Dialogue Guidelines

This is a monitored blog site. Guest blog posts will follow these guidelines:

Length: No more than 300 words.
Tone: While they may hold critique of some kind, views contained in blog posts will be expressed respectfully and positively.
Alignment with Charter Vision: Blog posts will be in keeping with the Conversation’s Charter Vision. The Conversation maintains the right to reject blog posts that run counter to the Charter Vision.
Posting instructions: To submit a guest blog, contact info@interfaithconversation.ca.

Deep Dialogue Archive

International Golden Rule Day: April 5

6 February 2018

The world will celebrate International Golden Rule Day on April 5. The Golden Rule is the ethical concept of treating others the way we would wish to be treated, a principle that emerged across many different world religions around the same time in history, the Axial Age (800 – 200 BCE). This idea can still be found in many sacred Scriptures, including:

Judaism (Leviticus 19:18): You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Christianity (Matthew 7:12): Whatever you wish others would do to you, do so to them.

Islam (Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13): Not one of you is a believer until your love for others is what you love for yourself.

Jainism (Sutrakrtanga 1.11.33): One should wander about treating all creatures as you yourself would be treated.

Confucianism (Mencius VII A.4): Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence.

Hinduism (Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8): One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself.

Confucianism (Analects 15.23): Tsekung asked, “Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?” Confucius replied, “It is the word shu–reciprocity: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.”

Buddhism (Sutta Nipata 705): Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I.

African Traditional Religions (Yoruba proverb, Nigeria): One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on themselves to feel how it hurts.

Last but not least, an Urdu Golden Rule poster was recently launched in Pakistan, where Urdu is the official language. Below are some photos of a "Golden Rule" Interfaith gathering in the honour of Mr. Shahid Akhter on January 23, 2017.