War According to Laozi - Essay Example

Laozi’s attitude towards violence is that violence is natural but we should avoid it if we can. This relates to the views of Mathew 5 because Mathew 5 also argues that “blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of Christ, for they shall inherit the Kingdom.” In this case, the bible also sees violence (persecution) as a natural thing that people should tolerate.   The Bhagavad Gita Arjuna’s perceptions of his enemies as fathers, sons, brothers, teachers, etc can be applied in my day-to-day existence because I always encounter things in my life that may seem as if I am fighting against my subconscious mind. To do what is right, I have to confront the wrong things even if it involves fighting against my negative side and those of my people. In places such as long lines in the market and jams, I will always fight against those negative thoughts that tell me to overtake others in the line, and it makes me tolerate the long lines and become patient.   Plato’s Crito Plato thinks that public opinion should not determine how we behave. We should not worry about public opinion but about how we behave. According to Plato, public opinion should only be used to derive wise and expert advice and not to be used to determine one’s behavior. One of the values that Socrates values more than life is obeying the law (Kraut 1984). Socrates considered whether it was just or unjust for him to escape, not what people are saying. If I were Crito, I would argue that although it is unjust to leave prison, the moral value of taking care of the family should be precedent over any law; being accused by the state unjustly was by itself against that moral value. So Socrates should have fought against that injustice by leaving the prison.   Mathew 5-7 According to Jesus, the purpose of good conduct is for God and others to see. Being good enables people to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. This means that being good sets a good example for others to emulate and makes one to be accepted in society and have a good image in the public. According to my experience, being good enables me to gain respect from people. Whenever I did good things in the past, people congratulated me and gave me presents. Sermon at Benares Non-monks can attain Nirvana as long as they practice good deeds such as loving-kindness, the liberation of the heart, justice, modesty, and every right path. Buddhism is more exclusive than Christianity because it suggests that the only people who can see Nirvana is the one who follows the middle path. Read More