The Responsibility of Democratic Taiwan
--- Discussion on Political and Psychology's Point of View I
am a doctor myself and I know something about psychology, so here I would like to discuss
and analyze Taiwan's social phenomena and its religious mission from psychology's point of
view. The approach primitive human beings took to explain psychological problems and
natural phenomena like lightning, thunder, wind and fire was neither logical nor rational.
They thought there must be an invisible force controlling the natural environment, so they
respect as well as fear this being whom they call God/gods. This is the most naive way to
explain natural phenomena, which still exists today. And whether it is right or wrong we
can analyze it from a third party's point of view. In the past, when a person got sick,
people would say he was being possessed by a demon, his soul had left his body, he was
affected by other people's thought-wavelengths, or he had done things he should not have
done. Whether this is reasonable or not, anything the community forbids its populace to do
becomes a taboo, so people know to stay away from tabooed matters can avoid unnecessary
troubles with gods and deities. Up until now, not all natural phenomena can be proved or
disapproved by pure scientific means. I do not think people should obstinately think
science, biology, philosophy etc. can provide complete explanation for natural phenomena.
Human beings should live in harmony with Nature by follow along in the direction Nature
guides us. Virtuous people and prophets in the past came up with schools of thoughts that
taught us to live in harmony with Nature, to be one with God, to treat matters in the
phenomenal world with a tranquil mind etc. These are all correct attitudes we should have
when living in this mundane world. Primitive human beings lacked the means to counteract
with the natural environment they lived in, this is why their life-style was greatly
influenced by it. So there evolved the conception that the universe or God is dominating
over us. On the other hand however, people at the same time sense the hope of, through
praying sincerely to God, God will respond to their needs; this is a universal concept of
human being's volition (or will power) as well as the source of believers' faith in God's
omnipotence.
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