선과 악의 기준
[seongwa ag-ui gijun]
善惡的標準
Etymology
的 (~의) [ui] – suffix
標準 (기준) [gijun] – criteria
Each of us is either on the side of good or on the side of evil. Every person, family, clan, nation-in fact, the whole world–can be on the side of good or on the side of evil. There are many nations in the world, and every nation thinks it belongs on the side of good. But by what criteria can absolute good and evil be defined? We realize that all people and all nations could not be on the side of good. There must be a criterion by which good and evil can be distinguished.
Each person has his or her value system, the view of life and opinion about everything. Everyone is influenced by society. It is human nature to accept the things one likes and reject the things one dislikes. Usually, people rely on their conscience to define good and evil. Although we all have consciences, the standard of conscience differs from person to person.
The basic criterion for defining good must be recognized by everyone, and its nature must be such that none of the parties can deny it, but each recognizes and agrees with it. The conclusion, therefore, is that the definition of goodness must receive equal and universal recognition by all people on earth.
No matter how good the world may be, if you are committed to evil, it creates enormous problems for society. No matter what the surrounding circumstances may be, if you stand firm for good, nothing will affect you. There can only be one conclusion: only if everyone is committed to a position of goodness will goodness reign in society.
Each person must first create a solid foundation of goodness in himself, to go directly to the fulfillment of a good purpose. So, for a person to develop, it is necessary to create a foundation of goodness on an individual level.
So, what are you willing to be–good or bad? Surely, everyone in this world wants to be good. There isn’t a single person who dreams of being defeated.
Any definition of good, dictated by personal interest, selfishness, or narrow-mindedness, cannot be accepted as definitive. What, then, are its criteria? Let’s talk about that in the next post.