The Evolution of the Golden Rule

Illustrations of Confucious, Gandhi and a ying-yang over a blue sky

The Golden Rule is a simple phrase captured in the Bible !atthe" #$%&'$
()o unto others as you "ould have them do unto you*(
It "as first published this "ay "ord for "ord in English over +,- years ago* Its roots run
much deeper and its evolution is not only an historical odyssey, it is a "indo" into the
advancement of higher human consciousness*
In studies of spirituality across all cultures, it is easy to demarcate "hen the
transformation of a people.s spiritual component s"itched from follo"ing la"s in order to
have a reliable social structure to learning to love* This is the point in their cultural
evolution "hen they "ere strong enough as a people to give up po"er in order for all of
humanity to hopefully advance along "ith them*
This point, identified by the moment "hen the Golden Rule "as comprehended and
aspired to by a ma/ority of the populace, stretches back to some of humanity.s earliest
recorded civili0ations*
Babylon
In ancient Babylon, there "as the code of 1ammurabi$
(2n eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth*(
3hile this edict.s fi4ation on retribution makes it a far cry from the Golden Rule, it is
mankind.s first attempt at e5uality* By focusing on those "ho have been "ronged,
1ammurabi.s code elevated the consciousness of man out of the primitive and fierce la"
of the /ungle$ (6ill or be killed*(
Egypt
2 thousand years later, the advancement of human consciousness is evidenced by the
development of a cosmic structure that the Egyptians called (!aat*( In Egyptian lore, this
system "as handed do"n from the gods to man and the pharaoh "as the personification
of !aat* The chief purpose of this system "as to instill order against the chaos that
other"ise permeated the universe* Rather than a code of /ustice, !aat "as seen as a
balance to be applied in order to restore harmony to society and thus to the universe* It
"as a combination of the sacred and the legal* The basis of the Golden Rule.s e5uality is
summed up by a simple e4planation of !aat that the Egyptians attributed to their
creator$
(I made every man like his fello"*(
1umanity.s evolution of consciousness is thusly illustrated* !aat is based not on "hat
one did that "as "rong during one.s life, but on one.s inherent e5uality*
India
The notion of karma comes from India* It is the belief that every act one does "ill revisit
him or her* The belief in reincarnation also e4plains "hat happens to good people "ho
do not necessarily see their good acts repaid in this lifetime$ they are reborn under better
circumstances* The "orkings of karma "ere first e4plained in the !ahabharata, a poem
of almost & million "ords composed in 7anskrit in ancient India* The core teaching
derived from this "ork parallels the Golden Rule.s concept in other cultures$
(8ou must never do that to another "hich you regard as in/urious to yourself*(
3e see the evolution of consciousness here surpass simple e5uality to the realm of
mutual respect 9 the highest aspirations of la" and spirituality are meeting at a place
"here our personal conduct is integrated in our treatment of others* These small steps
over the centuries lessened our barbaric impulses, simply by applying the "isest ideas
about the common good that could be articulated by the spiritual leaders of their times*
China
3hile the concept of karma "as advancing spiritual gro"th in India, the great Chinese
philosopher united China "ith his "isdom, offering a "ay of life that privileged social
harmony and personal accountability* Confucius taught$
(:ever impose on people "hat you "ould not choose for yourself*(
The consistency of his teachings still influences the core of the Chinese legal system
and social structure, despite many revolutions over the millennia*
Greece
1uman spirituality advanced based on the notion that our fello" human beings deserve
a fundamental respect; this sentiment "as being codified into practice more and more in
the ancient "orld* But the great philosopher of ancient Greece, <lato, took this one step
further* 1e insisted that there "as no point in ever seeking vengeance for a "rong done
to you$
(=ne should never do "rong in return, nor mistreat any man, no matter ho" one has
been mistreated by him*(
The shift may seem subtle, but it is actually revolutionary* 1ammurabi.s code of
e5uitable vengeance as a suitable symbol for each man.s e5uality has been abolished in
a ne" consciousness of seeking harmony by simply ignoring any and all "rongs done to
us and refusing to lo"er ourselves to the level of the one doing the mistreating*
Roman-=ccupied >udea
3hen >esus Christ taught his disciples the Golden Rule, he specifically referenced
1ammurabi.s code as no longer applying* 3hen he told his follo"ers to love their
neighbor as themselves, a man in the cro"d attempted to trick him and asked "hat he
meant by (neighbor,( to "hich Christ delivered the story of the Good 7amaritan*
7amaritans "ere despised by >udeans, and so in illustrating that a man from a hostile
tribe "as capable of not /ust avoiding the in/ury of his fello" men but "as actively aiding
the needy, Christ insisted on a higher consciousness among his follo"ers and a
sensitivity to all people*
Christ upped the demands on individual accountability by insisting that those "ho are
"ronged "ere to$
(Turn the other cheek*(
This defiant advocacy of meekness represented a much higher spiritual consciousness
than the "orld "as ready for then, and sadly, is still not ready for today*
!odern ?ife
:o philosopher has managed to surpass the higher consciousness of turning the other
cheek, but a fe" activists have actually lived these "ords in order to illustrate their
po"er* !ahatma Gandhi led a nonviolent revolution against colonial rule* 3ith his simple
message of passive resistance he brought do"n the "orld.s then-mightiest army "ithout
firing a single shot*
In 2merica, !artin ?uther 6ing >r* took the Golden Rule and elevated it "ith a message
of nonviolence, demanding that the %@A-s civil rights movement be "on "ith faith and
positive action rather than through violent revolutionary activity* 2lthough he himself "as
murdered, his advocacy of the Golden Rule spiritually enlightened a divided 2merica into
a more diverse and accepting society*
6EE:*C=!