Repentance in Utopia

M. Scott Peck wrote in one of his books that people with neurosis make themselves miserable with feelings of guilt, apprehension, and all manners of psychological burden; and that people with psychosis make other people around them miserable by building walls of egotistical stones that shut out feelings of conscience, compassion, and empathy. Utopia is not a place where there are no more problems in daily life; it is just a place where problems are manageable and people live in harmony, with each other and with nature. A key to that harmony is forgiveness, not just in the big sins, but just as important, in the daily inevitable annoyances, the small stuff. Instead of sweating the small stuff, Ben Franklin struggled to live a peaceful life in good terms with everyone. That's why he was a diplomatic success in France, and managed to provide the nascent American colonies with much needed political, and more poignantly, the financial backing to raise a new nation. If he had been easily offended by the little snobbishness in the French court, America and the world would not be the same today.

If forgiveness is so freely given, why then is repentance necessary? Indeed, is repentance necessary? As so often happens, nature's remarkable symmetry is illustrated vividly in the need for repentance, not to gain forgiveness from others, by for our own redemption. (The symmetry is found in that the benefits from both forgiveness and repentance are inwardly directly to the self, even though the acts of both forgiveness and repentance are directed outwards to others.) As someone once said, it is maddness to expect a different result by doing the same thing. We cannot change the conditions in our lives when we continue to do the same things over and over. The ozone layer would not heal itself if the world did not come together in one moment of international goodwill borne of urgency to ratify the Montreal Protocol to change world wide behavior towards the use of flourocarbon chemicals. Although heaven rains down on both the good and bad alike, only the hard-working farmers will reap a bountiful harvest.

Christ's sermon on the mount has often puzzled me. It seems counter-intuitive that the poor in spirit are blessed, instead of the joyous and happy. Then M. Scott Peck's observation occurred to me, and an epiphany! Only those poor in spirit, miserable neurotics with a weak ego would feel the need to change, to repent, to make new their lives. The self-satisfied egotistical complacent ones are those lazy ones in Christ's parables, caught off-gaurd by the master's return. Although we are allowed to be happy, as the late great John Paul II had said to the youth of the world, we are also to balance that happiness with caution, with ever diligent wisdom, to be harmless as doves, but wise as scorpions, ever watchful for the birds that come to snatch away the seeds, the rain and wind that washes away the foundation.

Just as China during the middle ages was caught off-gaurd by the diligent western renaissance, those who believe themselves perfect and need not change, will be caught by the proverbial tortoise which stride slowly but steadily to improve themselves, by changing a little bit at a time. Utopia is not a place where everything is perfect, but a place where everyone is continually changing to become more perfect, by whatever definition they feel most appropriate in their own mind, according to their own conscience: To each his own.

As it is said in one of the prophets, the man who has been righteous all his life is still a sinner as soon as he commits one sin, while the sinner who has been sinning all his life is still made righteous as soon as he repents and does what is right. The same sentiment is found in Buddhism. In today's language, it isn't where you've been that matters, but in what direct you are going. In utopia, everyone is going in the same direction, according to their own internal GPS.

Forgiveness and Repentance

Repentance, or in other words change from previous behavior to begin a new future, is a common thread that ties all the major religions, but unique among them is the central position of forgiveness in Christianity. Indeed, it is the foundation of Christ's teaching. Without forgiveness, there can be no Christians. How important is repentance in Christianity? Is is as important as forgiveness? Paul taught that salvation is from Grace alone, not from works. Christ taught that none can be saved without being baptised, being born again. He also told the woman who was forgiven to go and sin no more. I think it is paradoxical that on the one hand, salvation is not dependent on repentance, and yet it is expected. The paradox is understandable, when we realize that forgiveness is not dependent on repentance, but on our intentions. An ancient Chinese proverb says, "Mountains and rivers are easier to move then to change one's character." Old habits die hard, so repentance is not always met with success, and we are urged to sooth the failure with forgiveness. Yet, at the same time, we are adminished to be wise as scorpions, and to not throw pearls to dogs. We are expected to be wise in our stewardship of our resources, so as to yield the most good works and not waste time, energy, and self-respect on lost causes.

It is interesting that none of the religions taught a definitive rule to draw the line as to when enough is enough. Only our own capacity for love, compassion, and all the highest virtues universally recognized, determines the point beyond which we will not give, forgive. The greatest souls are also those that have the greatest capacity to give and forgive. The meanest souls are also those with the most petty of grievances, and stubbornest grudges.

One of the most interesting definition of mature intelligence is the capacity to change one's mind, even one's character, past the normal age of childhood, even adulthood. The capacity to change one's mind is directly related to many human pathology, both psychological and spiritual. To live is to change, in response to the environment, or following one's own will. To not change is to be inanimate, literally without soul.

I came across a question in a forum on Chinese history that was thought provoking, and after considerate thought, I think I have the beginning of an answer. The question was to consider the reason behind the lack of scientific development in China during the Renaissance in Europe, even though at the time and for centuries earlier, China was technologically much more advanced in many areas. What was the reason that allowed Europe to develop scientific methods while the rest of the world, even the Arabs, from whom much of the Renaissance science was derived? I think there are many factors that contributed to the rise of Science (as in the systematic study of nature using the scientific methods).

The introduction of paper, compass, and gunpowder from China into Europe was certainly important because they allowed the Age of Exploration to become the Age of Exploitation, and channeled huge economical development that gave rise to a leisure class, the aristocracy, the thinkers. Without the economic revolution that came with the treasures of the new world, Europe would be still mired in poverty for many centuries. Science probably would not achieve the critical mass necessary for the fantastic revolutions that followed.

The systematic studies that Renaissance scholars inherited from Arabs and Jews also provided a secure foundation from which to build a new system of thought. However, I think central to the reason for the scientific revolution in Europe, and all the subsequent historical development afterwards, is the Bible. Unique among all the religion, Christ taught that we are to judge a tree by its fruits. This empirical teaching is central to Christian thought, and almost axiomatic. It is so self-evident that most western scholars fail to address this. In addition to the empirical nature of discerning good from evil, there is also the corollary to the personal nature of Christ divinity. When no priesthood should be allowed to act as the intermediary between a person's salvation and God, each individual is as worthy as another. This equality of individual souls is also the foundation of democracy, but just as importantly, the foundation of a scientific community where a person's work is not determined by status, birth, social hierarchy, etc, but by the fruit of his labour alone. It is especially significant in China during the time of European Renaissance. While Erasmus and Bacon were working hard to develop the pragmatic philosophies that eventually evolved into the scientific methods we know, Chinese scholars were working hard to maintain the old sacred texts that had been outdated for centuries earlier. Instead of adopting new and practical methods, the reverence of Confucian texts exclusively, led to the lost opportunities that allowed European development to leap frog the tremendous lead that China enjoyed for almost a thousand years. It was the unwillingness to change, that locked China into a permanent feudal society, while Europe evolved into the modern age.

A stubborn unwillingness to change is as deadly to societies as it is to a living soul.

Forgiveness in Reality

It is easier to preach forgiveness than it is to practice it. Even disciples had trouble and asked Jesus how many times should a person be forgiven. I was told that the answer, seven times seven, should not be taken literally, but implies as many times as necessary. Christ also taught us to be harmless as doves, but wise as scorpions. Paul also wrote in his letters more than once, that although Christians need to be apart from the world, they need to be wise in the ways of the world, so as not to behave foolishly.

It would be foolish to forgive someone over and over just to be taken advantage of, over and over. I don't think Jesus would've wanted that for us. Forgiveness also needs to be tempered with a little wisdom, so that if someone continually takes advantage of our good nature, there is a reasonable and wise response. It took me a while to realize the most paradoxical passage in the Proverbs is exactly what is needed. To paraphrase the two verses, "Do not answer a fool or you will become like him. Answer a fool or otherwise he would think he is right." The passage seems paradoxical at first because we are counselled to do opposite things, when in fact, it tells us we should behave purposefully, not just in reaction to someone else's behavior.

We cannot respond to injustice by inflicting injustice on others, because, as Gandi put it so succintly, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." We have all offended someone at some time, whether unintentionally or otherwise, so as Jesus said to those people stoning the adulterous woman, "Let those among you without sin cast the first stone." Forgiveness is for us to earn and repay the same forgiveness that we have been given. We will be judged as we have judged others.

On the other hand, we cannot ignore injustice and let it go unchallenged, because, as Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "When there is even one man suffer from injustice, no one is safe." We need to be discerning, as wise as scorpions, and stand up against any injustices in the world, against anyone. When the good people fail to stand up and be the light for the world, we are all plunged into darkness.

We need to discern the difference between unintentional daily little annoyances, and deliberate intentional evil acts. Forgiveness is the lubricant that takes away the heat of inevitable friction in the crowded rushed world of today. Courage and discernment to stand up calmly but firmly against intentional evil is the calling for saints. Most of us would do well if we can accomplish either some of the time.

It is never easy to tell people's intention. Christ's message is for us to give the benefit of the doubt, and be forgiving, but to also keep our eyes open, and not be blinded by sentimental feelings.