Don’t let a narrow mindset hinder the journey of good deeds

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Yicheng · Jan 17, 2025
On the journey of advancing public welfare, we often encounter the criticism: “Your charity seems too religious.” This is a classic example of a narrow perspective—one that is influenced by bias, limitations, or even misunderstanding, and fails to truly consider the viewpoint of those involved in charitable efforts. To better explain our original intentions, it […]

On the journey of advancing public welfare, we often encounter the criticism: “Your charity seems too religious.” This is a classic example of a narrow perspective—one that is influenced by bias, limitations, or even misunderstanding, and fails to truly consider the viewpoint of those involved in charitable efforts. To better explain our original intentions, it is necessary to offer a clarification, and we hope that every reader can approach the journey of kindness with a broader perspective.

I. The essence of Yicheng welfare

Our commitment has been clear from the beginning. That is to pursue welfare and happiness for everyone, and to promote civilization for the world.

Since day one, our cause has been grounded in this belief. What’s truly thought-provoking, however, is that over the years, all of our funding and support have come, without exception, from the strength of people with religious faiths or spiritual beliefs—those who are committed to turning their faith, love, and kindness into tangible actions. Through their sincerity and dedication, they have helped advance our mission, spreading happiness and promoting civilization.

Unfortunately, up until now, we have not received support from those identified as “civilized individuals” or “non-believers.” In fact, this type of support has been absent.

II. Why does kindness require the basis of faith?

The path of kindness is never a smooth one. It requires unwavering belief, inner strength, and selfless dedication—qualities that faith provides. Kindness without the support of faith often lacks lasting motivation and struggles to endure the pressures and challenges of reality.

The supporters of our organization are willing to persist in doing good in this complex world precisely because of their deep faith. They understand that charity is not an easy task and may even involve sacrifice, yet they are still willing to shoulder this responsibility.

Here we would like to share a story.

A painter was interviewed by a host. The host candidly told him, “I don’t like your paintings at all, and I don’t think you’re a good artist.”

The painter smiled calmly and replied, “You’re right, and that’s exactly why I need to keep striving.”

This story teaches us that when faced with external doubt and misunderstanding, the important thing is not to argue, but to stay loyal to our beliefs and respond through actions. Our cause, much like the painter’s work, may not be understood by everyone, but that will not stop us from pursuing happiness and civilization. The voices of doubt will not hold us back; instead, they serve as a source of motivation for us to keep striving and improving.

III. Don’t judge our world through your narrow perspective

On the path of charity, we sometimes have to face not just challenges but also external misunderstanding and even hostile criticism. Some people try to use their own experiences, perspectives, and logic to make sense of our world and social issues, but such reasoning often lacks validity.

The reality of kindness is far more complex than they imagine. In some places, working to benefit society can come with the constant threat of losing one’s life. This isn’t an exaggeration. It’s the harsh reality many people involved in public welfare face. So, trying to understand the essence of charity through personal logic, without considering the deep faith and sense of mission behind it, only leads to distorted conclusions.

IV. Let kindness overcome the constraints of a limited view

In the face of these misunderstandings, we will not give up or back down. We believe that true kindness is not limited by narrow personal views, but is a force that can break through prejudice and cross boundaries.

Charity initiatives require not only the support of people of faiths and beliefs but also the understanding and participation of everyone. Each person has the choice to approach charity with an open mind, rather than criticizing and rejecting it with a narrow perspective.

No matter how the outside world evaluates us, we will continue to rely on the strength of our faith to stay true to the path of doing good. Just like the painter’s calm response to the host, doubt will only drive us to work harder, not retreat.

The meaning of public welfare lies in seeking happiness for all and civilization for the world. Through our actions, we hope to inspire more people to recognize and practice kindness, regardless of their faith, because kindness should be a universal value that transcends all boundaries.

Conclusion

Don’t allow personal narrow views to hinder kindness, and never let bias and misunderstanding diminish the efforts of those who contribute to public welfare. The world needs more understanding, support, and faith to unite in driving the progress of human happiness and civilization.

We are still on the journey, even though the road is fraught with challenges. Our belief remains unchanged: to seek welfare for all and civilization for the world. We firmly believe that true kindness is a light that is unafraid of doubt and sacrifice, one that will penetrate all narrowness and illuminate the entire world.

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教育的差距就是文明的差距

Daohe · Nov 4, 2024

对教育差距的一些思考 引言 在不同的历史时期,教育的差距一直是文明差距的重要表现。教育是塑造个人素质、构建社会文化与价值观、推动科技创新的基石,而教育水平的不同直接影响了社会的文明程度。纵观人类历史不难发现,那些率先实现教育改革的国家,往往在经济、科技、思想等方面引领全球,或者将要如此;而教育资源不足、质量落后的地区,文明发展也随之停滞。本文将以几个关键的历史阶段为例,探讨教育差距如何造成文明的差距。 一、古典时期:教育的启蒙与文明的发端 在古希腊和古罗马时期,公民教育体系率先得以发展,推动了西方文明的崛起。古希腊强调理性、哲学和辩论,公民在学校中学习逻辑、伦理等知识,形成了对人性和世界的深刻理解。罗马的教育注重法律、军事和行政技能,为帝国的治理提供了稳定的基础。然而,彼时的世界其他地区在教育上多还停留在奴隶教育,教育内容仅限于少数经典或宗教教义,知识传播渠道狭窄,社会思想闭塞,普遍缺乏理性讨论。教育上的差距使得古希腊、古罗马的文明进步显著,国力强盛,奠定了其在思想和制度上的领先地位。 二、中世纪:宗教教育的限制导致文明停滞 在中世纪的欧洲,教育几乎完全被宗教主导。教会垄断了知识的传播与掌控,教育内容局限在神学和少数经典,压抑了自由思想的萌芽。这一时期欧洲的“黑暗时代”与此有很大关联。社会缺乏对科学和理性的探索,思想局限使得文明发展停滞,直到文艺复兴才打破了这一禁锢。相对的,在伊斯兰世界的早期,教育体系较为开放,知识涵盖数学、天文学、医学等多方面,使得伊斯兰文明在相对较短的时间内获得了长足发展。这一历史阶段显示,教育内容的多元与开放性决定了文明的发展活力。 三、文艺复兴与启蒙时期:教育改革弥合文明差距 从文艺复兴到启蒙运动时期,欧洲社会逐步摆脱了宗教教育的束缚,教育重新关注人性、理性和科学探索。这一阶段,欧洲教育系统在哲学、文学、自然科学等领域逐渐多元化,推动了科技进步和社会解放,使得欧洲文明在短时间内赶超其他地区。卢梭、康德等启蒙思想家提倡通过教育提升个人与社会素质,为现代民主制度和法治思想奠定了基础。欧洲的教育改革迅速弥合了中世纪的文明落后状态,再次凸显了教育水平与文明进步之间的紧密关系。 四、工业化阶段:教育差距与现代文明的断层 19世纪的工业革命催生了大规模的现代化进程,欧美国家率先普及了义务教育,以满足工业化和城市化对劳动力的需求。然而,在当时的许多殖民地和非工业化国家,教育资源依旧匮乏,许多人甚至没有接受基础教育的机会。这导致这些地区的科技、经济发展明显滞后,文明进程被远远甩在了后面。印度和中国等地虽是古代文明的佼佼者,但由于长期未能普及现代教育制度,在这一时期的文明发展上明显落后于西方。这一阶段中,教育的不均衡带来了文明的分层,直接导致了全球格局的不平等。 五、现代教育阶段:科技进步中的教育鸿沟 20世纪中叶以来,科技的进步带动了教育模式的革新,发达国家纷纷采用科技手段提高教育质量,普及批判性思维,重视创新思维的培养,教育更加注重人文思想和文化培养。然而,在许多欠发达国家和地区,教育资源的严重短缺使大量青少年难以接受优质教育。这一教育差距直接造成了全球文明进程的不平衡,许多地区在公民思想、科技、法律意识、公共卫生等方面的发展落后于发达国家。以非洲部分地区为例,由于教育落后,民众的法律意识和基本科学知识普及率较低,影响了社会的文明程度,无法参与全球化带来的机遇。现代阶段的教育差距持续拉大了文明差距,限制了全球共同发展的步伐。 六、未来教育阶段:教育滞后或将加剧文明差距 21世纪以来,人工智能、虚拟现实等新兴技术推动了教育模式的进一步升级,未来教育将更加个性化、智能化、思想化。然而,发达国家与欠发达国家在教育科技的融合上依旧存在巨大差距,这一差距将进一步影响未来文明的分布。在未来,教育的滞后将更显著地加剧文明差距,尤其是那些未能将教育与科技紧密结合的地区,将可能在全球文明进程中处于边缘。如果这一教育鸿沟得不到有效解决,全球文明将很难实现共同进步,贫富差距和地区差异将愈加严重。 结语 教育差距与文明差距之间的关系贯穿了整个人类历史。那些在教育上率先突破、实现进步的社会,往往在文明进程中取得领先地位;而教育资源匮乏、质量低下的地区则难以跟上全球文明发展的步伐。未来,弥合教育差距不仅是推动社会公正和平等的需要,更是实现全球文明进步的必经之路。唯有打破教育壁垒、实现资源公平,才能为人类创造更加繁荣、和谐的文明未来。

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