8 Golden Rules and 1 Not-So-Golden One

The following is an article from Uncle John's All-Purpose Extra-Strength Bathroom Reader. Did you know that there's a version of the Golden Rule in most (maybe all) major religions? Here are eight translations of religious texts ... and one secular commentary. (Note: you can get the Golden Rule poster to the left at Scarboro Missions) CHRISTIANITY
"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
JUDAISM
"What is harmful to you, do not to your fellow men. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary." - Talmud, Shabbat, 312
HINDUISM
"This is the turn of duty; do naught unto others which could cause you pain if done to you." - Mahabharata, 5, 1517
CONFUCIANISM
"Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto other that you would not have them do unto you." - Analects, 15, 23
TAOISM
"Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." - T'sai Shang Kan Ying P'ien
BUDDHISM
"Hurt not others in ways you yourself would find hurtful." - Udana-Varga, 5, 18
ZOROASTRIANISM
"That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself." - Didistan-i-dinik, 94, 5
ISLAM
"No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself." - Sunnah
SECULAR VIEW "Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same." - George Bernard Shaw
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Actually, Jesus says something very different than the others--he says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

The rest say "Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you."

One is active, the rest are passive.

IOW, Jesus says, "Give other people cookies if you would like a cookie." Others say, "Don't give poisoned cookies to anyone if you don't want to get poisoned cookies."

Very different things.
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So you're saying that simple empathy is the basis of morality? That's part of the reason we have to dehumanize enemies before soldiers can kill them and why sociopaths are so disturbing, no?
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JMM, I disagree that those two positions are radically different. There may be a nuance of difference, granted, but they all convey the same message.

In fact, Islam and Taoism (and Jainism, "One should treat all creatures in the world as one would like to be treated") express the same positive version of the message that Christianity espouses.
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When Islam says "he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself", by brother, it is meant other Muslims. And so this is not the same as the Christian/Jewish Golden Rule. There are other Islamic teachings that discuss how non-Muslims should be treated, and these teachings are far from the Golden Rule. Just thought you should know.
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Just Me,
What are you talking about when you say :"There are other Islamic teachings that discuss how non-Muslims should be treated, and these teachings are far from the Golden Rule. Just thought you should know"

I am asking about your connotation. I recall learning in my first year religion classes that in early Islamic history Christians and Jews that lived in lands under Islamic rule had to pay special taxes but could not be persecuted for having a different religion. Is that what you meant?
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I agree the passive version of the golden rule is a little more sensible. For example I would like it if Jessica Alba broke into my house and molested me but I don't think it follows that I should actively go out of my way to break into Jessica Alba's house and molest her.
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JMM hit it on the head in the first post.

The POINT of the saying is to be actively charitable and good natured, and indescribably generous and loving and peaceable. You guys are just twisting semantics (Jason with his molesting of Jessica Alba) is interesting from a logic point of view, but really pretty silly from the obvious intent of the message.
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Greengirl,

You are referring to what is named Jizya. The Muslims are supposed to invite the Christians/Jews to Islam. If they refuse, then they should pay the special tax (Jizya). If they refuse, then they are to be killed. This does not apply to pagans and atheists...they are to accept Islam or be killed. The same goes for apostates of Islam...they are to be given 3 days to return to Islam or be killed. Further, the Koran commands the Muslims to not take the Jews and the Christians as friends.

Other laws are in place for Christians/Jews that live in Islamic countries (which are humiliating):

1. They are not allowed to build any churches/synagogues.

2. They are not allowed to pray loud at home or outside...a Muslims might hear them.

3. They are not allowed to print and sell their books.

4. They are expected to allow a traveling Muslim into their house and take care of him for free.

There are a lot more demeaning rules/laws/commandments, but I don't remember them all.

Hope this answers your question though.
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If Jesus & Christianity are all about being proactive about doing good things, then why are good & bad deeds completely ignored in the whole, getting-to-heaven thing?
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CheeseDuck,

I never said that Muslims follow these rules. However, these rules are part of Sharia law, which is implemented and practiced to varying degrees in all Islamic countries. So a non-Muslim living in an Islamic country will be treated as a second-class-citizen one way or another and to varying degrees.

Anyways, the subject of this post is the Golden Rule, and the bottom line of my post is that the Golden Rule does not exist in Islam and in fact, Islam not only is an extreme abuser of human rights, but it is also very dangerous with it's utter disregard for human life.
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It should also be noted that the Islamic "golden rule" applies only to males. Women under Islam are regarded as one-half the worth of a man, and are treated very differently indeed.
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@Just me

Everything you wrote is absolutely wrong. I don't know where you get this stuff but as someone who has close muslim friends and knows much more about Islam, the sunnah, shariah and the Qur'an than you, I suggest refraining from speaking of topics you have very twisted and incorrect views about.
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Xayzer,

So since you have some Muslim friends, that makes you an authority on Islam, Sunnah, Sharia, and the Koran? I get a funny feeling that you are a Muslim in disguise.
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To Mr. Binky:

Quote: "If Jesus & Christianity are all about being proactive about doing good things, then why are good & bad deeds completely ignored in the whole, getting-to-heaven thing?"

I think you're misunderstanding Christianity then. Going to heaven is not a result of good deeds, because if that were the case how would you judge that? Someone does more good deeds than bad? Or.. the value of someone's good deeds outweigh his bad deeds? Because we definitely cannot say that any man has never ever done a bad deed, and we also cannot say that even our own good deeds are pure at heart.

While Christianity teaches that salvation is simply through faith, it doesn't mean that morals are ignored. Does it make sense to believe in Jesus but then refuse/ignore the teachings? Then if our works do not reflect Jesus, or we are willingly still sinning without a repentant heart, then there's definitely something wrong with our faith
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If God were truly all-forgiving as advertised, I would think he would spare the occasional non-believer who has led a honest, good life.

But really, the only reason why I'm picking on Christianity is this:

The point this poster is trying to make is "We're not all that different, all of our religions say we should be nice to each other! Maybe we can all get along, after all."

And instantly, the point JMM seems to be trying to make, and others are agreeing with says "Actually, Christianity is better."

But of course, this is the internet, so we're supposed to argue to no end for no reason and never change our opinions. There's no surprise, really.
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"1) The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

2) The Silver Rule: Do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you.

3) The Bronze Rule: Do unto others as they've been doing unto you.

4) The Iron Rule: Do unto weaker people as you wish, while appeasing stronger people as you must.

5) The Jewish Rule: Deceive and flatter others, until you are strong enough to destroy them. Then do so and take their land, meanwhile lying to the rest of the world and selecting your next victim."

Source: http://dayoftherope.blogspot.com/2007/06/rules-1-golden-rule-do-unto-others-as.html
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I don't follow any type of religion but I usually try to treat people as I would like strangers to treat my own family. I like to think people would treat my elderly mother with kindness therefore I treat women nicely etc. I don't really think of it as a golden rule, just respect for all humans and animals for that matter.
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lol at JMM. Christians just have to go out of their way to make it seem like christianity is so unique.

Any fairy tale that has invisible boogey men, virgin births, and rising from the dead is just retarted. Only a very, very stupid person could believe crap like that.
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Amazing that a post whose purpose is to draw attention to how the fundamental principles of all religions are surprisingly similar, and how we should basically all be nice to one another, degenerates into name calling, and statements about how my beliefs are better than yours.
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The Golden Rule is not in the Koran. Allah didn't think it was important. He did not forget to tell Moslems to attack the infidels and conquer the world. There are are 164 commands to go on jihad and conquer the infidels, and 14 verse commanding Moslems not to be friends with infidels. There are other commandments to take their possessions, slaughter and enslave them. You cannot love your neighbor and slaughter him at the same time. Islam has two rules: be nice to Moslems and kill infidels.
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Chris, You are making a careless and unsubstantiated generalization. Just because it makes you feel happy, doesn't mean it is factual. Fact: 61% of the Koran tells Moslems how much he hates the infidels and wants them to suffer. Crack a book. Start reading the Koran, if you don't know this already. You will be in a state of shock. You are speaking from speculation rather than from research.
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Xayzer is obviously a Moslem. He immediately blew his cover. His M.O. gave him away.

Riding in on his horse swiftly from the desert, robes heroically flowing with his scimitar held high, he mightily smites the evil infidel in the head with his mental tazer, performing verbal jihad and stopping all debate. Only a Moslem has the right to speak about Islam! The impertinence of those subhumans! Take that! That should teach the najis infidels to know their place!

Xayzer and his mental tazer!

Moslems always take a position six feet ABOVE the discussion, then they call everyone else "ignorant" if they disagree. Typical. They treat infidels like naughty children who should be whipped.

Hey, Xayzer, did you cheer when you heard about 9/11? I bet you did!

Saw you comin', hombre.
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that's because a simple reason:
These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.
Bahá'u'lláh.

Thus the principle of the unity of religion means that all of the great religious Founders--the Manifestations--have come from God, and that all of the religious systems established by Them are part of a single divine plan directed by God.

In reality, there is only one religion, the religion of God. This one religion is continually evolving, and each particular religious system represents a stage in the evolution of the whole. The Bahá'í Faith represents the current stage in the evolution of religion. To emphasize the idea that all of the teachings and actions of the Manifestation are directed by God and do not originate from natural, human sources, Bahá'u'lláh used the term "revelation" to describe the phenomenon that occurs each time a Manifestation appears. In particular, the writings of the Manifestation represent the infallible Word of God. Because these writings remain long after the earthly life of the Manifestation is finished, they constitute an especially important part of the phenomenon of revelation. So much is this so, that the term "revelation" is sometimes used in a restricted sense to refer to the writings and words of the Manifestation.

(Source: http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-4.html)

feel free to ask ;)
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Come on. The active/passive issue is nonsense. You sound like the StarTrek episode where the two aliens are fighting because one is black and white and the other is reverse white and black.

Do you honestly think Jesus was trying to say give people a cookie if you want a cookie, but if you don't like poison cookies it is okay to give someone else one?
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Actually, Jesus says something very different than the others--he says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

----

doubt the intent is different and considering they are translated from different languages I think your point is ignorant.
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