Comparison Between the Analects and Confessions Essay

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Comparison between the Analects and Confessions
Both St. Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects are important teachings that have great influence on people around the world in the ancient time and nowadays. Both doctrines discuss ethical values of the society back in the time as we can find some similarities between the two. However, there are significant differences between Confucius and St. Augustine’s experiences and believes since they are living in different environment at time period. Their profound differences are the factors that contributed to shape the distinct cultures between the West and the East today.
Confucius taught us to love others from the within the family to everyone else in the society. A man’s…show more content…
Augustine openly criticized his family’s wrong because God was his heart and the only truth (II, 5).
Another difference between Analects and Confessions is the different believes about one’s self and the Truth. Confucius believed that the Truth of life, ren, was the virtue and benevolence of human; while St. Augustine believed that God is the Truth, the heart of goodness (Confessions, II, 5). In the teachings of Confucius, Analects, there was no specific God; Confucius focuses on the men himself and as his character develops within the society, as He believed that “it is Man who capable of broadening the Way” (Analects, XV, 29). Confucius believed in the importance of rites and ceremonies. A gentleman according to Confucius should be aware of his action and be thoughtful. For example, he should avoid a certain colors and materials for clothes on different occasions (X, 6), or he should not sit when his mat was not straight (X, 12). On contrary, St. Augustine believed that one should only be obedient to God since He was the only Truth. St. Augustine, as other Christians, believed that God created this world and created men with his image, so that men must look up to God, turn to him for forgiveness; He then would protect His people, and they would no longer suffer (Confessions, IV, 31).
Although there are differences between the Analects and Confessions, they have a common belief in treating others in the society; both teach people
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