General Discussion

coti

(4,612 posts) Tue Dec 15, 2015, 05:33 AM Dec 2015

A Very Brief Return- for those resolving to be a "better person" in 2016: The Golden Rule.

US politics have been infested with the false morality of scapegoating the powerless more or less since the country's inception. However, such viciousness has experienced a resurgence in recent years as a tool of manipulation in economic politics. This thread is for those looking for a re-centering toward and re-affirmation of the real goal of being a good person- treating others as one would want to be treated, without prejudice.

For those who need Biblical backing for their sense of right and wrong, The Golden Rule can be found in Matthew 7:12 ("So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.&quot and Luke 6:31 ("Do to others as you would have them do to you.&quot

Can the idea be presented in a more straightforward manner?

But The Golden Rule's roots are not limited to Christianity. Not coincidentally, virtually every prominent religion in existence today has made reference to the "ethics of reciprocity" in one way or another. Most of those references have been quite emphatic.

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The concept's simplicity and inherent justice give it a beauty and "self-evident" truth value. It also encompasses well the easy righteousness of simply leaving those people who are doing no harm to others alone.

For those who resolve to be "better people" in 2016, resolve to not only treat yourself better, but also treat better those who you would have treat you better. There isn't anything more to it than being careful to watch one's own behavior toward others. All other ideas of "morality" present in our culture are noise, nonsense, and/or lies.

Safe travels and happiness to you all in 2016!

7 replies

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A Very Brief Return- for those resolving to be a "better person" in 2016: The Golden Rule. (Original Post) coti Dec 2015 OP

k & R Mbrow Dec 2015 #1

Nice. Thanks. merrily Dec 2015 #2

K&R A very simple idea to understand, so hard to live. raouldukelives Dec 2015 #3

It's a good starting point, but misses out on part of the problem. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2015 #4

Unfortunately TPTB follow the "Them that has the gold, make the rules" Golden Rule. hobbit709 Dec 2015 #5

Fear and hate are more powerful motivators than love and compassion. Scuba Dec 2015 #6

k and r with thanks. niyad Dec 2015 #7

Mbrow

(1,090 posts)

1. k & R

Reply to coti (Original post)

Tue Dec 15, 2015, 06:16 AM

Dec 2015

Enough said.

merrily

(45,251 posts)

2. Nice. Thanks.

Reply to coti (Original post)

Tue Dec 15, 2015, 07:40 AM

Dec 2015

raouldukelives

(5,178 posts)

3. K&R A very simple idea to understand, so hard to live.

Reply to coti (Original post)

Tue Dec 15, 2015, 07:40 AM

Dec 2015

Makes sense to me. I've always felt only thinking of ones self must surely get monotonous, but based on my observations, it only shows signs of increasing.

If you don't want to live in world without fresh water or a stable ecosystem, chances are good those we are stealing it from, for short term comfort for ourselves, won't want too either.

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)

4. It's a good starting point, but misses out on part of the problem.

Reply to coti (Original post)

Tue Dec 15, 2015, 08:15 AM

Dec 2015

The other half is 'do not try to force your neighbour to do as you would have done to you.'

There are a lot of folks out there who want to mold the rest of us into carbon copies of what they are. They would welcome attempts to make them 'stay abstinent', not 'have abortions', and so on, so see no conflict with the Golden Rule in trying to make others also not able to have abortions or even sex not intended for procreation.