Lesson 4. Restoration of Order and Relation in the Human World
Section 1. Order
From the Sun and the Earth that travel the universe to the elements that form the basis of all organisms, nature and all life exist and move according to set rules and order. Through the orderly display of creation, we can learn about the need and the role of order in the world. Also, we can understand why orders such as laws of the world, virtues, and social norms are necessary, and what kind of impact they have on the safety and peace of humanity.
Section 2. Correlation Between Order and Peace
This part of the lesson analyzes in detail the relation between order and peace. When human greed destroys social order, it is difficult for peace to thrive in such a disorderly nation or society. On the other hand, social order can flourish on top of a strong foundation of love, respect, and understanding between members of the society, and a society where law and order are observed is peaceful.
Section 3. The Restoration of Order and Relation in the Human World
Restoring undermined order and relation across the globe precedes turning the world into a peaceful place. From establishing order within a person to restoring order and relation at an international level, this part of the lesson examines ways for the restoration to take place and how to convert such ideas into a reality.
Maintaining order is a vital part of ensuring the peaceful co-existence of humanity. All creations live in grand order. The order of nature creates a stable environment for all living things to thrive, so when such an order is impaired, it poses threat to all life on Earth. Hence, it is evident that order within humanity plays a crucial role in protecting the lives of the members, creating a social safety net, and maintaining peace. When we think about orders within the world such as laws, etiquettes, and rules within companies, they are made so that the members are able to live together in a considerate and respectful manner without harming each other. When establishing an order, various situations and variables need to be taken into account, and once it is made, it is difficult to alter the existing order. Hence, building order requires much prudence. However, the hard-built order can be destroyed in an instant with no in-depth consideration involved, since disorder stems from greed. Careless and selfish acts driven purely by one’s desire lacks consideration of overall balance and selflessness. Ultimately, lack of order makes fine-tuning the needs of interested parties more arduous, resulting in fragmentation of the society and peace. Hence, “restoration of order and relation in the human world” is necessary for peace to take root. The foundation of order should be a sense of altruism and love, and the purpose of order should be the promotion of safety and peace.
The phrase “修身齊家治國平天下” means, first cultivate self, establish harmony in the family, and govern the country to bring peace to the world. This can be seen as the process of restoring peace and order. Lessons 5 to 12 will explain the steps of establishing peace by restoring order in the human world with the heavenly culture that begins with building order within individuals. It is by no means easy to restore order and peace. However, how can a peaceful world be built without struggles and efforts? A peaceful world restored with our blood, sweat, and tears will be a beautiful world for our future generations to dwell in.
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