The so called 'Golden Rule' is one of the most important rules of patriarchy. It guarantees that people are seen as 'equals' instead of individuals. If people believe, all they want is the same as their neighbor and consider this as a right, then such men and women are much easier to rule, to exploit and to manipulate.
Indigenous societies are more ambitious. They fulfill the individual
desires and personal needs for everybody. Its impossible to rule them;
they are not sheeple.
Therefore the Golden Rule or the 'moral of reciprocity' is found in the
scriptures of virtually every patriarchal religion. It is often regarded
as the most concise and general principle of a moral of relentlessness.
It is a condensation in one principle of all longer lists of ordinances
such as the Decalogue.
The fact, that this rule is called 'golden', something of the highest
value in nations with a gold and money system, shows its patriarchal
origin. For natives or indios gold has no such meaning. Think about first
Spaniards in South-America and conquerors everywhere else, where gold was found.
The Golden Rule:
As you give, so shall you receive.
Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31
corresponds to German proverb:
"Was du nicht willst, dass man dir tut, das füg auch keinem andern
zu!"
and I am sure, in your language you will find something alike. (But not in Native dialects.)
The Golden Rule made it from ancient nomadic tribes (with the first
patriarchal patterns) to every 'civilized' people or western culture.
Natives, Aborigines or indigenous peoples lack this belief. If not, then
they learned it from missionaries, conquerors and colonists.
Christian Faith
All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so
to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
- The Gospel of Matthew Matt 7:12, Luke 6:31
Bah?'? Faith
And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy
neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.
- Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, 30
Hindu Faith
This is the sum of duty: do naught to others which if done to thee would
cause thee pain.
- The Mahabharata
Jewish Faith
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow men. That is the entire
Law; all the rest is commentary.
- The Talmud
Zoroastrian Faith
Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
- Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29
Buddhist Faith
Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.
- Udana-Varga
Muslim Faith
No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which
he desires for himself.
- Hadith
The Golden Rule in
Dutch (Nederlandse)
Wat u niet wil dat u geschied, doe dat ook een ander niet.
German
Was du nicht willst, was man dir tu', das füg' auch keinem andern
zu.
And yet some other sources:
Do not do unto others what angers you if done to you by others.
- Isocrates 436-338 BCE
An it harm none, do what thou wilt.
- Wiccan Rede
Tzu-kung asked, 'Is there a single word which can be a guide to conduct
throughout one's life?' The Master said, 'It is perhaps the word shu. Do
not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'
- Analects, 15.24
Refraining from doing what we blame in others.
- By Thales
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
- Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.18
Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he
loves for himself.
- Islam. Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13
A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be
treated.
- Jainism. Sutrakritanga 1.11.33
Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself,
and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.
- Confucianism. Mencius VII.A.4
One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to
oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due
to selfish desire.
- Hinduism. Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8
Tsekung asked, Is there one word that can serve as a principle of
conduct for life? Confucius replied, It is the word shu--reciprocity: Do
not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.
- Confucianism. Analects 15.23
[Leviticus 19.18: Quoted by Jesus in Matthew 22.36-40. Mencius VII.A.4
and Analects 15.23: Cf. Analects 6.28.2, p. 975.]
Comparing oneself to others in such terms as Just as I am so are they,
just as they are so am I, he should neither kill nor cause others to
kill.
- Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705
One who you think should be hit is none else but you. One who you think
should be governed is none else but you. One who you think should be
tortured is none else but you. One who you think should be enslaved is
none else but you. One who you think should be killed is none else but
you. A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the
parity of the killed and the killer. Therefore, neither does he cause
violence to others nor does he make others do so.
- Jainism. Acarangasutra 5.101-2
The Ariyan disciple thus reflects, Here am I, fond of my life, not
wanting to die, fond of pleasure and averse from pain. Suppose someone
should rob me of my life... it would not be a thing pleasing and
delightful to me. If I, in my turn, should rob of his life one fond of
his life, not wanting to die, one fond of pleasure and averse from pain,
it would not be a thing pleasing or delightful to him. For a state that
is not pleasant or delightful to me must also be to him also; and a
state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that
upon another?
As a result of such reflection he himself abstains from taking the life
of creatures and he encourages others so to abstain, and speaks in
praise of so abstaining.
- Buddhism. Samyutta Nikaya v.353
A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to him, Make me a proselyte,
on condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one
foot. Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod which was in his hand. When
he went to Hillel, he said to him, What is hateful to you, do not do to
your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the rest of it is
commentary; go and learn.
- Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a
Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him,
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
- Christianity. Bible, Matthew 22.36-40
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