the Golden Rule?

Question

THE truth ?

is this something that we can all agree is the most important thing to live by despite religious preference or lack of ?

do unto others as you would have done to you

Answer 1

I have always said we could end so much pain in the world if we all followed the Golden Rule. It seems so simple a thing but it is misinterpreted. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" means to treat people as well as you would want to be treated. Instead people think it means treat others as they treat you-not at all the same thing. A mature person would continue to be an example of the right way to treat people even when abused. In this way we do not mimic bad behavior but show others the way to promote kindness.

Answer 2

"The golden rule" is generally thought of as "do unto others as you would have done to you" or a variation thereof. I think that's pretty common to most religions as well as most people.

I actually read that this philosophy has been learned over hundreds of thousands of years.... kind of philosophical evolution. People have always needed some kind of colonization to live (for food, protection, etc ...). If you, as a tribe member, killed another tribe member, you'd be depriving the tribe of a farmer or a warrior or a doctor, etc... You would then be expelled from the tribe and probably die on your own. Thus, people who could get along in a group and had a general "do unto others" attitude were able to stay with the tribe and pass on their genes and as well as their thinking to their offspring. Thus, the tribe (and philosophy) thrives.

Answer 3

The way some people talk these days, you'd think the Golden Rule was "He who has the Gold makes the Rules."

But treating people the way you'd want to be treated works pretty well for the most part. In general, it leads to some good interactions and keeps the Peace.

It does, however, have it's limitations. Not everyone wants to be treated the same way. For instance, there are Masochists who consider it cruel if you DON'T beat them. Women who get upset if you treat them like men, etc.

And you have to wonder how people who blow themselves up in crowds want to be treated, but I guess, after they've blown themselves up, it don't matter much.

Answer 4

I very much agree. The amazing thing is if you look at just about any religion they have this same rule, just worded differently.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you, for this is the law and the prophets.
Christianity
Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31
What is hurtful to yourself do not to your fellow
man. That is the whole of The Torah and the
remainder is but commentary
Judaism
Talmud, Shabbat 31a
Do unto all men as you would they should unto
you, and reject for others what you would reject
for yourself.
Islam
Mishkat-el-Masabih
Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
Buddhism
Udanavarga 5.8
Tzu Kung asked: "Is there any one principle upon
which one’s whole life may proceed?" Confucius
replied: "Is not Reciprocity such a principle?-
what you do not yourself desire, do not put before
others."
Confucianism
Analects 15.23
This is the sum of all true righteousness -
Treat others, as thou wouldst thyself be treated.
Do nothing to thy neighbor, which hereafter
Thou wouldst not have thy neighbor do to thee.
Hinduism
Mahabharata (Ganguli, Book13 CXIII)
Treat others as thou wouldst be treated thyself.
Sikhism
Guru Angad (Macauliffe vol2,p.29)
A man should wander about treating all creatures
as he himself would be treated.
Jainism
Sutrakritanga Sutra 1.11.33
Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain; and regard
your neighbor’s loss as your own loss, even as though you
were in their place.
Taoism Tai-Shang Kan-Ying Pien
Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee.
Bahá'í
Bahá'ulláh
I think the point is that if we all treated others how we would like to be treated the world would be a much better place.

Answer 5

If a pleasant atmosphere is the goal then The Golden Rule would be the central tenet. However I believe people enjoy strife.

Answer 6

I am sure you are well meaning; but the just shall live by faith.

To live the Golden Rule, or any divine law, you must and we do die. Mankind has never conformed to the best of laws and the simplest of rules are contrary to our nature. Living by codes and creeds and oaths is the history of our failure, despite anything we agree upon.

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

The just shall live by faith; not laws, rules, personal ideas or religious preference. Those who live by faith have the law written upon their hearts. They can produce those fruits of love, joy and peace which go beyond the tit for tat which the Golden Rule suggests.

Answer 7

Matthew 7:12 KJV The Golden Rule
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12 NISB The Golden Rule
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12 NKJV The Golden Rule
therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.


Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord" shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven, Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears the sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell, And great was its fall."

The most important thing to live by is the Word of God. All of it, because without God we are nothing. Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."

Answer 8

Rabbi Hillel, one of the greatest of the Jewish sages, was approached by a man who said that he would convert if the rabbi could teach him the whole of Torah while standing on one foot.

Hillel said "That which is hateful to you, do not do to another. That is the whole of Torah, the rest is commentary. Now go and study."

He was born in Babylon in the 1st century B.C.E. One estimate puts him in Jerusalem from ~30 B.C.E. to 10 C.E. So I think we know who Jesus learned it from.

Answer 9

I don't think we can oversimplify complicated things, like human nature. By trying to "make" people think positive. We only go against their natural resentment about being told what to think and do, and cause them to rebel!
All Wisdom Teachings teach the same thing. That we need to overcome our Own egos. Trying to bend everyone into what we think is our idea of perfection. Which is just a silly mind game humans play, because they themselves cannot be perfect.

Answer 10

Apparently, there are three belief-systems that do not adhere (at least completely) to the Golden Rule.

They are Satanism, the Creativity Movement, and Islam. (See link below.)