The Golden Rule…Dec 1, WT
The article has the front cover title of ‘The Golden Rule Is It Still Practical?’
The first paragraph says as follows……
Those words were spoken nearly two thousand years ago by Jesus Christ in his famous Sermon on the Mount. In the centuries since, much has been said and written about that simple statement. Among other things, it has been extolled as the “the very essence of Scripture,” “a summary of the Christian’s duty to his neighbour,” and a “fundamental ethical principle.” So well known has it become that it is often referred to as the Golden Rule.
The article then goes onto say……..
While most people view the Golden Rule as a moral teaching enunciated by Jesus, he himself stated: “What I teach is not mine but belongs to him that sent me.”-John 7:16. Yes, the Originator of what Jesus taught, including what came to be known as the Golden Rule, is the one who sent Jesus, namely, the creator, Jehovah God.
Well you would certainly get the impression that there is something unique, something special about the Christian message of doing good. In fact the essence of the Golden Rule was being ‘extolled’ long before it was evidently repeated by Jesus. (This is not from the WT article)
THE GOLDEN RULE
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 19.18Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
2. Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7.12Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
3. Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.
4. Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33Try 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.4One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire.
6. Hinduism. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8Tsekung asked, "Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?" Confucius replied, "It is the word shu--reciprocity: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you."
7. Confucianism. Analects 15.23Leviticus 19.18: Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 22.36-40 (below). Mencius VII.A.4 and Analects 15.23: Cf. Analects 6.28.2, p. 975.
Comparing oneself to others in such terms as "Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I," he should neither kill nor cause others to kill.
8. Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705One 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)One who you think should be hit is none else but you. One who you think should be governed is none else but you. One who you think should be tortured is none else but you. One who you think should be enslaved is none else but you. One who you think should be killed is none else but you. A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the parity of the killed and the killer. Therefore, neither does he cause violence to others nor does he make others do so.
10. Jainism. Acarangasutra 5.101-2The Ariyan disciple thus reflects, Here am I, fond of my life, not wanting to die, fond of pleasure and averse from pain. Suppose someone should rob me of my life... it would not be a thing pleasing and delightful to me. If I, in my turn, should rob of his life one fond of his life, not wanting to die, one fond of pleasure and averse from pain, it would not be a thing pleasing or delightful to him. For a state that is not pleasant or delightful to me must also be to him also; and a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?
As a result of such reflection he himself abstains from taking the life of creatures and he encourages others so to abstain, and speaks in praise of so abstaining.
11. Buddhism. Samyutta Nikaya v.353A 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 31aSutta Nipata 705: Cf. Dhammapada 129-130, p. 478. Acarangasutra 5.101-2: Cf. Dhammapada 129-130, p. 478. Samyutta Nikaya v.353: The passage gives a similar reflection about abstaining from other types of immoral behavior: theft, adultery, etc. To identify oneself with others is also a corollary to the Mahayana insight that all reality is interdependent and mutually related; cf. Guide to a Bodhisattva's Way of Life 8.112-16, p. 181; Majjhima Nikaya i.415, p. 465.
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."
13. Christianity. Bible, Matthew 22.36-40Matthew 22.36-40: Cf. Deuteronomy 6.4-9, p. 55; Leviticus 19.18, p. 173; Luke 10.25-37, p. 971; Galatians 6.2, p. 974; Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.2.2, p. 972; Sun Myung Moon, 9-30-79, p. 150.
> http://www.unification.net/ws/theme015.htm
So let me get that right the ‘Originator’ of the rule was Jehovah….so far as the Christians are concerned….but the rule was ‘man-made’ for the other religions.....hey they got there first!
ISP
Edited to make clear that the quotes re Golden Rule in other religions were not from WT!