Brian, another excellent and most timely editorial. The idea of the "Golden Rule" (I personally don't much care for the title), as you pointed out is a part of the ethics and morality of virtually all religions and sects. I would argue it is part of our natural instincts, when we take time to operate within them. It is only natural that I would like for other people to treat me the way I want to be treated, with respect, caring and dignity as a person. It doesn't mean they have to like or love everything I do or say, but that doesn't mean that as a person, a fellow human, they cannot and should not want for me, what they would want for themselves in my circumstances. As my mother admonished me, "you are not to hate anyone, you may hate things they do or say, but you still treat them with respect.." It would truely revolutionize our political and social discourse is all of us who claim the label "Christian" (not to mention, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddists, Agnostics, Athiests and all the other folks out there) simply extended the basic respect toward others that would want for outselves. Our discourse on all of the troubling issues of our day would be so much more productive, enlightened and intelligent. A final observation on the "Mind your own damn business" saying, my wife doesn't care for the "damn" either. However, I would proffer that first, its doesn't mean that I will not care and seek to assit my fellowman (generic for human), or take action of one of my fellows is involved in conduct threatening to the well-being and wellfare of others. From a certain perspective, the saying does express how I want others to deal with me. There are those things that are none of my fellows' concern in my life, so I would hope they would treat me with the respect to "In the name of Grists and Gravey, to Mind Your Own Business - MYOB!"
Brian, another excellent and most timely editorial. The idea of the "Golden Rule" (I personally don't much care for the title), as you pointed out is a part of the ethics and morality of virtually all religions and sects. I would argue it is part of our natural instincts, when we take time to operate within them. It is only natural that I would like for other people to treat me the way I want to be treated, with respect, caring and dignity as a person. It doesn't mean they have to like or love everything I do or say, but that doesn't mean that as a person, a fellow human, they cannot and should not want for me, what they would want for themselves in my circumstances. As my mother admonished me, "you are not to hate anyone, you may hate things they do or say, but you still treat them with respect.." It would truely revolutionize our political and social discourse is all of us who claim the label "Christian" (not to mention, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddists, Agnostics, Athiests and all the other folks out there) simply extended the basic respect toward others that would want for outselves. Our discourse on all of the troubling issues of our day would be so much more productive, enlightened and intelligent. A final observation on the "Mind your own damn business" saying, my wife doesn't care for the "damn" either. However, I would proffer that first, its doesn't mean that I will not care and seek to assit my fellowman (generic for human), or take action of one of my fellows is involved in conduct threatening to the well-being and wellfare of others. From a certain perspective, the saying does express how I want others to deal with me. There are those things that are none of my fellows' concern in my life, so I would hope they would treat me with the respect to "In the name of Grists and Gravey, to Mind Your Own Business - MYOB!"