But we do care about other people. :-)

[Multicolored Lemur]

When I help people and do good toward them

Sometimes there’s a fine line between getting the ball rolling and offering help on the one hand, and being a pest on the other.

For example, there are ways of helping which allow the other person to keep their dignity, and most of us get pretty good at this most of the time.

And other skills as well.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Challenge 1 —

Getting hired at a chain of mattress stores, where the commission sales people are Sharks. Happened to a friend of mine. The other sales people edge-cheated like crazy. One guy told my friend, “Your customer’s still in the store,” in a self-hypnotic kind of way. And then the guy jumped the “up list.” My friend didn’t know what to say.

Maybe . .

Start “normal and reasonable.” Be ready to pull back to tight and defensive when necessary. Be ready to reciprocate “normal and reasonable.”

With my friend . . .

Don’t try to respond to the details of every weird situation. Have a few general things such as,

“I’m here to do my job … [buys you time] … and my customer has in fact left the store, several minutes ago. You’re free to look around or not, as you so choose. But my customer has left, and I’m next. And that is my job.”

even that won’t work 100%

helps to be physically large individual, but even that’s not 100%. The young sharks will bet on the fact that you’re not going to commit the crime of assault and battery in a work setting.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

True. He does specify "good". But I fail to see how that would put Jesus in any special status, assuming that's what your point was.

I see nothing wrong with any of the other sayings, even if they don't specify the word "good".

Doing good and helping others is different than not hurting people. I could live my whole life and not harm a single person but that is not following the Golden Rule. When I help people and do good toward them, then I am following Jesus’ teaching. Other religions don’t teach that.

If we focus on the differences, esp. in a minute details, then I can agree with you for the most part. But let's also focus on the similarities.

Most of the sayings from the non-Christian religions are basically saying, treat others the way you want to be treated. In there, is probably an implied good assuming most others would want to be treated in a good way themselves.

Really, I don't think the rule works in insolation unless we presuppose some moral standard of what good is to begin with. What's good to you may not be good to me and vice-versa. An extreme example is that some Eskimos communities (the Inuits) giving their wives to visitors is good for them, but it would be bad if they hoped that an American visitor would do the same.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Start “normal and reasonable.” Be ready to pull back to tight and defensive when necessary. Be ready to reciprocate “normal and reasonable.”

Just like the forgiveness standard, the Golden Rule, needs to also be practiced with some considerations and precautions dependin on the situation.

 

[Scooter]

Most of the sayings from the non-Christian religions are basically saying, treat others the way you want to be treated.

No they don’t. Look at them again. They say don't harm others. Now that is great to do no harm to others, but it is not the same as doing good toward other people.

Look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Priest and Levite did not do any harm to the beaten man, but the Samaritan actually helped him. Which of the three actually followed the Golden Rule?

 

[AgnosticBoy]

No they don’t. Look at them again. They say don't harm others. Now that is great to do no harm to others, but it is not the same as doing good toward other people.

All of the ones below basically say treat others the way you want to be treated. This goes beyond just physical harm. You also wouldn't want anyone stealing from you or lying about you so you don't lie and steal from someone else.

Seneca: “Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your betters” (Letter 47 11 – 1st century).

Islam: “None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself” (Hadith 13, The Forty Hadith of Imam Nawawi – 7th century).

Confucianism: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you” (Confucius, Analects 15.23 – 5th century BC).

Judaism: “Never do to anyone else anything that you would not want someone to do to you” (Tobias 4, 15 – 3rd century BC).

_____________________________________________________________

Look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Priest and Levite did not do any harm to the beaten man, but the Samaritan actually helped him. Which of the three actually followed the Golden Rule?

Good example! The sayings I quoted also talk about treating others a certain way. I see no reason to limit the ones I quoted to just being about harm instead a more broader good.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

I see no reason to limit the ones I quoted to just being about harm instead a more broader good

Evangelical Christians believe they are showing others the greatest good. More mainstream Christian view their faith as one good among many.

Maybe people who are more fervent to start with, gravitate to the churches which are more fervent. Or stay if that’s how they’re raised.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

Just like the forgiveness standard, the Golden Rule, needs to also be practiced with some considerations and precautions dependin on the situation.

Or love itself.

You don’t just say it the one day you get married, with the attitude that I’ll update you if things change!