Family as the Cornerstone of Society

Society is an organism with families as its cells. Let these building blocks be healthy, and society will be healthy. On the other hand, when families break down, society cannot but be in turmoil.

The prevalence of family breakdown in our time is a worrying trend, boding no good for a nation’s future. Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to construe “family values” as family-centered. The attitude that “my home is my castle” would only be another form of selfishness.

The lessons learned in the family “school of love” (See Chapter 19: The Basic Form of Life) are meant to be applied at every level of social organization. Thus, Confucian ethics regards the norm of filial piety as the basis for the ethic of public service: serving parents at home is training to serve the nation.

Likewise, the ways of love for siblings, parents, and children are to be extended to caring for one’s neighbors who are our peers, our parents’ age, and our children’s age. In this way, loving relationships in the individual family extend to encompass the universal family of humankind.

Healthy Families Make for a Strong Nation

The Way lies at hand yet it is sought afar off; the thing lies in the easy yet it is sought in the difficult. If only everyone loved his parents and treated his elders with deference, the Empire would be at peace. Mencius IV.A.11 (Confucianism)

The natural family, stable and monogamous—as fashioned by God and sanctified by Christianity—in which different generations live together, helping each other to acquire greater wisdom and to harmonize personal rights with other social needs, is the basis of society. Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio (Christianity)

When a family declines, ancient traditions are destroyed. With them are lost the spiritual foundations for life, and the family loses its sense of unity. Where there is no sense of unity, the women of the family become corrupt, and with the corruption of its women, society is plunged into chaos. Social chaos is hell for the family and for those who have destroyed the family as well. Bhagavad-Gita 1.40-42 (Hinduism)

As history testifies, the prosperity of the State and the temporal happiness of its citizens cannot remain safe and sound where the foundation on which they are established, which is the moral order, is weakened and where the very fountainhead from which the State draws its life, namely, wedlock and family, is obstructed by the vices of its citizens. Pope Pius XI, Casti Connubi (Christianity)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The strongest foundation for the unity of humanity is the universal and essential love generated through the ideal of the true family. (330:252, August 18, 2000)

Family education determines the future destiny of the entire nation. When there are many families living by the principle of public service, the nation will flourish; when there are many families living with a private standard, the nation will perish. (31:243, June 4, 1970)

Unrest among today’s youth has created problems throughout the world.1 The cause of this unrest almost always has to do with emotional issues that result from not having sound parents and brothers and sisters, and from unhealthy man-woman relationships. Considering this fact, where do we look for the clue to correct these destructive problems? It is in the family. (23:13, May 11, 1969)

All juvenile problems originate in the family. Most of these children have parents, but the parents’ hearts are not deeply implanted in their children’s hearts. In other words, these children did not experience parental love down to their bones. The generation gap arose from that point. (25:60, September 28, 1969)

The most serious problem besetting humankind is the destruction of family values due to immorality and moral decadence. Moral decadence is truly the original sin that pushes people into the abyss of suffering and despair. Whether the world of the future will resemble heaven or hell will be determined by whether we can establish a moral code that sustains the purity of the family and protects family values. (288:140, November 26, 1997)

America is bound to decline, like Rome in ancient times. Rome was not defeated by foreign invasions. It perished from within, after moral corruption undermined the people’s values of love and family. Today America is vulnerable for the same reason. It is declining from within; it will not continue for long.

Despite its developed civilization, America is beset by confusion over sex. The developing countries are too; [they take their lead from America.] Unless we can restore discipline and a strong moral fiber, America and the world will have no hope for a better future. (118:296, June 20, 1982)

Virtues Learned in the Family Are the Basis of Public Virtue

Treat the aged of your own family in a manner befitting their venerable age and extend this treatment to the aged of other families; treat your own young in a manner befitting their tender age and extend this to the young of other families, and you can roll the empire on your palm. The Book of Songs says, He set an example for his consort And also for his brothers, And so ruled over the family and the state. In other words, all you have to do is take this very heart here and apply it to what is over there. Hence one who extends his bounty can bring peace to the Four Seas; one who does not cannot bring peace even to his own family. There is just one thing in which the Ancients greatly surpassed others, and that is the way they extended what they did. Mencius I.A.7 (Confucianism)

Do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father; treat younger men like brothers, older women like mothers, younger women like sisters, all in purity. 1 Timothy 5.1-2

Regard old women the way you regard your mother. Regard those who are older than you the way you regard your elder sisters; regard those who are younger than you as your younger sisters, and regard children as your own. Bring forth thoughts to rescue them, and put an end to bad thoughts. Sutra of Forty-two Sections 29 (Buddhism)

From affection for parents came the honoring of the ancestors; from the honoring of the ancestors came the respect and attention shown to the Heads of the families. By the respect and attention shown the Heads all the members of the clan were united. Through their unity came the dignity of the ancestral temple. From that dignity arose the importance attached to the altars of the land and grain. From that importance there ensued the love all the people with their hundred surnames. From that love came the right administration of punishments and penalties. Through that administration, the people had the feeling of repose. Through that restfulness all resources for expenditure became sufficient. Through the suf- ficiency of these, what all desired was realized. That realization led to all courteous usages and good customs, and from these, in fine, came all happiness and enjoyment. Book of Rites 14, The Great Treatise (Confucianism)

Filial piety is the constant method of heaven, the righteousness of earth, and the practical duty of man. Heaven and earth invariably pursue the course of filial piety, and the people take it as their pattern. The ancients imitated the brilliant luminaries of heaven and acted in accordance with the advantages afforded by the earth so that they were in accord with all under Heaven; and in consequence, their teachings, without being severe, were successful, and their government, without being severe, secured perfect order. Classic of Filial Piety 7 (Confucianism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The family, comprised of father and mother, husband and wife, and children, is a microcosm of the world.

You should understand that the path of humankind is to love all kinds of people, expanding from the love you have for the members of your own family. You should love elderly people as your grandparents, middle-aged people as your parents, people a few years older than you as your elder brothers and sisters, and people [a few years] younger than you as your younger brothers and sisters. (105:106, September 30, 1979)

Love your neighbors’ parents as you love your own parents, love your neighbors’ grandparents as you love your own grandparents, and love your neighbors’ children as you love your own children. This is how you expand vertical and horizontal relationships and extend front and back relationships. Do you understand this principle? You must expand these relationships for the vertical standard of heart to take root and the Way of Heaven to appear. (70:152, February 9, 1974)

And when you fight with someone, fight carrying the heart of a parent towards your opponent. That is, even though he may be an enemy, ultimately he is like your child.

That is why our motto is, “Let us go forth with the heart of a parent and the body of a servant, shedding sweat for earth, tears for humankind, and blood for Heaven.” This is the only way to complete the restoration. (17:338-39, April 30, 1967)

Your parents represent everyone who gives you love: your teachers, your friends, and the Subject Partner [God]. Hence, you can take them as representing all people. Therefore, serving your parents is the way to serve all people and receive the love of all people. This is the meaning of the traditional [Confucian] teaching that virtuous sons and daughters serve their parents with filial piety. (105:108, September 30, 1979)

True parents do not teach their children that it is enough to have filial piety while ignoring the needs of their country. They teach them, “Go the way of patriots and serve your nation, even at the sacrifice of your family.

Go the way of saints and live for the sake of the world, even at the sacrifice of your nation. Seek the welfare of Heaven and earth, even if you must give up the world; and even if you have to give up heaven and earth, seek for God.”

Just as an individual does his filial duty by putting his family’s welfare ahead of himself, to become a patriot, he must put the welfare of the nation ahead of his family.

To become a saint, he must put the salvation of the world ahead of his own nation, and to become a divine son, he must establish God’s Kingdom in heaven and on earth even at the sacrifice of everything in the world. (May 3, 1997)