An ethical philosophy of life presented in its main outlines — John Shaqi
An ethical philosophy of life presented in its main outlinesAdler, Felix
Religion
An ethical philosophy of life presented in its main outlines
Adler, Felix
Ethics; Philosophy, Modern
asserted that the Golden Rule as taught by Jesus is not original, but
substantially the same rule that had been laid down by Confucius 500
years before the time of Jesus. But on closer scrutiny it will be seen
that the two Golden Rules are by no means the same. As propounded
by the Chinese sage the rule appears to mean: Keep the balance true
between thyself and thy neighbor; illustrate in thy conduct the
principle of equilibrium. As impressed upon his disciples by Jesus it
means: Look upon thy neighbor as thy other self; act towards him as if
thou wert he.
To return to my point, the impression of novelty which I received
in reading the Gospels was definite and striking. The mythological
idealization of Jesus, indeed, I put aside as a thing that did not
concern me. On the other hand, to say with certain modern liberals
that he was just a man, an infinitely gracious personality, one who
exemplified in his life the virtues of forgiveness and self-sacrifice,
did not satisfy me either. Buddha too had taught forgiveness: “For
hatred is not conquered by hatred at any time; hatred is conquered by
love.” It could not then be the bare precept of forgiveness that lets
light on the secret of Jesus. And self-sacrifice—“Greater love hath no
man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friend”—had
been practiced within and without the pale of Hebraism.
That he continued the work of his Hebrew predecessors I made no doubt.
On the Hebrew side he was a prophet, or rather, a saint in Israel. But
I had just as little doubt that he took a step beyond his predecessors,
that his teachings bear upon them the signature of originality.
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