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The Golden Rule


manbearpigg

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If i am not mistaken, the code of Hammurabi is the oldest written set of laws and the first that mentions "THE GOLDEN RULE" (eye for an eye).

It seems to me that the golden rule is the oldest and only unifying element in ALL our religions. (maybe except some crazy empathy-lacking cults)

Can we create a NEW religion that embodies only that?

Organized religion has a downside, most of which is manipulation and control over the weak.

Lets start a new religion free from money, leadership, and control.

Lets just stand by the message of don't hurt people with intent.

what do you say? we can call it DGAFanity.

I think the DUDE from the Big Lebowski has a similar religion.

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The only golden rule I know is that Gold Rules.

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The only golden rule I know is that Gold Rules.

The only golden rule I know is: 'It's okay in a three-way'.

We can thank The Lonely Island for that one...

Edit: And please watch the YouTube clip of that song if you don't know what I'm referring to ;)

Edited by Timonthy
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If i am not mistaken, the code of Hammurabi is the oldest written set of laws and the first that mentions "THE GOLDEN RULE" (eye for an eye).

It seems to me that the golden rule is the oldest and only unifying element in ALL our religions. (maybe except some crazy empathy-lacking cults)

Can we create a NEW religion that embodies only that?

Organized religion has a downside, most of which is manipulation and control over the weak.

Lets start a new religion free from money, leadership, and control.

Lets just stand by the message of don't hurt people with intent.

what do you say? we can call it DGAFanity.

I think the DUDE from the Big Lebowski has a similar religion.

I appreciate your sentiments. :)

But to clarify, Hammurabi's Code set the law of reciprocity (If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out). In other words, the 'Golden Rule' is very different than the concept of 'an eye for an eye'.

I believe that this was literally taken as 'if I cause (accidentally or not) your eye to be put out, then mine shall be taken out as well', which isn't very fair.

Later religions/cultures refined the concept to 'do unto others as they would do unto you'.

And yes, some form of the Golden Rule is found in almost every written culture and religion.

Edited by Likely Guy
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What makes you think creating another religion, even with the best intentions, would be any different down the line from every religion we have now, and have had in our history?

It'll just be one like all the others, twisted and formed to the liking of those who hold and teach it.

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Christianity:

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:1

Confucianism: Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.

Analects 12:2

Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

Udana-Varga 5,1

Hinduism: This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.

Mahabharata 5,1517

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

Sunnah

Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.

Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Taoism: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien

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

Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

Source: http://www.teachingvalues.com/goldenrule.html

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If i am not mistaken, the code of Hammurabi is the oldest written set of laws and the first that mentions "THE GOLDEN RULE" (eye for an eye).

It seems to me that the golden rule is the oldest and only unifying element in ALL our religions. (maybe except some crazy empathy-lacking cults)

Can we create a NEW religion that embodies only that?

Organized religion has a downside, most of which is manipulation and control over the weak.

Lets start a new religion free from money, leadership, and control.

Lets just stand by the message of don't hurt people with intent.

what do you say? we can call it DGAFanity.

I think the DUDE from the Big Lebowski has a similar religion.

The platinum rule is better because it dictates one should treat others as they want to be treated. This is more challenging, you have to know someone to understand how they want to be treated.

You can create a religion around whatever you want but it will most likely, like all other religions, have limited members and thus limited influence on humanity.

In either case society is a living organism and the pricinciples it accepts or not are usually in reaction to events and attitudes that shape them or general progress.

For instance, with progress, we designed a fork and then we used it to define humanity separate from the other animals in the kingdom. So that is once principle of what it is to be human, eat with utensils.

So this goodness you achieve, golden, platinum, whatever it is, it will naturally rise to the top as humans begin to understand cooperation allows us to get farther ahead than competition as a species.

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Christianity:

All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:1

Confucianism: Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the state.

Analects 12:2

Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

Udana-Varga 5,1

Hinduism: This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.

Mahabharata 5,1517

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

Sunnah

Judaism: What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.

Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Taoism: Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien

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

Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

It's interesting that Christianity is the only one that requires one to take the initiative and do something first. All the other religions approach the golden rule from the negative as in "don't do anything to others that you wouldn't want done to yourself' whereas Christianity requires one to take initiative and do something positive for someone else. It's the reverse of the other religions. The other religions as long as you don't do anything harmful you are okay whereas with Christianity you are required to get up off your butt and do something good for someone else. - Art

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I think the DUDE from the Big Lebowski has a similar religion.

You're too late. Get your copy of the Dude de Ching here.

Unlike the above link, this one is more serious and addresses your comment on the golden rule. enjoy.

[media=]

[/media]
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It's interesting that Christianity is the only one that requires one to take the initiative and do something first. All the other religions approach the golden rule from the negative as in "don't do anything to others that you wouldn't want done to yourself' whereas Christianity requires one to take initiative and do something positive for someone else. It's the reverse of the other religions. The other religions as long as you don't do anything harmful you are okay whereas with Christianity you are required to get up off your butt and do something good for someone else. - Art

Thats not true at all. Maabe in those specific verses and passages but many other religions like Islam (one of the five pillars) and Buddhism (8 fold path- charity) are much more active than Christianity when preaching about charitable works.

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Lets start a new religion free from money, leadership, and control.

Lets just stand by the message of don't hurt people with intent.

The bolded bit sounds a bit like communism!!

Now heres what I found for you:

"Many believe that the first ever written down code of laws was Hammurabi's code. Even Jeopardy has assert this fact. However this is incorrect. The oldest extant law code that has been found is the law code of Ur-Nammu which dates to around 2100BC (Hammurabi's law code only dates to around 1790BC). The form of the laws follow the "if...then..." format that is followed in subsequent law codes - such as Hammurabi's. For example: "if a man commits murder he must be killed" and "If a man knocks out a tooth of another man, he shall pay two shekels of silver."

While the code of Ur-Nammu is the oldest code for which we have found copies, we have found references to an older law code of which we have not found copies - the code of Urukagina. (Urukagina reigned between 2380-2360BC) While we have no copies of this code, we know some of its content from references to the laws. For example Urukagina exempted widows from paying taxes, and made it illegal for a rich man to force a poor man to sell something.

lastly, some notable dissenters:

Jesus of Nazareth: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

Mahatma Gandhi: "An-eye-for-an-eye-for-an-eye-for-an-eye ... ends in making everybody blind."

Martin Luther King, Jr. later used this phrase in the context of racial violence: "The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind."

In Fiddler on the Roof, the protagonist, Tevvye, replies to the phrase with "And then the whole world would be blind and toothless."

In seeders world, nobody gets bothered at all. Live and let live is my code.

Harm seeder tho, and he will kick you right in the nutz! It works for me! Really hurt or interfere with my child, I will probably kill you. Simples!

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I appreciate your sentiments. :)

But to clarify, Hammurabi's Code set the law of reciprocity (If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out). In other words, the 'Golden Rule' is very different than the concept of 'an eye for an eye'.

I believe that this was literally taken as 'if I cause (accidentally or not) your eye to be put out, then mine shall be taken out as well', which isn't very fair.

Later religions/cultures refined the concept to 'do unto others as they would do unto you'.

And yes, some form of the Golden Rule is found in almost every written culture and religion.

Part of the concept of Karma. That's an interesting link to Hinduism ?

Edited by lightly
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Just an eye for an eye to a letter i for an i then change it for to a number 1 for 1. Equal value for equal value. Meaning if the value isn't equal being agreed to by each person involved don't do it.

If they try to take your eye that gives you the permission to take theirs if you want to. Permission is what changes self-defense to murder.

When people don't understand the consent part they don't like eye for an eye.

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The Ethic of Reciprocity -- often called the Golden Rule in Christianity -- simply states that we are to treat other people as we would wish to be treated ourselves. Almost all organized religions have such an ethic. It is normally intended to apply to the entire human race. Unfortunately, it is too often applied by some people only to fellow believers.

---"Every religion emphasizes human improvement, love, respect for others, sharing other people's suffering. On these lines every religion had more or less the same viewpoint and the same goal."

Dalai Lama

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...."THE GOLDEN RULE" (eye for an eye)....It seems to me that the golden rule is the oldest and only unifying element in ALL our religions. (maybe except some crazy empathy-lacking cults)

............Lets start a new religion free from money, leadership, and control.............

1- Jesus TRASHED the Old Testament's 'eye for eye' rule (Matt 5:38/39).. :)

2- Christianity ALREADY trashes money, leadership and control, so why do we need another religion? Look-

"Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit"- 2 Cor 2:17

"Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, not lording it over those entrusted to you..." -1 Peter 5:2-3

Jesus said:-"You have one teacher, me,......You're my friends if you follow me. I don't call you servants, but I call you friends" Matt 23:10, John 15:15

jesus-friends.gif

Edited by Crikey
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My golden rule is do unto others ........ I've always been more concerned with my own moral/ethical code than something put before me that was formulated by someone else. IMHO, unless it comes from within ourselves, it has little value and is difficult to sustain.

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I would like to put in a good word for old Immanuel Kant and his "ethical imperative." It's a little less elegant than some of the others posted above, but I think it works better and is more practical, and, more important, as an extremely strong logical basis.

Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.

Now Kant is not famous for being an easy read, but this shouldn't be too hard if you read it several times.

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It's interesting. I am 60 years old and i had never heard that this was the golden rule until this post. Wikipedia seems to comnfirm it, but i bravely suggest that it is not the true golden rule, or standard by which humans should live. Fom birth I was taught by family schools society and life that the golden laws is this. Love thy neighbour as thy self

Simon Blackburn also states that the Golden Rule can be "found in some form in almost every ethical tradition".[9] In his commentary to the Torah verse (Hebrew: "ואהבת לרעך כמוך" ca.1300 BCE):

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your kinsfolk. Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

, the "
"

(which apears as a subset of the wiki version)

To me the "eye for an eye" is a more primitive concept which has regained popularity in our modern individualist world.

In a civilised modern world, I would hope that the version based on love would prevail. It requires one first to understand and love oneself, something more primitive versions do not. They are based only on a sense of justice or equality of crime and recompense

Only when one truly understands and loves oneself, can one truly love, and treat, another as they would prefer to be treated.

I wouldnt argue that eye for a eye is not an earlier form of law, but in my opinion it is not a golden standard to live by, and thus not the golden rule of humanity. In modern times we would not just all end up blind, but dead, if this law was applied.

Edited by Mr Walker
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I think that old eye for an eye business is just a way to justify acting out in a negative way. I don't think it worked well in the way back machine any better than it works now.

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I think that old eye for an eye business is just a way to justify acting out in a negative way. I don't think it worked well in the way back machine any better than it works now.

Like all laws it had the benefit of codifying and regulating behaviours within a society. Thus even the vikings, within their communities, had a code based on this, where an offender had several choices Pay a gold price or make some recompense for harm done to another.

If you could not, or would not, live by this code you were exiled or at times killed, because a person who would not live by the law presented an unpredictable, but constant, danger to those who did. It was better than chaos or anarchy, or the rule of strength and power. (Although the latter still applied in many societies as an alternative to compensation eg trial by combat)

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