Quote:
Originally Posted by nng
.. The golden rule is the only teaching in Christianity that makes any sense, but other religions have that rule too, without all the extra man made, arbitrary rules.
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The 'Golden Rule' is not an invention of Christianity, but has been invented in various forms all over when and where. (I'll Wiki in some examples)(1). It is rather to be traced to moral origins when family squabbles were replaced by the principle of reciprocity. ('i won't hurt you so you won't hurt me')
In fact the Golden Rule seems to be reversed in the Gospels from not doing to others what they don't want done to them to doing to others what you would want them to do you if you were in their shoes - which is, of course, convert them. Thus the Golden Rule of Non -interference is twisted in the gospels to a charter for interference - a license for evangelism which -as you observed sees no moral barrier to any method of doing this and legal barriers are an annoyance to be ignored if you can get away with it or removed if evangelism can control the government.
(1) .hang on...
Ancient Egypt
Possibly the earliest affirmation of the maxim of reciprocity, reflecting the ancient Egyptian goddess Ma'at, appears in the story of The Eloquent Peasant, which dates to the Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1650 BC): "Now this is the command: Do to the doer to make him do."[10][11] This proverb embodies the do ut des principle.[12] A Late Period (c. 664–323 BC) papyrus contains an early negative affirmation of the Golden Rule: "That which you hate to be done to you, do not do to another."[13]
Ancient India
Sanskrit tradition
In Mahābhārata, the ancient epic of India, there is a discourse in which the wise minister Vidura advises the King Yuddhiśhṭhira
Listening to wise scriptures, austerity, sacrifice, respectful faith, social welfare, forgiveness, purity of intent, compassion, truth and self-control—are the ten wealth of character (self). O king aim for these, may you be steadfast in these qualities. These are the basis of prosperity and rightful living. These are highest attainable things. All worlds are balanced on dharma, dharma encompasses ways to prosperity as well. O King, dharma is the best quality to have, wealth the medium and desire (kāma) the lowest. Hence, (keeping these in mind), by self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself.
— Mahābhārata Shānti-Parva 167:9
Tamil tradition
In Chapter 32 in the Part on Virtue of the Tirukkuṛaḷ (c. 1st century BC), Valluvar says: "Do not do to others what you know has hurt yourself" (kural 316); "Why does one hurt others knowing what it is to be hurt?" (kural 318). He furthermore opined that it is the determination of the spotless (virtuous) not to do evil, even in return, to those who have cherished enmity and done them evil (kural 312). The (proper) punishment to those who have done evil (to you), is to put them to shame by showing them kindness, in return and to forget both the evil and the good done on both sides (kural 314).
Ancient Greece
The Golden Rule in its prohibitive (negative) form was a common principle in ancient Greek philosophy. Examples of the general concept include:
"Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing." – Thales[14] (c. 624 BC – c. 546 BC)
"What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either. " – Sextus the Pythagorean.[15] The oldest extant reference to Sextus is by Origen in the third century of the common era.[16]
"Do not do to others that which angers you when they do it to you." – Isocrates[17] (436–338 BC)
Ancient Persia
The Pahlavi Texts of Zoroastrianism (c. 300 BC–1000 AD) were an early source for the Golden Rule: "That nature alone is good which refrains from doing to another whatsoever is not good for itself." Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5, and "Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others." Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29[18]
Ancient Rome
Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BC–65 AD), a practitioner of Stoicism (c. 300 BC–200 AD) expressed the Golden Rule in his essay regarding the treatment of slaves: "Treat your inferior as you would wish your superior to treat you."[19]
In other religions and belief systems there is a similar concept of "the ethic of reciprocity", also called the Golden Rule. They usually give a similar idea, although sometimes it has been expressed in the form such as "Do not treat others as you would not like to be treated." (Wiki)
One of the earliest rules of this type is from the Old Testament days of Moses: "Love thy neighbor as thyself" (Leviticus 19:18). Similar rules have also appeared over time:
ca. 950 BC: "...by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself." - Mahabharata Shānti-Parva 167:9 (Hinduism)
ca. 600 BC: "Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing." – Thales (Greek philosopher)
ca. 500 BC: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." - Buddha Udanavarga 5:18 (Buddhism)
ca. 500 BC: "A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated." — Sutrakritanga, 1.11.33 (Jainism)
ca. 480 BC: "Is there any one word that could guide a person throughout life?" The Master replied: "How about 'shu' [reciprocity]: never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself?" - Confucius Analects 15:24
ca. 400 BC: "Do not do to others that which angers you when they do it to you." - Isocrates (Greek philosopher)
ca. 350 BC: "That which you hate to be done to you, do not do to another." - Egyptian Papyrus, Brooklyn 47:218:135
ca. 50 BC: "What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either." - Sextius (Greek philosopher)
ca. 1 AD: "Do not do to others what you know has hurt yourself" - Tirukkural (Tamil Hinduism)
ca. 400 AD: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow: this is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation..." - Babylonian Talmud Shabbath 31:a (Judaism)
ca. 600 AD: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." - Muhammad, various hadiths (Islam)
ca. 800 AD: "Whatever is disagreeable to yourself, do not do unto others." Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29 (Zoroastrianism)
ca. 1200 AD: "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." Treatise on the Response of the Tao (Taoism)
ca. 1400 AD: "If the entire Dharma can be said in a few words, then it is — that which is unfavorable to us, do not do that to others." Padmapuraana 19/357–358 (Hinduism)
ca. 1850 AD: "And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself." Baha'ullah (Baha'i Faith)
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