1. The Foundation of Morality
World Scripture
The earth is upheld by the veracity of those who have subdued their passions, and, following righteous practices, are never contaminated by desire, covetousness, and wrath.
Vishnu Purana 3.12 (Hinduism)
No individual is lost and no nation is refused prosperity and success if foundations of their thoughts and actions rest upon piety and godliness, and upon truth and justice.
Nahjul Balagha, Khutba 21 (Shiite Islam)
The world stands upon three things: upon the Law, upon worship, and upon showing kindness.
Mishnah, Avot 1.2 (Judaism)
When people submit to force they do so not willingly but because they are not strong enough. When people submit to the transforming influence of morality they do so sincerely, with admiration in their hearts.
Mencius II.A.3 (Confucianism)
When the personal life is cultivated, the family will be regulated; when the family is regulated, the state will be in order; when the state is in order, there will be peace throughout the world. From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all must regard cultivation of the personal life as the root or foundation. There is never a case when the root is in disorder and yet the branches are in order.
The Great Learning (Confucianism)
Let there arise out of you a group of people, inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain happiness and prosperity.
Qur’an 3.104
In The Book of Songs it is said,
He makes no show of his moral worth,
Yet all the princes follow in his steps.
Hence the moral man, by living a life of simple truth and earnestness, alone can help to bring peace and order in the world.
Doctrine of the Mean 33 (Confucianism)
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
John Adams
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.
George Washington, Farewell Address
Where, after all, do universal rights begin? In small places, close to home—so close and so small they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual persons; the neighborhoods; the school or college; the factory, farm or office. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless their rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.
Eleanor Roosevelt2
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The Bible teaches about the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, benevolence, goodness, loyalty, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23) These nine fruits of the Spirit are the standards of the nation that God proposes and intends to establish. They comprise that society’s way of life.
(4:112, March 16, 1958)
Good citizenship does not appear automatically, but arises out of a person’s character and family. It flows from character, heart and education through family life. These are the bases for noble deeds by which people can advance to positions of responsibility and enhance their country’s prestige. Build these foundations and become someone your country needs. If you do not build them, you may end up becoming a corrupt official.
(34:19, August 29, 1970)
Peace and happiness depend on people’s moral and spiritual development. This is because a nation, even the world, is only as peaceful as individuals and families that comprise it. Science and technology can be used for good—for the improvement of human life—when they are utilized by good people.
Throughout history, saints and great teachers have devoted themselves to guiding families, societies and nations toward a peaceful and happy world. To take on the challenges of the twenty-first century, humanity needs true parents, true teachers and true owners who can raise leaders of mature morality and spirituality.
(271:74, August 22, 1995)
An ideal society is characterized by universally shared values. This means that everyone practices true love, observing universal ethics and morality. All members of society pursue a life of goodness and righteousness. To establish that ideal, we aim to build a society rooted in moral principles, whereby all people live moral lives in keeping with the absolute value of God’s true love.
An ideal world presupposes ideal families and mature individuals. An ideal family requires the harmony of ideal parents, ideal husband and wife, and ideal sons and daughters in true love. An individual can be called mature when his or her mind and body function in harmony through true love. When people at that level of maturity practice goodness and righteousness in their family, they create the foundation for true love. When they practice it in society, which is the extension of the family, they build the world of supreme love, the world that operates in accordance with the Way of Heaven. This indeed is the ideal world.
(271:78, August 22, 1995)