1. A Righteous Person Stands against Evil at the Cost to Himself

World Scripture

The Master said, “A gentleman in his dealings with the world has neither enmities nor affections; but wherever he sees Right he ranges himself behind it.
Analects 4.10 (Confucianism)

And if God had not repelled some men by others, the earth would have been corrupted.
Qur’an 2.251

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5.10

Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; you shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”
John 2.13-16

They that are desirous of victory do not conquer by might and energy so much as by truth, compassion, righteousness, and spiritual discipline. Discriminating then between righteousness and unrighteousness, and understanding what is meant by covetousness, when there is recourse to exertion fight without arrogance, for victory is there where righteousness is. Under these conditions know, O king, that to us victory is certain in this battle. Indeed, where Krishna is, there is victory.
Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva 21 (Hinduism)

Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the Government nor of dungeons to ourselves. Let us have faith that right makes might; and in that faith let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it. Abraham Lincoln¹⁰

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

The Chinese character for “righteousness,” 義 (eui) is a combination of two characters: 羊 (yang) “sheep” and 我 (ah) “self.”¹¹ In other words, when you put yourself in the position of a sacrificial lamb, you will create the condition for righteousness.
(92:309, April 24, 1977)

Go and do something adventurous for the sake of the nation and God’s righteousness. God will encourage you, “Go ahead and do it.” Then you will meet with abuse. There will be a confrontation, but if you subjugate the evil on your own, then God will be pleased. It is the outcome God hopes for. Will God help you if you cower in fear, too afraid even to fight? Therefore, raise well-intentioned problems.
(104:107, April 15, 1979)

You must be able to distinguish between good and evil, but how do you distinguish them? In the world good and evil are intermingled; however, the point where good and evil becomes distinguished is in yourself.
The world is evil; therefore, if you live without colliding with the world, you are an evil person. You live in a fallen realm; therefore, if you are living your life like a fish caught in a net, you are an evil person. If you just continue with your life instead of confronting the world’s evils, you are an evil person. Since you know that the present-day world is an evil world, you must fight against it.
Why? It is because humans fell. Having fallen from our original position, you must climb back up, and in order to climb back up, you must struggle through it. It will not do to stay still. Otherwise, you will never be able to greet the new world that humankind desires. You will not leave a mark of goodness in history, and history will not be able to progress. That is why, as people who would advance the cause of goodness, you must fight.
(33:42, August 1, 1970)

It is a principle that the side of justice grows stronger with persecution and difficulty. Therefore, when we are hit we will develop even more.
(93:134, May 21, 1977)

When good people pursue a certain goal, they are often uncertain about their objective, and on the path they find little support to stimulate and strengthen their aspiration for goodness. On the other hand, evil people find help every step of the way and relationships to encourage them from the beginning to the end. Therefore, a person who is seeking truth inevitably finds him or herself in situations of loneliness and sorrow. The path of the person who upholds goodness will not be a smooth one. Not many people welcome an individual who strives to cultivate a character of exceptional goodness, especially as he tries to assemble an environment that meets his standard. There will be opposition when that person tries to build a family of goodness, and even stronger evil forces will surround and oppose any attempt to build a tribe of goodness.
(36:52, November 15, 1970)

Father! I am going forward as a strong man, bold and magnanimous; I will not be put to shame. Please, watch over me on my path; I will make Thee proud of me.
(134:142-43, February 25, 1985)