The Underlying Rule For All Right And Wrong: "TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED"
THERE IS ONE UNDERLYING RULE FOR ALL RIGHT AND WRONG:
"TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED."
This rule is known as "The Golden Rule." It is found in most
religions, yet it establishes no particular religion; it leads to harmony
among all people; it is the foundation
of Democracy; and it leads to the political goal of "Greatest Good
For The Greatest Number, With Basic Rights For All."
To apply the Golden Rule, simply ask yourself "How would you like
to be treated in similar circumstances?" Then treat the other person
that way.
Also consider the impact of your actions on all other people, not only
those immediately before you.
If you need help in applying the Golden Rule to your particular
situation, please visit
Golden Rule Solutions.
Some Version Of the Golden Rule Is Found In Most Religions
These versions can be categorized as "inclusive" vs. "selective," and
"complete" vs. "partial."
Inclusive vs. Selective The inclusive versions of the Golden
Rule apply to all people everywhere. The selective versions apply only
to some people, such as your neighbors or your countrymen or your
religious brothers.
Complete vs. Partial The complete versions of the Golden Rule
call for you to treat the
other
person as if he were yourself: to do the good things to him you would
like
done
to you; and to not do the bad things you would not like to done to you.
So you would not steal from him, and you would try to help him if he
needed help.
The partial versions of the Golden Rule call for you merely to not do
the bad things you would not like done to you. So you would not steal
from
him, but you would not be required to help him if he needed help.
Versions Of The Golden Rule In Different Religions
_________________________________________________________________
HINDU: This is the sum of duty; do naught unto others which if done
to
thee would cause thee pain. (inclusive, partial)
ZOROASTRIAN: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto
another whatsoever is not good for itself. (inclusive, partial)
TAOIST: Regard your neighbour's gain as your own gain, and your
neighbour's loss as your own loss. (selective, complete)
BUDDHIST: Hurt not others in ways that you would find hurtful.
(inclusive, partial)
CONFUCIAN: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto
you. (inclusive, partial)
JAIN: In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard
all creatures as we regard our own self. (inclusive, complete)
JEWISH: Whatever thou hatest thyself, that do not to another.
(inclusive, partial)
CHRISTIAN: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them. (inclusive, complete)
ISLAMIC: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother
that which he desires for himself. (selective, complete)
SIKH: As thou deemest thyself, so deem others. (inclusive, complete)
Source:
http://theosophy.org/tlodocs/GoldnRul.htm - (Link not
working.)(Categorizations added.)
The Clearest Expressions Of The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule is expressed twice in the Bible, and these are its
clearest expressions, in the words of Jesus, translated.
Both of the Bible expressions are inclusinve and complete.
"So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them;
for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12 RSV)
"And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them."
(Luke 6:31 RSV)
And here are some of the best expressions of The Golden Rule in modern
English.
1. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
2. "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
3. "Treat other people the way you would like to be treated."
4. "Treat other people the way you want to be treated."
5. "Whatever you want people to do to you, do that to them."
The expression we use here is, "Treat others as you would like to be
treated." It is inclusive and complete; it avoids using the exact
language used by any particular religion; and it uses modern
English, easy to understand. Also, it uses the subjunctive form
"would,"
which helps to emphasize that you should treat the other person as you
would like to be treated, if you were in similar circumstances. So to
follow
the Golden Rule, you must constantly be imagining yourself in the
position
of other people: the hungry beggar, the injured pedestrian, the captured
prisoner. The Golden Rule Does Not Establish Any Religion
Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists and all other people
can accept The Golden Rule without compromising their other true
beliefs.
Promoting The Golden Rule is not "establishing
religion" in any Constitutional sense, because it is held in common by
religions which
are otherwise in competition. So which religion does it establish?
Judaism?
Islam? Buddhism? Atheism? Christianity? None of the above!
I, myself, am a Christian minister, but I am not "establishing"
Christianity by promoting The Golden Rule. Simply
because most Christians support The Golden Rule does not mean that it
"establishes" Christianity, because The Golden Rule is found in the
other
major religions, also. It is not exclusive to Christianity.
Therefore, all governments everywhere can
actively promote
The Golden Rule without fear of
establishing or favoring any particular religion.
Harmony Among All People
If everybody would treat everybody else according to the Golden Rule, we
would find a harmony among all people that has never been seen before.
Some People Believe That The Golden Rule Embodies All Of God's Law
For Mankind, And If We Follow The Golden Rule, We Have Done
Everything God Requires Of Us.
I, myself, am a "Bible Christian." I believe that the Bible is the
inspired Word of God, sufficient to guide all human action. And according
to the Bible, as the Holy Spirit leads me to understand it, The Golden
Rule embodies all of God's Law for mankind. The Biblical reasons I
believe this are found here => http://patriot.net/users/bmcgin/pearl-goldenruleembodies.html
also see patriot.net/users/bmcgin/pearl-goldenruleembodies.txt
"TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED."
Other people do not believe that the Golden Rule embodies all of God's
law. (Some don't even believe in God.) But they can support the Golden
Rule nevertheless, because of the good it obviously accomplishes.
It is truly the worldwide standard for human behavior.
The Golden Rule Is The Foundation Of Democracy.
DEMOCRACY:
literally, rule by the people (from the Greek d "people," and kratos,
"rule").
Source: Britannica.com
The Golden Rule, "Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated,"
is the foundation of Democracy, because the Golden Rule directs
us to give the same power to others as we would like to have for
ourselves, namely, the power to make decisions in matters affecting our
lives. How much power? The same as we have ourselves, and this leads
immediately to the idea of "one person, one vote," with all votes being of
equal weight. So, Democracy is the natural result of applying the Golden
Rule to the question: "What kind of government should we have?"
Similarly, the Golden Rule leads directly to the idea of equality of all
people under the law.
The Golden Rule Leads To "The Greatest Good For The Greatest Number,
With Basic Rights For All."
"TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED."
When it is applied to Politics, the Golden Rule leads to policies which
create "The Greatest Good For The Greatest Number, With Basic Rights
For All." Thus, total good is maximized and none are
denied the basic needs of life. This is a perfect
formula for happiness and social stability anywhere!
Ways To Apply The Golden Rule
The easiest way to apply the Golden Rule to real life is to ask yourself
the question "How would you like to be treated in similar
circumstances?" Then treat the other person that way.
Also consider the impact of your actions on all other people, not only
those immediately before you.
We have a website devoted to applying the Golden Rule:
Also
"The Twenty-One Greatest Ideas In Human Relations"
includes eighteen specific applications of The Golden Rule.
And
a "Computer-Assisted Learning" course on the Twenty-One Greatest Ideas
In Human Relations is available for download
HERE!
Details at =>
http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/underlyingrule.html
More like this at =>
http://www.internetchurchofchrist.org/pearlindx.html.
"Start Each Day The Positive Way," at