Education Chinese Style – Part 2

February 10, 2010

There is no evidence that the Christian Bible supports literacy or education. After the Roman Empire collapsed, the Catholic Church did not attempt to educate the masses. It was much easier to tell ignorant, uneducated people how to live and what to do. The illiterate kings and peasants looked to the Pope and educated priests for guidance. It was sort of like those with sight leading the blind.
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Proverbs (Old Testament)
1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

Daniel
1:4 children in whom was no blemish, but well-favored, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chalde’ans.

Acts (New Testament)
26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

Romans
15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
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I looked for passages in the Bible that would focus on the importance of gaining an education similar to what Confucius taught.

Confucius

I didn’t find anything. If you find something, let me know. Instead, this is the sentiment that I discovered, “Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.”

 See Part 1

Lloyd Lofthouse is the author of the award winning novels My Splendid Concubine and Our Hart.

2 Comments | American culture, Chinese Culture, Christianity, religion | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Education Chinese Style – Part 1/7

February 10, 2010

Words are cheap. Actions speak loud, and the Chinese are not smarter than everyone else is.  They just work harder and have different values than Americans. The best way to learn about another culture is by comparing and contrasting that culture with yours to see the similarities and differences.

With that in mind, let’s examine Christianity first. Emperor Constantine lived 280-337 AD. He ruled the Roman Empire and is responsible for Christianity eventually becoming the state religion a century later. From that time, Christianity, more than any other influence, set the tone for morality and ethics in the West.

One of my primary Biblical sources is a Concordance of the Holy Bible given to me by a student teacher in 1982. When I checked to see what that Concordance had to say about the importance of ‘education’, I found nothing in the index under that word. I then looked up the word ‘learning’ and discovered six passages. I also looked up ‘teacher’ and there were a few references but nothing significant. That hunt to discover the importance of learning to early Christians was a revelation.  Those passages from the Bible will be covered in Part 2.

Also recommended The Reasons Why China is Studying Singapore

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

If you want to subscribe to iLook China, there is a “Subscribe” button at the top of the screen in the menu bar. 

5 Comments | American culture, Chinese Culture, education, parenting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Why Tibet?

February 8, 2010

A recent New York Times headline screamed, China Opposed to Obama-Dalai Lama Meeting. “China maintains that Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for much of its history.”

Since Tibetan separatists have claimed that China “never” ruled over Tibet prior to Mao’s reoccupation in 1950, every time the Dali Lama wins another award for humanitarianism or meets a world leader, it is a slap in the face for most Chinese—not just their government. The Chinese are proud of their history, and they don’t like foreigners believing lies about their country.

Tibet was first occupied by China during the Yuan Dynasty (1277-1367), and it was a Mongol emperor or king who made a Dalai Lama the spiritual leader for Tibet. Before that, the Tibetans were a warlike race and were a plague on a peaceful China. Warlike Tibetans, not exactly the image the Western media paints, raided China for centuries from their mountain fortresses.

When the Ming Dynasty drove the Mongols from China in 1368, the emperor sent an army to Tibet. For the next six hundred years, the Tibetans were never easy to rule. Sir Robert Hart, considered the godfather of China’s modernization, said the same thing. He wrote in 1888, “China will regard England as an ally and helper in reducing trouble-some tributaries (meaning Tibet) to a proper sense of position!”

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of The Concubine Saga. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. This is the love story Sir Robert Hart did not want the world to discover.

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Leave a Comment » | America, China, Chinese Culture, media, politics, Tibet | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

A Maternal Assault Against Pornography

February 8, 2010

I’ve written about piety and what it means to the Chinese, and I’ve written about heroes from China’s past that the Chinese still honor. Now I’m going to write about some of China’s modern day heroes.

General Yue Fei (1103-1142)

I’ve read complaints about China’s control over the Internet and media. The Western media hates that one. Imagine, not being able to practice Yellow Journalism with a potential audience of 1.3 billion.  Think of all the copy sold.

 Today, I read an example of Chinese common sense the rest of the world could copy. In the war against pornography, China has recruited moms. Who better to protect children?  Even most Westerners should agree that pornography is not a good thing.  Polluting young minds and making money from it should be ranked alongside heroin or crack with a death sentence or at last a life sentence after castration.

Since I’m married to a Chinese mother, and I know how dedicated Chinese moms are to their children, I’d rather have a U.S. Marine parked on my butt. Beware pornographers. You may have met your match.

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

If you want to subscribe to iLook China, there is a “Subscribe” button at the top of the screen in the menu bar. 

Leave a Comment » | China, Chinese Culture, government, parenting | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Doing Business in China

February 7, 2010

I’ve talked to an American doing business in China who was frustrated with the process while another American like Bob Grant wrote I Like the Chinese People.

 After all, Bill Gates Went to China. It seems many American businessmen are getting along better with the Chinese than the Western media and politicians. When’s the last time you heard something nice about China from the Western media or an American politician?  For some reason, China has become a scapegoat turning the attention of the American people away from the problems we have in the United States.

 In the meantime, General Motors and Ford are doing great in China while they are struggling in the debt ridden United States. The Chinese love American cars. The Chinese also seem to have a passion for McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC and Starbucks.

Starbucks in China

 Wal-Mart is in China too.

 If America wants to get along better with the Chinese government, we should turn businessmen like Bill Gates or Bob Grant into diplomats.

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

If you want to subscribe to iLook China, there is a “Subscribe” button at the top of the screen in the menu bar.

2 Comments | America, American culture, China, Chinese Culture, economy, politics, tourism | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

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