Gordon Rule Exam

Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?

Yes, I do believe in reincarnation, because with God everything is possible. Most religions believe that in the end, everyone will resurrect and be answerable to their sins and reincarnation being termed as being made flesh again after death. Some researchers do believe reincarnation to be awareness of the spirit and soul being transferred to unborn being who also becomes aware of the reincarnation and when he dies, again the awareness is then transferred to another unborn baby.

Do you agree with Confucius's belief in the goodness and perfectibility of humans? Give reasons.

Not really because human beings do grow in different environments. For instant, if you grow in an environment where society has got good virtues in life, there is high possibility of you growing in those virtues but when you grow in bad virtues, the reverse is the same.
People do have different views about this goodness and perfectibility, some believe through education and study to others and wisdom and diligence human beings can be good.

What is the Tao?

Is referred as a way, road, method, technique or principle. Tao can't be described in words according to the BBC religion. They believe Tao cannot be a thing or substance in any way but is something which can be observed in the worldly things.
Is known to be the flow of the universe, what can be found, reality of life, the unity among all; the origin of being, an inexhaustible nothingness, non-being and change and truth.

Compare and contrast the philosophies of Confucius and Lao Tzu. Take sides, and determine whose prescriptions are soundest and why.

When you compare them, they both respected each other's different views and also persuaded each other to take their sides. But in contrary, the Confucius believes in intervention while Lao Tzu believes in natural order. Confucius believes in connection with the human world while Lao Tzu believed connection with natural world. Lao Tzu believes in imposing their views while Confucius believes the other way round. Lao Tzu wants one to conform with the world while Confucius believes in forcing the world to conform to you.
Confucius seems to be the soundest because there aim was to change the society for the better by advising the ruler and using the heroes of the past as the models unlike the Lao Tzu whose main aim was to gain power and stay put to it.

Evaluate Mencius's idea that difficulty and suffering are opportunities to develop independence and peace of mind.

To him the root cause of suffering and difficulty is human beings wanting more from the world, never getting satisfied, but through this suffering and difficulty there is liberation at the end hence leading to peace of mind.

Do the subjects of the state adopt the ethical standards of their leaders? Or is the other way around?

It is the other way round in that when our leaders take higher positions most of them do think about themselves and their families forgetting about the subjects of the state and their mandate. Leaders are expected to help the society overcome their ups and downs but in most cases they make the rules that will only benefit a few people in the society leaving others to suffer.

"Benevolence subdues its opposite just as water subdues fire". Evaluate this claim.

This words were meant to encourage those who are not benevolent because whoever who is benevolent, exercises love and show respect to others and through this, one opens a straight path on himself. Such people are considered to even put out fire with one cup of water and if the flames are not extinguished, then it could be concluded that water cannot subdue fire.

Are Lao Tzu's prescriptions for behavior realistic and practical? Explain.

Yes they are, naturally, people do what the world imposes to them and the happenings of the world. Society don't like being forced to do what they don't like doing instead they do what they feel like. For instant, when more laws are put in place in the society, there is a likely hood of having many criminals because people do feel that they are being imprisoned especially those ones who feel they are exercising their freedom hence turning them into real criminals.

Are power and riches chains, or are they the keys to freedom and happiness?

Yes they are because with no money, people believe they won't survive and that is why people strive so much to get cash in all means but this isn't the key to freedom and happiness because money is the key to evil, with a lot of money, one can do anything evil hence promoting enmity or once life is always insecure from the society.

What are some of the similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism?

They both believe in the concept of Karma, reincarnation. Existence of several hells and heavens is part of them and equality and non-violence toward all living things should be emphasized. gods or deities on different planes is part of their believe not leaving behind spiritual practices like medication, concentration, cultivation of certain behaviors or state of mind. Both of them believe the illusory nature of the world and the role of Karma in bounding men to the world and reincarnation unto them, desire is the main cause of their suffering and difficulties.