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One should treat all creatures in the world as one would like to be treated - Jainism .... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - Christianity .... None of you truly believes until you want for others what you want for yourself - Islam .... Treat not others in ways you yourself would find hurtful - Buddhism .... What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbour - Judaism ....
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Henry David Thoreau's Take on the Golden Rule

November 6, 2006

     "Absolutely speaking, Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you is by no means a golden rule, but the best of current silver. An honest man would have but little occasion for it. It is golden not to have any rule at all in such a case."

Thoreau lived at a time that might be considered a Golden Rule renaissance. In North America, the Christian version of the rule was being written about, lectured on, and studied.

Perhaps this quote was Thoreau's way of pointing out that it is just as easy to turn the Golden Rule into an inflexible mantra as any other ethical code.

We need to remember that an underlying tenet of the Golden Rule is that each situation we find ourselves in must be evaluated on its own merits. The "absoluteness" of the Rule lies in its absolute requirement that we make no absolute statements.

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