In the end... -- ExUBF's Parlor_Free wheel as far as u can from UBF

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Date Posted: 06:55:52 02/05/05 Sat
Author: Mike K.
Subject: In the end...
In reply to: Chris 's message, "My thoughts about "pure" Confucianism" on 03:49:15 02/05/05 Sat

But it is somewhat similar to Marxism. While the original teachings sound good and resemble the Bible they do not work out because they neglect the existence of God and of human sin.
The "real existing Confucianism" is always corrupt, inevitably, because it neglects the existence of God and of human sin just as Marxism does.

That should be the explanation why an "end justifies means" isn't okay when the means aren't okay, because - in the end, everything that doesn't have God as a driving force will not flourish unto Eternal life, but thrive in corruption and fall victim to decay and loss.

Effectively, nothing without God is pure, however noble the man who said it. Even the New Testament, if applied as a book of behaviour and morals, will not be pure, since the "pure Gospel" isn't one of ethics or works, but of Jesus Christ the Lord and Saviour.

The original teachings of Confucius are worth while to consider for the moral standards behind them, yet one will find that they can only be properly applied in a perfect world where no one will take advantage of others. And - the world isn't perfect. Much less, there is NOTHING in this world which is perfect, save corruption.
The Lord is not of this world, His kingdom isn't of this world, and as such, He can't be measured with the measure of imperfection which we must realize in the world.

But I can say that from my knowledge of Confucius, obedience and submission from student towards teacher are "givens", as well as the privilege (and duty) for the teacher to be not fully explaining themselves, to be stern and harsh.
Those principles found their way into UBF as well as many other Christian groups from the East. I think Watchman Nee's "Authority and Submission" (c) LSM is one example of how Confucianism has entered Eastern Christianity without anyone taking note that Confucius is NOT the Lord.
Nee turned many Confucian "givens" into Christian principles, and others have then taken their liberty to hammer Nee's words into stone as iron laws which allegedly are biblical "musts".
And while one may still set up Nee to have had only the best intentions, his mixing up Confucius with the Bible has opened many doors to corrupt teachers who were more interested in establishing for themselves a position of authority than bringing people to Jesus.

And that is the evil of Confucianism: that it enters into the minds of Christians because it looks and sounds so similar.

In Christ,
Mike K.

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