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The Golden Rule in Religion (and Life)
There is a poster called The Golden Rule published by Scarboro Missions. It shows the Golden Rule as expressed in 13 different religions. A copy is on permanent display at the United Nations. Here is a picture below. My screen is not big enough to read it well, but it makes the point nonetheless.
If you were raised in church, you probably grew up thinking it originated with Jesus. He does get credit for it in Matthew 7:12. But as the poster demonstrates, it is part of every major religion.
Don’t Do Bad = Do Good?
Some are stated negatively, and others positively. Some say, “Don’t do anything bad,” and others say, “Only do good.” People say they are the same, but I don’t think so. To not do bad, you can just stay at home watching TV. You’re not doing anything hateful to anybody. But to do good, you have to, you know, do something. It requires you to be active, not passive. Unless we’re in a pandemic. Then, staying home and not spreading it is actually doing good.
I’m not knocking any particular way of expressing it. Whether negative or positive, it is an important rule that is easy to follow. Is it hateful to you if someone steals from you or lies about you (especially in court) or kills you? Then don’t do it to another. If you manage to get through life without doing anything harmful to anyone, you have done very well. Still, all of them share this concept of treating others the way you want to be treated.
The poster is hard to read on screen, so here is what it says. In some cases, it does not have the exact same wording but the gist is the same. Going in order from the upper left corner, clockwise.
Baha`i: Lay not on any soul a load that you would not wish to be laid on you, and desire not for anyone the things you would not desire for yourself (Baha’ullah, Gleanings 66:8).
Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: Do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you (Mahabharata 5:1517).
Buddhism: Do not offend others, as you would not want to be offended (Udana Varga 5.18).
Taoism: The successes of your neighbor and their losses will be to you as if they were your own (T’ai Shan Kan Ying P’ien 13:18).
