[HWPL Peace Education Textbook 4-2] The Order of Nature: Why is the Order of the Human World Necessary?

[HWPL Peace Education Textbook 4: The Restoration of Order and Relations in the Human World]

[4-2] The Order of Nature: Why is the Order of the Human World Necessary?

 

◆ Learning Objectives

1. Understand that there is order in nature.

2. Understand the importance of order in the human world.

3. Recognize that true peace begins with an individual and becomes possible when order is restored worldwide.

 

◆ Order of humanity is necessary for peace and coexistence

Public order for a Peaceful World

If the order of all living things in nature maintains diversity and harmony, then the order in the human world becomes the driving force that overcomes various personal desires and creates peace. When public order collapses, conflicts and disputes arise. Society becomes increasingly chaotic, safety cannot be guaranteed, and even lives are threatened.

To coexist, humanity needs order that protects each other. The order of the human world is necessary at all levels, from individuals to families, schools, workplaces, communities, nations, and the international community. Let's explore the types of order humanity needs to create a peaceful world.

 

Family Order: The Duty to Care for and Protect Each Other

Every person begins life in their mother’s womb. Upon birth, the first people we meet are our parents, and as we grow, we live within the family unit composed of siblings, relatives, spouses, and children. The family is the most fundamental unit of society, and there is an inherent order within it. Learning family order is the first education a person receives and is crucial for one's entire life.

All children receive life from their parents. Particularly in childhood, children can only grow through the care of their parents. Thus, children should always be grateful to their parents. Children also receive social education from their parents and should follow their guidance. The roles within a marriage can vary by era and culture, but mutual love and respect are essential for proper role distribution.

In a household with elderly members, the younger generations must show respect and honor. The basic education of becoming a good person begins in the family. Education on order in family lays the foundation for understanding and maintaining order in the community, nation, and international society.

Image from Pixabay

 

Religious scriptures also teach family orders.

In the Confucius cultural sphere, it says:

“Parents must be a model for their children”

“A husband must be a model for his wife”

“Intimacy should exist between parents and child”

“The younger should give precedence to the elders”

 

Bible teaches about family as below:

“Honor your father and your mother” (Ex 20:12)

“Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband” (Eph 5:33)

“Learn first of all to put your religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents” (Tim 5:4)

 

In the Quran, family order is described as:

“Be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor” (17:23)

“And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small” (17:24)

 

Community and National Order: The Duty to Protect Citizens and Uphold Laws

Laws are the most fundamental means of maintaining order in communities and nations. Modern nations have constitutions and subordinate laws. The legislative body makes laws, the executive body enforces them, and the judiciary interprets and applies them.

Nations consist of central governments and local entities, which communicate closely to maintain national order. There are heads of state (presidents, prime ministers, etc.) and local leaders who operate within the framework of their country's laws. Leaders should protect the nation and its citizens with love and reflect the people's opinions in their governance.

Citizens must comply with national laws, maintain order, and cooperate to ensure that leaders can govern effectively. Both leaders and citizens must work to safeguard peace and create a safe, prosperous nation.

 

Image from Pixabay

International Order: The Duty to Ensure Global Safety

Where is the order of the human world most significantly disrupted? It is in the international order. After World War II, the global community deeply felt the need for order among nations. Thus, the United Nations (UN) was established on October 24, 1945. As of 2019, the UN has 193 member states and various organs, including the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, and Secretariat.

Image from Pixabay

Article 1 of the UN Charter states the UN's purposes as follows:

1. To maintain international peace and security, and to this end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace.

The primary purpose of the UN can be defined as order and peace. However, despite the UN's establishment, wars and conflicts have continued, such as the Korean War, Middle Eastern conflicts, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq War, Syrian War, and Afghan War. To achieve complete and permanent peace in the human world, the UN's role as a mediator needs to be strengthened, and a more solid international order must be established through international law.

 

◆ Reflection:

- Reflect on why maintaining international order is more challenging than maintaining family or national order.

- Identify your role and the order you must uphold within your current community.

- Consider why this order is necessary and think about better methods or practices to maintain it.