Keywords: Golden Rule Golden Rule Information ethics universal mankind
right wrong behavior All About THE GOLDEN RULE - "Treat others As You Would Like To Be Treated"
basic standard philosophy religion beliefs interpersonal behavior
behaviour moral morality morals
politics political action international worldwide
All About THE GOLDEN RULE
The immediate result of following the Golden Rule is that you will be treating other people very, very well. As well, in fact, as you would like them to be treating you. The ultimate result is that God will treat you the way you treat others.
Even if you don't believe in God, you should follow the Golden Rule because it will help you get along better in the world.
Membership on the Committee is open to all people worldwide who desire to promote the Golden Rule, regardless of their age, sex, marital status, economic status, national origin, ethnic background, sexual orientation, political beliefs, religion, race, or any other category whatsoever.
THERE IS ONE UNDERLYING RULE FOR RIGHT AND WRONG BEHAVIOR:
This rule is known as "The Golden Rule." Some version of 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 the same situation?" Then treat the other person that way. TWO NOTES:(1) When we say, "Treat others as you would like to be treated," this includes all other people, not merely those who happen to be with us at the moment. So we must also consider the impact of our actions on all other people, not only those immediately before us. (2) When we say "in the same situation," this means that our roles and personalities must be mentally reversed, so that we see the situation from the other person's point of view, trying to understand his needs and desires as if they were our own. Also, we need to apply the "Rational Man" standard, long-established in Law. The Golden Rule does not require us to grant irrational requests made by insane persons.If you need further help in applying the Golden Rule to your particular situation, please visit Golden Rule Solutions. - https://www.loveallpeople.org/goldenrulesolutions.html
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: https://theosophy.org/tlodocs/GoldnRul.htm - (Categorizations added)
"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 used 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 the same situation. 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.
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.
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. https://www.loveallpeople.org/pearl-goldenruleembodies.html
also see https://loveallpeople.org/pearl-goldenruleembodies.txtOther 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. It is truly the worldwide standard for human behavior.
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.
"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!
Here, we see that the way we can best follow this basic law is follow the "Golden Rule," which is most clearly stated as "TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED."
We have have also established that the Golden Rule leads directly to Democracy and to a social policy of "The Greatest Good For The Greatest Number, With Basic Rights For All." Thus, total good is maximized and none are denied their basic rights in life. Please see https://www.loveallpeople.org/foundationofdemocracy.html.
Now we turn to the practical matter of applying apply the Golden Rule in our lives. We have limited, finite resources at our command: only so much time, only so much money, only so much energy. But the need for our help is infinite, far beyond our ability to help everyone all they need. So we must be able to select our targets and set priorities in order to maximize the good that we are able to accomplish with our limited resources.
THE GOLDEN RULE DOES NOT REQUIRE US TO DO EVERYTHING WE ARE ASKED TO DO
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 the same situation?" Then treat the other person that way. But also consider the impact of your actions on all other people, not only those immediately before you. Thus, the Golden Rule does NOT mean that you need to do everything anybody wants you to do, as some people mistakenly believe. If one person asks you to do something which would hurt other people, you need to weigh the impact of your actions on all people who would be affected, not just the person immediately in front of you who is making the request.
Also, you need to apply the "Rational Man" standard, long-established in Law. The Golden Rule does not require you to grant irrational requests made by insane persons.
GIVE EACH PERSON WHAT HE IS JUSTLY ENTITLED TO RECEIVE FROM YOU
Your spouse is justly entitled to receive certain things from you. Likewise, your children, your employer, your co-worker, your parents, your customers, your service providers, etc. are all entitled to receive certain things from you. So you should give them what they are justly entitled to receive.
The Bible presents this concept as "Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:7-8 (RSV)
This corresponds completely with the entire body of Western Law, founded on the laws of the Roman Empire, as collected and codified by the Emperor Justinian in his "Institutes of Justinian," (540 A.D.) which begins with this statement:
TITLE I OF JUSTICE AND LAW Justice is the set and constant purpose which gives to every man his due. Then . . . 3 The precepts of the law are these: to live honestly, to injure no one, and to give every man his due. Source: https://www.gutenberg.net/etext04/ijust10.txt
Some people, myself included, try to allocate at least ten percent of our income-time-wealth-energy to people who are entitled to receive it only because they are fellow human beings in need. We give to them in the name of God, considering the gifts to be a Biblical "tithe."
FINALLY, WORK TO ACHIEVE "THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER, WITH BASIC RIGHTS FOR ALL."
This policy is the natural result of applying the Golden Rule to all people in the world. Please see https://www.loveallpeople.org/foundationofdemocracy.html.
We have a website devoted to applying the Golden Rule to individual cases in life:
1. Live by the Golden rule yourself.
2. Join the Committee For The Golden Rule by subscribing here: committeeforthegoldenrule-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
3. Link to the Committee For The Golden Rule from your e-mails and newsgroup postings.
4. Link to this banner (below) from your web pages, using this HTML code.
5. Start and run a Golden Rule Club in your school, workplace, or community.
6. Contact webmasters and give them a "Golden Rule" motto to use.
7. Print out this "Policy Statement" page, make copies, distribute.
8. Post this message to your favorite newsgroups; send it to your friends.
10. Create links to Ethics Class - Teaching The Golden Rule
11. CONDUCT A GOLDEN RULE WORKSHOP - Instructions provided here.
His website is located at => https://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler and his Golden Rule page is located at => https://www.jcu.edu/philosophy/gensler/goldrule.htm
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Membership is open to anyone in the world who desires to promote the Golden Rule, "Treat others as you would like to be treated."
Here's a draft resolution suitable for adoption by legislatures, school boards, boards of directors, various other organizations. => Draft Resolution To Adopt The Golden Rule
https://www.loveallpeople.org/resolution.html https://www.loveallpeople.org/resolution.txt
Golden Rule Solutions - Real-Life Applications of The Golden Rule
Ethics Class - "Teaching The Golden Rule"
Golden Rule Page At RelgiousTolerance.org
The Golden Rule - Rules, from White Stone Communications
The Golden Rule Foundation, Maitland, Florida
John Bigelow's Essay On The Golden Rule - https://newearth.org/frontier/grmain.html
https://www.loveallpeople.org/workers.txt
patriot.net/users/bmcgin/exhortation57.txt
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Chairman Committee For The Golden Rule billmcginnis@loveallpeople.org
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You can contact me at billmcginnis@loveallpeople.org
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Chairman Committee For The Golden Rule
Blessings to you. May God help us all.
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director - LoveAllPeople.org
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