We all too often make life much more complicated than we need to. I believe this is just human nature. “It cannot be that simple.” we catch ourselves thinking, or even saying out loud. It many cases, yes it can be. Take for example the rule above. We have probably heard it a million times growing up. It exists in almost every major belief system, as you can see below. How many of us really put it into action?
There is what I will call a rather ‘unenlightened’ gent at my day job. He is rather closed-minded. Not really well read or well traveled. This leads to some very interesting conclusions. On a side note, it provides further proof that reading, traveling and getting to know other people and cultures is so important. The other morning a group of coworkers were discussing a disagreement between to religious groups. His conclusion probably should have been kept to himself but he chose to share it with everyone. “Why don’t those people just understand their religion is wrong?” The group he was referring to was, of course, the one who had a different belief than he did. I asked him what if they were thinking the same thing about his religion. “That can’t be because mind is the right one.” He said this as if it was a widely accepted fact.
As you can see in the photo above, most belief systems share this same ‘Golden Rule’. I believe doing onto others as you would like done onto you can be applied to judging others and their beliefs. Believing that your way is the one and only way can be fine when applied to yourself. Having a strong conviction in your beliefs is a good an admirable thing. Believing that the world and all the people in it must conform to them is a different thing entirely. Once again, think if you were on the receiving end of that belief. How would you feel about someone telling you that your belief was wrong and you must convert to their belief system? Not very good I would imagine. That is why we should not do it to others. As long as it does not include harming others, we should all be entitled to believe and worship as we see fit. We can differ and still be respectful. As you see above, many of the important things we may word differently, but still agree on. Let us focus on that.
