Much as there is truth in the claim that guns don't kill, people do, they same can be said of the many ills that are laid at the door of both religion (and rational atheism).
It's people who are the problem...whether misguided or pursuing their own ends 'in the name of...'
Which is maybe why all major religions have at their heart a common Golden Rule that no humanist could disagree with; a rule for life that recognises our intrinsic selfishness (whatever we might like to think of ourselves) and inability to do the right thing whatever our good intentions…
- Hinduism: 'never do to others what would pain you' (Panchatantra 3.140)
- Buddhism: 'hurt not others with that which hurts yourself' (Udana 5.18)
- Zoroastrianism: 'do not to others what is not well for oneself' (Shayast-na-shaysat 13.29)
- Jainism: 'one who neglects existence disregards their own existance' (Mahavira)
- Confucianism: 'do not impose on others what you do not yourself desire' (Analects 12.2)
- Taoism: 'regard your neighbour's loss or gain as your own loss or gain' (Tai Shang Kan Ying Pien)
- Baha'l: 'desire not for anyone the thing you would not for yourself' (Baha'Ullah 66)
- Judaism: 'what is hateful to you do not do to your neighbour' (Talmud, Shabbat, 31a)
- Christianity: 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you' (Matthew 7.12)
- Islam: 'do unto all people as you would they should do to you' (Mishkat-el-Masabih)
- Sikhism: 'treat others as you would be treated yourself' (Adi Granth)
So whether spiritual or rational in outlook, and in whatever we might be doing, how do we so embed the Golden Rule in our beliefs and behaviour that it overcomes our natural inclination to care only about our own needs?
Well that ended up all a bit 'thought for the day' ;o)
