Sermon On Philosophy & Wisdom

Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher once remarked: "The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved." Psalm 4:8 confirms: “In peace, I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

Philosophy is defined as the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. It is the theory or attitude that acts as a guiding principle for behavior. Wisdom is defined as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Philosophy is considered by many to interrelate with wisdom in several ways.

Confucius lived between circa 551 - 479 BCE. He was considered as one of the founder members of excellence in his field and as a primary innovative source of Chinese wisdom. His influential thoughts and teachings on philosophical matters support the predominance of East Asian culture and society which has remained inspirational across China and Eastern Asia throughout many centuries.

The legacy of Confucius still resonates in our world today as a creator of sagacious philosophies. However, as with many prominent people, fame and recognition came posthumously rather than during his lifetime. The thoughts of Kong Qiu or Master Kong as he was known were not received graciously by others during his lifetime but rather with scorn. The book entitled: "The Analects of Confucius," believed to have been originally compiled during the Warring States period of 475 - 221 BC as a significant collection of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius by his close followers, began to gain credence and stabilize the country only after the now, united empire. It created and developed a harmonious society. A latter-day book by Arthur Waley, deemed as one of the closest to the many translations that contain many quotes of Confucius is believed to be one of the best available.

Wikipedia states that: “Confucius taught that a ruler's sense of virtue was his primary prerequisite for leadership. His primary goal in educating his students was to produce ethically well-cultivated men who would carry themselves with gravity, speak correctly, and demonstrate consummate integrity in all things.”

Confucianism is considered by some to be an influential religious philosophy that is primarily concerned with inner virtue, morality and respect for communities and their values. It is debatable whether Confucianism is considered an actual religion. It is primarily concerned with an ethical guide to life which includes strong character building. However, there are similarities in certain phrases of Confucius and those in the Bible.

One of the golden rules of Confucianism is: "Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you." Whereas Leviticus 19:18 reminds us: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."

Philosophy is reputed to be the love of wisdom. However, the Philosophy of Christianity is defined as the love of Divine Wisdom. John 1:1 states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” When God created man, he was given free will. Adam and Eve had the liberty of choice in the Garden of Eden of eating fruit from any tree that they desired, except one. Even then, they were given the choice of obedience or disobedience. They chose the latter with severe consequences.

The concept of sin had been born. Complete freedom had thus become restricted. Freedom of thought, belief and religion exists in several countries throughout the world which should appertain to everyone. Just as Confucius had belief in his own thoughts and words relating to life in general then the same opportunity should be available to all. However, this is not always so. Repression may abound in certain respects.

Restrictions are often imposed by certain governments to limit what is said and done by its inhabitants.

According to the Christian worldview, true freedom is cultivating the right wants and living in obedience to God’s will. Galatians 5:1 reminds us: “For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Whereas Democracy, which may or may not include elements of slavery, is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation, or to choose governing officials to do so, freedom of speech is believed by many to maintain the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, by any means.

Many schools and universities in the United Kingdom often form amateur dramatic clubs for their children or under-graduates. This is to encourage and provide an outlet for the young to experience the freedom of expression from an early age and to provide an introduction to the art of acting.