From Confucian China, "The Way of Great Learning"

[Ed Ziomek]

On a China discussion forum, I was educated on a particular "prophet" Zhu Xi, and his version of Confucianism, from which four great books are identified as the foundational introduction.

The first of the four books is the "Great Learning", and it holds for me some truths that America and myself could use today...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Learning

"The Way of the great learning involves manifesting virtue,
renovating the people, and abiding by the highest good.

The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom, first ordered well their own States.

Wishing to order well their 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 then 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 entire world was at peace.

From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything ...."

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Last night, we heard from the President of the United States, the "State of the Union". History tells us how to be harmonious, and maybe this is practical advice, maybe not. But I can't help but feel how de-tached the "Great Learning" is from the elements of the State of the Union speech. Especially the part of naming radical Islam as one of the problems... I think this is dangerous area to be mentioning... what about radical, self-righteous Christians who say "God is on our side", or "God declares certain real estate for specific groups of people"?

Lucky for all of us, I feel Congress is waking up, America is waking up and taking a stand, so I have great hope we can swing back towards sanity. We have to cure ourselves first, I think.

[Richard Haut]

If "Neo-Con" was to stand for Neo-Confucian then the ordinary American people might justify Zhu Xi's belief in the innate goodness of man.