The Golden Rule: The Ethics of Reciprocity in World Religions (2024)

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The gold­en rule” is preva­lent in every sig­nif­i­cant monothe­is­tic reli­gion and deeply influ­ences many oth­er traditions.

In Judaism, the rule is exem­pli­fied in the bib­li­cal oblig­a­tion to love your neigh­bor,” which was adopt­ed by Rab­bi Hil­lel to mean that which is hate­ful unto you do not unto oth­ers. Jesus inter­pret­ed the rule to mean do unto oth­ers” and brought it to great fame and promi­nence. The book traces the twists and turns of the jour­ney tak­en by the gold­en rule and spot­lights its appear­ance in Greek Altru­ism, Zoroas­tri­an­ism, Islam, Bud­dhism, Hin­duism, and Confucianism.

After read­ing this col­lec­tion, there can be lit­tle doubt that this pow­er­ful rule has had an enor­mous influ­ence in shap­ing reli­gious beliefs through­out the cen­turies and around the world. This study lends cre­dence to the prin­ci­ple that reli­gions have at their core cer­tain over­ar­ch­ing con­cepts that empha­size basic eth­i­cal teach­ings and that instruct believ­ers to act moral­ly and honorably.

Mic­ah D. Halpern is acolum­nist and asocial and polit­i­cal com­men­ta­tor. He is the author of What You Need To Know About: Ter­ror, and main­tains The Mic­ah Report at www​.mic​ah​halpern​.com.

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The Golden Rule: The Ethics of Reciprocity in World Religions (2024)

FAQs

The Golden Rule: The Ethics of Reciprocity in World Religions? ›

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule is the principle of treating others as one would want to be treated by them. It is sometimes called an ethics of reciprocity, meaning that you should reciprocate to others how you would like them to treat you (not necessarily how they actually treat you).
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Golden_Rule
: treat others as you would like to be treated. This ethical dictum is a part of most of the world's religions and has been considered by numerous religious figures and philosophers over the centuries.

What is the Golden Rule in religion ethics? ›

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This seems the most familiar version of the golden rule, highlighting its helpful and proactive gold standard.

What does the golden mean is the ethic of reciprocity? ›

The Golden Rule, referred to in Philosophy as the Ethic of Reciprocity, is a basic moral principle which states that individuals should treat others in the same manner they wish to be treated.

What does the principle of reciprocity golden rule state? ›

The Golden Rule is often written as, ''treat others how you want to be treated'' or, ''do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

What is the Golden Rule of the 5 major world religions? ›

A common way of saying the Golden Rule is: "Treat others the way you would like to be treated." Different versions of the Golden Rule exist in all the world's major enduring religions and you can scroll down to see them all.

What is the golden rule ethics quizlet? ›

The Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"; an ethical guide that helps us relate to others, and others relate to us.

What is the golden rule in ethics with example? ›

Treat others as you would like to be treated” is a moral principle known as the golden rule. In one form or another, this principle is associated with the ethical codes in most religious traditions. By modern philosophical standards, the golden rule is not commonly viewed as an adequate basis of moral theory.

What is reciprocity ethics? ›

The social norm of reciprocity is the expectation that people will respond to each other in similar ways—responding to gifts and kindnesses from others with similar benevolence of their own, and responding to harmful, hurtful acts from others with either indifference or some form of retaliation.

What is reciprocity in ethics example? ›

“Tit for tat” – The most obvious is the rule that when someone behaves in away toward you, you should respond in kind. This is the core concept of reciprocity in ethical form. If someone treats you well, you should treat them well.

What is the moral lesson of the golden rule? ›

The golden rule means to apply the logic of treating others the way we would like to be treated to every situation we face when interacting with others. We all desire to be treated with kindness and consideration for our own feelings and preferences.

What is the rule for reciprocity Why is it so powerful in our society? ›

The law of reciprocity, also known as the golden rule, is a fundamental principle that has been recognized across cultures and throughout history. It suggests that people will respond positively to kind actions and gestures and feel obliged to return the favor.

What is the rule of reciprocity and why is it so powerful? ›

This is an example of just one type of social norm that can have a powerful influence on our behavior. The reciprocity norm operates on a simple principle: People tend to feel obligated to return favors after people do favors for them.

Is the Law of reciprocity biblical? ›

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. What does the Law of Reciprocity mean? The Law of Reciprocity allows us to receive in proportion to what we give or do. Scripture makes it clear we might receive the same thing we give, such as mercy (Mt 5:7).

Why is the golden rule important in all religions? ›

It is a unique law because “it expresses a formidable intuition that is accessible to human knowledge and conscience”, in that is part of all the main religions and schools of thought of the world. As a consequence it can also be described as the core of universal ethical codes.

Why is the golden rule important in religion? ›

GOLDEN RULE PRACTICES

Most important to Golden Rule Christians is care for relationships, doing good deeds, and looking for opportunities to provide care and comfort for people in need. Their goal is neither changing another's beliefs nor changing the whole political system.

Why has the golden rule been adopted by many religions? ›

Some people use the greatest good principle to make ethical decisions because it is a natural way to make such decisions. 3. Why has the golden rule been adopted by many religions? Many religions have adopted the golden rule because it is based on empathy.

Is the golden rule a virtue ethics? ›

In the formulation of the Golden Rule that states, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” it is the deed that is important. The alternative approach of virtue ethics focuses on habits, dispositions, character traits, etc.; in other words, not on actions but on the being of the person.

Why is the golden rule important in Christianity? ›

Through the Golden Rule Christianity also teaches that people should act morally in every aspect of life. With that in mind, not only for the reciprocation of eternal life but because humans should want to carry out good deeds for their own satisfaction in life. As well as to help others.

What is the golden rule of Taoism? ›

Taoism. Golden Rule: "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain and your neighbor's loss as your own loss."

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