The Teachings of Saint Augustine and Confucius - Book Report/Review Example

Ways in Which the Teachings of Saint Augustine and Confucius Are Similar With Regard To the Treatment of One’s Family, The Pursuit Of Truth And One’s Involvement In Society Different authors, writing about different issues in most cases address similar themes, though in their own unique ways. Regardless of the story, style, or means chosen by an author while writing, the reason for composing the text remains the biggest issue. Two books, Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects, have remained classics for over a millennium, with people drawing a lot of reference from them. Treating one’s family, pursuant of truth and involvement in the society all require good morals and ethical behavior. Therefore, not only have they offered a basis for more authors and researchers, they have also offered people guidance on equal capacity despite their varying styles. Although Augustine’s book, confessions is a biography of his sinful life and his transformation into Christianity as a catholic, and Confucius’s book Analects, composed of wise Chinese saying, both texts teach the society the same moral lessons, offering the readers moral guidance by teaching about similar moral actions. Confessions, as Augustine described his book, was an autobiography of his life, giving accounts of his sinful life from a tender age to the time when he transformed into Christianity. As reveals in his narration, at first, he lived a sinful life, of lust and negligence, believing in a religion that was not there. In fact, to some extent, he regrets having had been a fool. He relents about his sinful youth, which he expresses at his early forties (Confessions, III, 1). In his book, and while expressing his pain and dissatisfaction with the kind of life he lived then. In his own accord, he was an immoral man, who lived a religiously misguided life (Confessions, III. 7). In his early religion of Manichaean, he believed in astrology, which he compares with believing in idolatry. If he was content with this form of religion, he would not have transformed into Christianity, and choosing chastity (Confessions, III. 10-16). In his entire book, thus he expresses his delight in having realized the true form of Christianity, and having known the importance of morals in a human being. At his was the main reason why immediately after realizing that Manichaean religion had no substantial teachings, he opted to change to Christianity. In his autobiography, he expresses the role played by Nebridius in persuading him that astrology was not only wrong but also sinful, and the role played by St. Ambrose in converting him into Christianity. Before converting into Christianity, he was an immoral person, which he expresses by his countless sexual encounters that he had from his tender age. Initially, he believed that sex was good, a reason why he so much indulged in it. Between the age of 16 and 19, he had already engaged himself in countless accounts of sex with his friends, especially due to the influence they had on him (Confession, III.2). By then, he was studying in Carthage, where he regrets having transformed into Manichaeism (Confession, III.4). Not only did he regret having been part of the group of friends who lead his astray, he also felt a lot of regret for having been part of the group. Yet, when his closest friend died of unclear circumstances when he was away, he realizes his own human nature (Book IV). It was because of the death of this friend that he realized that had been wrong. Falling into grief and a sorrowful mood, he turned to Christianity at the age of 29, and fully accepting the doctrines of catholic at the age of 32 (Book IV). Even at a tender age, he had indulged in more sinful things than he ever could have imagined. At the time of narration, he could not recount the number of sins had committed at his infant stage. However, he remembers the time he started having bad companions as friends, those who influenced his life negatively. It was at the age of teenage that he started engaging in petty theft, and had his first sexual encounter (Confessions, II. 1). Coming from a well up family that did not lack food or shelter, he still found himself through the influence of his friends stealing food for fun. Although he reveals that his family had many pears, he still found it fun band interesting stealing pears from other people, eating some and throwing others to the pigs (Confessions, II, 10). While trying to justify his actions, he argues that were it not for the influence of his friends, he would not have stolen the pears. In this account, he reveals that being independent of one thought, and resisting any influence from other people is the best way to avoid falling into sin and immoral behavior (Confessions, II, 13). Not only did he regret having been part of the group of friends who lead his astray, he also felt a lot of regret for having been part of the group. Yet, when his closest friend died of unclear circumstances when he was away, he realizes his own human nature (Confessions, IV. 8). It was because of the death of this friend that he realized that had been wrong. Falling into grief and a sorrowful mood, he turned to Christianity at the age of 29, and fully accepting the doctrines of catholic at the age of 32 (Confessions, IV. 18). Giving an account of the teachings of Confucius, the book Analects seeks to provide moral guidance to the people. Differing with the biography, the book contains teachings about people’s welfare. The main theme presented in the book is the cultivation of a moral culture among the people in a society. This mortality should begin with the leadership of the country, trickling down to the parents and finally their children. Moreover, Confucius out rightly expressed his respect for heaven (Analects 3.12). However, he expresses his disappointments on the unwillingness of the spirits to understand this (Analects 6.20). He however focused much of his teachings in the cultivation of an individual in the society, which largely depended on ren (defined as a humane character by his followers). Thus, according to this teaching, people ought to act in accordance to the rightful behaviour. However, his over emphasis on ren described the qualities that a person ought to have in the society. As such, a person cultivated within ren would have a modest and a carefully guided speech (Analects 12.3) and have freedom from any form of worry, unhappiness and sense of insecurity (Analects 9.28). Further, he agreed that people should show a lot of respect, tolerance and be trustworthy in the society to win the respect of others (Analects 12.22). Analects, through the moral teachings about good morals of a person, argue that it is wrong for other people’s desire to suppress that of an individual. According to this teaching, an individual should be free to express his own desires through respect from other people. This however did not happen in Augustine’s teenage life, as his friends’ desired dominated his life. Indulging in a group of friends whose interest was destruction, theft and lust, these did not let him free; rather, they kept their influence over him all along, despite the fact that he felt that it was wrong. Additionally, they made him convert to Manichaeism, despite his strong desire to be a catholic. The main reason for these teachings was educating his students to produce ethically cultivated people who would show gravity, speak in a sober language and demonstrate high levels of integrity in their actions. The two books, Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects teach of good morals within the society. As such, they have demonstrated the importance of using morals while treating one’s family, pursuing truth well as involvement in society. Although the style of presenting their ideas is different, they show the need for people having good morals in the society. Although Confucius’s book, Analects, contains sayings and teachings of the wise man, Augustine’s book, Confessions, contains a true account of a person; who having led a sinful life, turns to Christianity. Therefore, these two texts serve the same purpose of teaching the society similar values. Works Cited Pusey, Edward B. The Confessions of Saint Augustine, 401 AD. Web. 13 November 13, 2013 http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/augconf/aug01.htm Legge, James. The Analects of Confucius, 2012. Web. 13 November 13, 2013 http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/confucius/c748a/index.html Read More