Chapter Fourteen : Prospects 10

When the Founding Master was visiting Seoul, he was strolling one day through Namsan Park. Several youths, recognizing the extraordinary dignity of the Founding Master, came over, greeted him, and handed him their name cards, so the Founding Master also gave them his card. Quoting a recent newspaper article that criticized a new religious order that had caused a great scandal in society at the time, the youths said, “This religious order has committed many misdeeds, so our youth association is planning to go down to the spot and eradicate them.” The Founding Master said, “What are their misdeeds?” One young man replied, “They cheat poor farmers out of their property by deceiving them through superstitious words. If we leave them alone for long, they will exert much evil influence in the world. Therefore, we are going to eradicate them.” The Founding Master said, “I see what you mean. Yet, in any matter, when a person is willing to die in pursuit of his goals, others will not be able to stop him however hard they try. So, how would you manage to dissuade them?” The youths asked, “Do you mean, then, that that order will continue forever without ever being eradicated?” The Founding Master said, “I only meant that one cannot forcibly stop someone who is determined to do something; I wasn’t saying whether that order would continue, or not. All people like what is advantageous and hate what is disadvantageous; hence, if a relationship is advantageous there will be long-lasting intimacy; but if disadvantages ensue, that intimacy will not last long. What we call the right path may appear at first to be disadvantageous, but eventually becomes advantageous. A perverted path may appear at first to be advantageous but ultimately proves harmful. If that order is a right path, then no matter how hard you try to eradicate it, you will not succeed; if it is a perverted path, then even if you do not eradicate it, it naturally will be unable to endure.”