The Golden Rule

[DanInPA]

I read somewhere that the golden rule, or something similar, existed before Jesus supposedly pronounced it.

 

Can anyone point me to a source(s).

 

Also, why didn't gawd just make this part of being human?

It wouldn't have taken away free will any more than the need to eat and drink did, so don't give me that shit!

[Fweethawt]

I could be mistaken, and I'd be very happy if someone came along and corrected me on this but, the original version of The Golden Rule came from Confucious.

 

Only his version wasn't "Do unto others...". His went something like this, "Do not do to others, that which you don't want done unto you." (or something really close to that)

 

Had Christianity™ kept this version, I highly doubt that it (the religion itself) would have spread as far as it has. Think about it.

[Panther]

I could be mistaken, and I'd be very happy if someone came along and corrected me on this but, the original version of The Golden Rule came from Confucious.

 

Only his version wasn't "Do unto others...". His went something like this, "Do not do to others, that which you don't want done unto you." (or something really close to that)

 

Had Christianity kept this version, I highly doubt that it (the religion itself) would have spread as far as it has. Think about it. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Confucious was a cool dude, eh?

[Lilith]

Jesus was not the first to state the Golden Rule. I can't think of where it's found, and I'm too lazy to look right now. Versions of the Golden rule can be found in Hinduism, Confuciousism, Buddhism, Taoism and several other "isms."

 

Perhaps the Golden Rule, per se, is not found in the New Testament. It could just be the, "Love your neighbor as yourself" scripture that people cite.

[Alice]

I could be mistaken, and I'd be very happy if someone came along and corrected me on this but, the original version of The Golden Rule came from Confucious.

 

Only his version wasn't "Do unto others...". His went something like this, "Do not do to others, that which you don't want done unto you." (or something really close to that)

 

Had Christianity kept this version, I highly doubt that it (the religion itself) would have spread as far as it has. Think about it. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought the version 'don't do to other's what you wouldn't want done to yourself' -was believed to be a popular concept being debated in jewish thought at the time Jesus may have lived. I think I got from one of Karen Armstorng's books. At the same time she says the 'when two or three are gathered together' line - was a phrase commonly used by jewish teachers in the context of 'when two or three people get together and discuss the scriptures - this brings them into the presence of god' and that this was picked up and adopted by christian disciples.

[Alice]

There are problems with the golden rule ......

 

 

What about those who have been raised to expect to be badly treated and experience unhappiness when treated well? Does the golden rule mean treat them badly?

 

Also assumptions hamper the use of the golden rule as well - and it only really works for people that have grasped that how they want to be treated - is for other people never to assume that they would want to be treated how that other person would neccessairlywant to be treated and to decided that they will never assume they know how another wants to be treated either ....

 

(an example - if I treated my hubby how I would want to be treated on my bithday I would throw a huge part for him on his ... he would hate that!)

[☆ TexasFreethinker ☆]

The Golden Rule

(in chronological order, from many different traditions)

 

"This is the sum of duty. Do not unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you."

-- Mahabharata 5:1517, from the Vedic tradition of India,

circa 3000 BC

 

 

 

"What is hateful to you, do not to our fellow man. That is entire Law, all the rest is commentary."

-- Talmud, Shabbat 31a, from the Judaic tradition,

circa 1300 BC

 

 

 

"That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself."

-- Avesta, Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5, from the Zoroastrian tradition,

circa 600 BC

 

 

 

"Hurt not others in ways that you find hurtful."

-- Tripitaka, Udanga-varga 5,18 , from the Buddhist tradition,

circa 525 BC

 

 

 

"Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness, do not unto others that which you would not have done unto you."

-- Analects, Lun-yu XV,23, from the Confucian tradition,

circa 500 BC

 

 

 

"One should treat all beings as he himself would be treated."

-- Agamas, Sutrakrtanga 1.10, 1-3, from the Jain tradition,

circa 500 BC

 

 

 

"Regard your neighbor's gain as your gain and your neighbor's loss as your loss."

-- Tai-shang Kang-ying P'ien, from the Taoist tradition,

circa 500 BC

 

 

 

"Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you."

-- Socrates (the Greek philosopher),

circa 470-399 BC

 

 

 

"Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors."

-- Epistle XLVII,11, from the Seneca tradition,

circa 5-65 AD

 

 

 

"Therefore all things whatsoever you desire that men should do to you, do you even so to them. For this is the Law and the prophets."

-- New Testament, Matthew 7:12, from the Christian tradition,

circa 30 AD

 

 

 

"Be charitable to all beings, love is the representative of God."

-- Ko-ji-ki, Hachiman Kasuga of the Shinto tradition,

circa 500 AD

 

 

 

"No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself."

-- Koran, Sunnah, from the Islam tradition,

circa 620 AD

 

 

 

"We obtain salvation by loving our fellow man and God."

-- Granth, Japji XXI, from the Sikh tradition,

circa 1500 AD

[Asimov]

Confucious was a cool dude, eh? 

 

 

I'd like to do unto you, what you would do unto me....

 

hahaha

 

[Ouroboros]

I'd like to do unto you, what you would do unto me....

 

hahaha

 

 

Confusious made his statement a bit confusing.

 

Here's a better one

"Do not do what you don't want no one to never don't do to you"

 

I'm not even sure the negations add up correctly

[♦ nivek ♦]

"Do unto others, then SPLIT!"

 

Lost sometime in the '70's to the Fablous Furry Freak Brothers..

 

kL

[DanInPA]

Thanks all, especially TFT.

I probably could have found those myself, but figured someone here had the info.

 

Did I say I love this place

[Lilith]

Confusious made his statement a bit confusing.

 

Here's a better one

"Do not do what you don't want no one to never don't do to you"

 

I'm not even sure the negations add up correctly

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think a better way to phrase that might be, "Do not do what you don't want no one to never not do to you."

 

Slight change, to be sure, but it flows a little better off the tongue.

[Mythra]

You will find all kinds of similar thoughts and teachings in Greek philosophy, and these things are the ones that most likely influenced the writing of the gospels.

 

(Notice I didn't say, they influenced Jesus)..

 

The golden rule, as well as "turn the other cheek" is from Aristotle and Plato.

[Guest Joseph]

I read somewhere that the golden rule, or something similar, existed before Jesus supposedly pronounced it.

 

Can anyone point me to a source(s).

 

http://www.unification.net/ws/theme015.htm

{edited for length/content}

The Golden Rule or the ethic of reciprocity is found in the scriptures of nearly every religion. It is often regarded as the most concise and general principle of ethics. It is a condensation in one principle of all longer lists of ordinances such as the Decalogue. See also texts on Loving Kindness, pp. 967-73.

 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

1. Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.18

 

A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.

4. Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

 

Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.

5. Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.4

 

One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.

9. African Traditional Religions. Yoruba Proverb (Nigeria)

 

A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to him, "Make me a proselyte, on condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod which was in his hand. When he went to Hillel, he said to him, "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go and learn."

12. Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a

 

For what it is worth, Judaism attributes the "golden rule" to Hillel of which it is greatly believe that Jesus was of the school of under his teachings of "spirit of the law."

 

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsourc...ote/hillel.html

Hillel and the Golden Rule

 

Once there was a gentile who came before Shammai, and said to him: "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot. Shammai pushed him aside with the measuring stick he was holding. The same fellow came before Hillel, and Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."

-Rabbi Hillel was one of the most influential scholars in Jewish history.

Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a

 

Also, why didn't gawd just make this part of being human? 

 

Because He created and does Evil from man's viewpoint (Isaiah 45:7, Amos 3:6).

 

This does not mean that It's action are in fact evil, but that relative to man's viewpoint this Entity created and allows and does evil. Absolute morality can not fit into a relative mind, and our language is based upon relative concepts.

 

It wouldn't have taken away free will any more than the need to eat and drink did, so don't give me that shit!

 

A physiological "freedom" is different from a moralistic "one." Just as a physiological demand is quite different from a moralistic demand.

[Kay]

Can anyone point me to a source(s).

 

Common sense?

[chefranden]

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is not the best rendition of the idea. Observe:

 

 

Now if I was to do unto her as I would have her do unto me I would have to spend the rest of my life in jail. Therefore I do not always follow the golden rule.