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Zhou Xiran
Prof. Li Ping
Hebrew Traditions and Western Culture
14 January 2023
The Principle of Universal Love and Equality in The Book of Ruth and Its Inspirations: A
Comparative Study with Mohist Philosophy
The Book of Ruth is a short story easily neglected in the grand narration of the Bible, but
it is also the little book that perfectly conveys a significant idea throughout the whole Bible:
the principle of universal love and equality. This is the kind of mutual love between every
human being regardless of consanguinity, race, geographical relationship, etc. This idea can
also find its place in Chinese traditional culture, particularly in Mohism, but the differences
between the eastern and western ideas of universal love are notable as well. As history
progresses, the idea of universal love and equality has greatly benefited human beings,
especially in powering huge development in western modernization. However, there’s still
much space for people around the world to seek better application of the wisdom of universal
and equal love with the supplement of Mohist philosophy in today’s international landscape.
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE IDEA OF UNIVERSAL LOVE AND EQUALITY IN THE BOOK OF RUTH
Many describe the Book of Ruth as a concise but warm short story in the huge narration
of the Bible. In a deeper analysis, we feel the warmth in mainly two parts: the deep
attachment between Ruth and Naomi, her mother-in-law, and the kind treatment of a foreign
woman Ruth by Boaz and the rest of the local people.
First, Ruth’s determination of following Naomi to a foreign land and Naomi’s full
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acceptance of and compassion for Ruth are excellent interpretations of universal love. When
Naomi decides to leave for her homeland, Ruth is completely justified to return to her home
and remarry, which guarantees a seemingly much more stable life. But Ruth’s choice is to
turn her back to the rational and wise path and be Naomi’s companion in misfortune
regardless of Naomi’s discouragement (Ruth1:16-17). From then on, they remain supporters
of each other, even though Ruth is no longer the carrier of Naomi’s own bloodline, and nor
does she belong to her nation. Thus, the love between them surpasses all social relations and
is remembered by people as an interpretation of universal love.
Second, the principle of universal love and equality is also displayed when Ruth and
Naomi return to Bethlehem and are treated fairly by the local people. Here is a line in
Deuteronomy that reads: “. . . Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; . . .
Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of
Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of
Mesopotamia, to curse thee.” (Deuteronomy 23:3-4) This excerpt of the Bible regulates that
Moabites and Israelites should be enemies according to national values and benefits.
However, Ruth still wins the respect and appreciation of the local Israelites because of her
filial and loyal qualities. The authoritative elderlies are there to witness their marriage
engagement exemplifies the acknowledgment of Ruth by the local people (Ruth 4: 11). This
indicates that the Bible advocates universal love and the principle of equality more than love
and hatred based on family ties or narrow nationalism. What matters in God’s arrangement of
fate lies in a faithful heart instead of the affinity with a certain system like consanguinity,
which has also become the principle and the daily practice of the Israelites.
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In conclusion, the Book of Ruth embodies and advocates the principle of universal love
in Christianity. Through the interpretation of the Book of Ruth, the concept of universal love
and equality also becomes clearer: consanguinity, race, and region are no longer the factor
that determines whether people should love or be loved, and to what extent people can love
or be loved. Equality is the corollary of universal love—it’s under universal love that people
implement the principle of equality in daily lives and establish their equal status in social
relations. In the Book of Ruth and in the whole Bible story, universal love is the principle that
transcends love based on an affinity in social relationships (Zou 142).
COMPARISON WITH MOHIST PHILOSOPHY
The principle of universal love and equality can find very close expression in Mohist
philosophy, part of the traditional Chinese culture. Apart from the similarity, the analysis of
their differences can help with the understanding of the fundamental condition of universal
love in the Bible.
Universal love and equal affection for every individual are the basic concepts of Mohist
philosophy. This idea strikes a sharp comparison with the Confucius school of thought which
advocates differentiated love based on the proximity of social relationships, e.g., families,
communities, and political structures. Mo-tse advocated that equal affection should be
exercised regardless of blood ties and nationalities (Universal Love). This has striking
similarities with the universal love displayed in the Bible.
However, Mohist philosophy and the Bible’s advocation of universal love have different
derivations and purposes.
Mohist philosophy grew in the Spring and Autumn period when wars were raging,
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threatening social stability and development. Mo-tse put forward the principle of universal
love and used it as a weapon that point directly to the endless conflicts among nations. He
once said: “Universal love will bring peace and order to the world while mutual animosity
can only throw the world into disorder. (Universal Love)” Thus, Mohist philosophy lays its
purpose on the common development and prosperity of all human beings.
While Mohism derives from and aims at human pragmatic well-being, the universal love
in the Bible seems to derive from the instruction of God. Fundamentally speaking, Christians
are taught to love each other equally because they are equally and selflessly loved by God
(Xie). It’s because of the equal status of each Christian in front of their Lord that Christians
are obliged to treat each other equally as well. Ruth’s example has indicated that as long as
one has faith in God, he or she can be blessed and saved by God’s power no matter where he
or she is from. And this is precisely the fundamental condition under which the local people
show equal love and care for Ruth as a foreigner. Thus, the principle of universal love and
equality in the Bible derives from and aims at Christian’s faith in their common Lord. One
only deserves equal love when he or she has faith in God.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRINCIPLE OF UNIVERSAL LOVE AND EQUALITY IN REALITY AND
SUPPLEMENT BY MOHIST PHILOSOPHY
The principle of universal love and equality has great realistic significance for today’s
international landscape. It’s highly recommended that people should work together to seek
the proper application of the idea of universal love in the Bible with the supplementation of
Mohist philosophy.
In the recent hundreds of years, the principle of universal love and equality in the Bible
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has become one of the most important boosters of western modern achievements in thoughts,
politics, etc. The deep belief in equality gave birth to the fundamental principle of modern
western society that every man is endowed with equal rights by God. The prestige Chinese
sociologist Fei Xiaotong wrote in his work From the Soil: The Foundations of Chinese
Society that without the primary belief of universal love and equal status for every man, the
Declaration of Independence wouldn’t have made the classical and stone-breaking assertion:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, . . .” (Fei) This indicates the importance of
the Bible’s idea of universal love and equality in establishing the glorious achievements of
western society.
However, the application of the Bible’s idea has also brought about negative influences
on the world because, through inappropriate interpretation, universal love is only open to
people with faith in God. History has witnessed western intruders conducting savage
aggression in the name of civilizing the “savages” who merely had no faith in Christianity.
Such biased concepts hindered the peace and development of all peoples of the world and
planted the seeds of unequal and discriminatory communication between eastern and western
civilizations which even extend their influence until today.
Today, enfaced with new problems in the new era, the world should review the idea of
universal love and equality in a new way, and Mohist philosophy remains an important
source that supplements the Bible’s instruction to the world. The pragmatism in Mohist
philosophy, compared with the idea in Bible, is more capable of resisting narrow nationalism
because the fundamental starting point of Mohism is to melt down the thick wall of
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discriminatory attitudes and differentiated treatment between individuals, families,
communities, nations, and most importantly, religious faiths, with equal love for everyone.
Today, under the complicated circumstances of international conflicts, Mohism points out the
way through which nations around the world can hold hands and welcome a better future of
peace and mutual development. The combination of the idea of universal love in the Bible
and in Mohist philosophy may be a cure to fix the problems such as unilateralism,
hegemonism, and protectionism and eventually help the world get back on track with
mutually-beneficial development in the progress of globalization.
CONCLUSION
The Book of Ruth embodies and advocates the principle of universal love and equality.
This idea laid the footstone of the western concept of equality and human rights, but it also
gave birth to bigger nationalism on a global scale. Mohist philosophy of universal love shares
striking similarities with what the Bible advocates, but it can also make up for the defect in
the Bible’s idea for it focuses on practical human well-being instead of for God’s sake.
Therefore, when faced with today’s global challenge, God’s believers are encouraged to take
in the Mohist idea of universal love and implement universal love and equality in the real
meaning of “all human beings”. In this way, people with or without faith in God may expect a
brighter future with genuine universal love.
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Works Cited
Fei, Xiaotong. From the Soil: The Foundations of Chinese Society. Joint Publishing. Sep
2013. Pdf.
Universal Love. Key Concepts in Chinese Thoughts and Culture. Chinesethought.cn. Web.
Accessed 14 January 2023.
Xie, Qiyang. “Can Mohism be modernized and globalized [Mo Xue Neng Fou Xian Dai Hua
Yu Shi Jie Hua]”. China Reading Weekly. epaper.gmw.cn. 2018. Web. Accessed 14
January 2023.
Zou, Guangsheng. “The Non-consanguinity Policy of Western Traditional Culture in Ruth—
In Contrast with Confucianism”. Foreign Literature Studies, Vol.1. 2009. Pp 141-149.