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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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Q&A
What is -
the Golden Rule
the Ethic of Reciprocity
Agape

You be the Judge

Dec. 7, 2006

     If we pass a man sitting in the street, hat placed on the sidewalk in front of him, how do we apply the principle of Do Unto Others?

     On a superficial level, we can see the obvious; the man hopes that we will drop a few coins into his hat, as we would hope that others would do if we were in his shoes.

     On a slightly more detailed level, we might imagine what we would use the money for if we were that man; for food or shelter perhaps. A night spent off the street. A cup of hot soup on a cold night.

     Some of us might smile at him, or acknowledge him with a word or two; others might avoid his gaze, thinking that we wouldn't want to be embarrassed through contact with strangers in such circumstances.

     In each of these scenarios, we're projecting our own personalities, wants and desires onto the man.

     To move more fully into the Golden Rule, we have to interact with the man, the "other", from the perspective of his personality, his wants, his desires.

     I struggle to accomplish this in even my closest relationships, and I know that I am only partially successful. Is it really possible in every casual encounter?

     Of course not. But in acknowledging that, we can apply another aspect of the Golden Rule.

     We can avoid the temptation to judge. We cannot know the history or motivations that have brought the people we meet to where they are. We are not equipped to decide if they have made good or bad choices along the way.

     But we can give them the benefit of the doubt. We can accept that, given the right combination of events, we might even be in their place. And we can choose not to condemn or criticize, but to value and recognize the intrinsic worth of another human being.

     After all, wouldn't we want them to do unto us likewise?

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