다 같이 생활을 유지하고 발전시킬 수 있을 만한 사회적 경제적 조직을 창조하기 위해.


8). 공민으로서의 책임
아래의 일들을 위해 개인 또는 모임으로서 어떻게 하고 있습니까?
  • 첫째, 전쟁의 원인을 이해하고 그것을 제거하며, 평화를 위한 조건과 그 기구를 설립하기 위해.
  • 둘째, 지역사회, 시, 도, 국가 정치의 책임을 분담하며 모든 사람을 위한 언론 종교의 자유, 교육의 기회 균등을 확보하기 위해

9). 전도
다른 사람들에게 친우회의 교훈을 이해시키기 위해, 또는 다른 사람들과 같이 협력해서 기독교 이치를 전하기 위해 개인 또는 모임으로서 무엇을 하고 있습니까?

IV. 개인 생활

10). 가정
  • 날마다의 생활 속에서 속으로 물러가 하나님의 영과 사귀는 때를 가집니까?
  • 가정을 우정 평화 영혼의 숨태움의 장소로 만들고 있습니까?
  • 성경 또는 다른 종교 문헌을 경건한 마음으로 자주 습니까?

  
11). 자기 훈련
  • 말에서나 모양에서나 직업을 지킴에서나 간소함과 중용을 지키고 있습니까?
  • 직업이나 바깥 활동이 영적 성장종교 모임에 대한 봉사에 써야 할 시간과 에너지를 잡아먹지 않도록 주의하고 있습니까?
  • 약속을 틀림없이 지키며, 빚을 깨끗이 물고, 모든 거래를 의젓이 하고 있습니까?
  • 모임을 위한 일이나 봉사를 함에서 마땅히 해야 할 책임을 다하고 있습니까?


12). 인류 동포
  • 모든 전쟁의 원인을 제거하는 생명과 능력 속에 살고 있습니까?
  • ​개인과 단체와 나라 사이의 화해를 위한 일에서 자기 할 몫을 하고 있습니까?
  • 전쟁 준비를 반대하며 전쟁에 참가하는 것을 그리스도의 정신이나 가르침에 위반되는 것으로 반대하는 우리 친우회의 증거를 충실히 지키고 있습니까?
  • ​다른 사람과의 온갖 관계에서 그들을 형제로, 동무로 대접합니까?


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