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Love--a Necessity for the Fulfilment of Mankind
Almost 500 years before the Christian era, Mo Tzu, in China, gained a large following for his concepts regarding mutual love and its potential to replace war among states and nations.
"Whence do these calamities arise?" he asked. And he answered as follows:
They arise from the absence of mutual love. At present feudal lords have learned only to love their own States, but not those of others. Therefore they have no scruples about attacking other states. And the heads of houses have learned only to love their own houses and never those of others. Therefore they have no scruples against usurping the houses of others. And individuals have learned only to love themselves and not others. Therefore they too have no scruples against injuring others. It follows that all the calamities, strifes, conflicts, complaints, and hatreds in the world have their origin out of the want of mutual love. How can this condition be altered?
It is to be altered by the way of universal love and mutual aid. This means to regard the State of others as one's own, the houses of others as one's own, the persons of others as one's self.
When all the people of the world love one another, then the strong will not overpower the weak, the many will not oppress the few, the wealthy will not mock the poor, the honored will not disdain the humble, and the cunning will not deceive the simple.
And it will be due to mutual universal love that calamities, strifes, complaints, and hatred will disappear from the face of the earth.
Mo Tzu's ideas were not well received by those in power. Jesus presented similar views 500 years later. Those in power crucified him.
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