Echoing The Golden Rule

The foundation of our humanness is being challenged greatly at this time of our lives. Technology innovations, changes in human psychology, environmental changes, increase in different knowledge areas has helped put a spotlight on the beliefs that humans have carried from generation to generation. Every word that man creates from their mind and its definitions projects an ideology or a deep-seated belief or mindset. Ideologies or deep-seated beliefs and mindset have the tendency to kill emotions and feelings yet at the same time bring alive passions and sentiments. Ideologies and beliefs also have the tendency to deaden conscience and spark reactions that dehumanize us. I cannot seem to find any other way to explain the violence that humans inflict on one another in various degrees other than beliefs and ideologies that they have allowed to become their realities.

“Technology innovations, changes in human psychology, environmental changes, increase in different knowledge areas has helped put a spotlight on the beliefs that humans have carried from generation to generation.” 

I cannot find any other reason to explain the violence that humans inflict on another human in various degrees other than beliefs and ideologies that they have allowed to be their realities. An unarmed, helpless man in distress inflicted by four men, mutters #ICantBreathe for minutes and that distress call does nothing to them, does not arouse any emotion or consideration that it’s possible that we may be snuffing life out of this guy. Must be that their conscience, emotions, or feelings towards men of color is dead! Their deep-seated beliefs and ideologies had deadened their emotions, feelings, and conscience.

There has been lots of human actions and reactions over centuries in homes, communities and nations that showcases mindsets, deep-seated beliefs and ideologies. These actions and reactions may or may not have made the news. These actions and reactions manifest as slavetrades, caste system, racism, genocides, victimizations in corporate offices, armed robbery, rape and other vices. It is quite understandable from the scriptures (for those of us that believe); that the mindsets and ideolgies that promote inhumaness are caused by the god of this world, whose work is to negate the original intention of man’s creator – God. God has given man the power of choice. The power to choose between the ideals of man’s creator or man’s corrupter. The Question God asked the people He once delivered reverberates louder at this time. “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, …” Joshua 24:15 ESV

Serving God is about loving God and His ideals, and loving other humans he created as we love ourselves. God’s intention and expectation is that man proves his love to Him by loving other people. The summary of God’s law guiding how man lives and behaves on earth is all about how they treat one another. The Golden Rule is the ethical principle of treating other people as one would prefer to be treated.

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” - This is the Golden Rule.

If only we consciously and intentionally make the golden rule our maxim, our deep-seated belief and let it govern our ideology then perhaps all the evil acts of man against one another will reduce. If man can consciously catch himself thinking about the golden rule and chooses his actions and reactions accordingly, he will hurt other humans less. I bet that no rapist would want their daughter, sister, mother or wife be raped. No racist wanted to be treated discriminately. No assasin would readily want to die the way they kill their victims. The question to keep asking one’s self is – Why do I do to others what I don’t want done to me? Perhaps the answer to that question will bring us to being more human.

The Bible captures God’s Word as saying that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;” and it also outlines the solution – LOVE. Love is the guiding force to foster good human relations. The underlying truth that governs the Golden Rule is LOVE. Love for self and love for others. Let LOVE live!