The Empty Verses: "Do unto others..."

It could have its positives and negative, although philosophy mixed with religion usually ends up being the negative then the positive. Maybe that just the realism behind it, where as a humble person would take heed to it, while a fool would abuse or ignore the maxim.

" An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
But...
"Momma always said, an eye for eye, would make everyone blind."

Or for even more negative, selfish display...
"Touch one of mine, and I'll reap everything you owe."
But...
"Reap what you sow".

These maxims represented the brutality of the ancient world, and probably were well heeded without pushing it onto others.

You people are full of it if you don't think this one rule, wouldn't change a lot in this world. But that's just the point, IT ISN'T!! Most people, because of you selfish "Me, me me, but what about me," attitudes don't know how to follow it.
You say it is "used much." Is that so? So, you're trying to tell me that most people want to be treated with disrespect, bombed, et cetera? That's what your trying to convince us of? Well, yeah, we're already seeing how "true" that is by all of the gnashing of teeth and "Oh, dear God what have we done to deserve this" going around. Get out of here with your nonsense OP.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

Coming from a guy with 29 million stars.

a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

You people are full of it if you don't think this one rule, wouldn't change a lot in this world. But that's just the point, IT ISN'T!! Most people, because of you selfish "Me, me me, but what about me," attitudes don't know how to follow it.
You say it is "used much." Is that so? So, you're trying to tell me that most people want to be treated with disrespect, bombed, et cetera? That's what your trying to convince us of? Well, yeah, we're already seeing how "true" that is by all of the gnashing of teeth and "Oh, dear God what have we done to deserve this" going around. Get out of here with your nonsense OP.

I would try to formulate a pithy response but I cannot understand what you are trying to say. So rather than ask you to re-read the OP again, I’ll try to put it into words a five year old can understand.

Treat others how they wish to be treated, not how you wish to be treated. How is this nonsense?

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: SpeakerofTruth

You people are full of it if you don't think this one rule, wouldn't change a lot in this world. But that's just the point, IT ISN'T!! Most people, because of you selfish "Me, me me, but what about me," attitudes don't know how to follow it.
You say it is "used much." Is that so? So, you're trying to tell me that most people want to be treated with disrespect, bombed, et cetera? That's what your trying to convince us of? Well, yeah, we're already seeing how "true" that is by all of the gnashing of teeth and "Oh, dear God what have we done to deserve this" going around. Get out of here with your nonsense OP.

I would try to formulate a pithy response but I cannot understand what you are trying to say. So rather than ask you to re-read the OP again, I’ll try to put it into words a five year old can understand.

Treat others how they wish to be treated, not how you wish to be treated. How is this nonsense?

because you are being a semantical jackass. im not afraid to put it right out there.

you KNOW what the intention of the phrase is. you just want to nit pick because apparently it provides satisfaction for you to degrade ages-old philosophy by playing with its grammar and declaring it unfit because apparently its not as refined as your unlabeled variety of sophisticated cognition. even if, at some fundamental level, it is exactly as effective as any loosely applied proverb that we understand even if it doesnt say exactly what it means. you are being deliberately difficult and passing it off as razor cunning by being more critical than is technically productive for the sake of appearing more discerning.

i am posting it here so i am the only one not fooled by this crap. i admire your work, as i said before, but im not afraid to call a pig a pig.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Well then do unto others as you would have them do unto you, TzarChasm. You are defending a phrase, as if a set of words required your defending, while at the same time calling a fellow human being whom you've never met a jackass and a pig. In other words, defending nothing as an excuse to attack something. You display the same herd idealism and irrationality that put so many to the sword and flame.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Well then do unto others as you would have them do unto you, TzarChasm.

im a hypocrite. like everyone else. doesnt invalidate the product of those who do practice it religiously.

You are defending a phrase, as if a set of words required your defending, while at the same time calling a fellow human being whom you've never met a jackass and a pig.

i meant no offense. i said you are BEING a jackass. if i were to call you a jackass outright, that would undermine the many threads i have read from you that display an admirable mind. and i never called you a pig, i was being FIGURATIVE. but if it comes across as being semantically tedious (since we are being literal here) i will call it as such. although i suppose i should have realized you would take it literally. seems to be a running theme here.

You display the same herd idealism and irrationality that put so many to the sword and flame.

i think ive made it clear by now that youv jumped to conclusions a little early. herd idealism? news flash: NO ONE tells me what to think. gets me in trouble sometimes.

a reply to: TzarChasm

Clear thought on your part, TzarChasm. It is true I value semantics and clarity over elusiveness and metaphor, especially when it comes to how we treat others. It might be better to just assume that my long threads will be semantically tedious, and you should not punish yourself by reading them.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: TzarChasm

Clear thought on your part, TzarChasm. It is true I value semantics and clarity over elusiveness and metaphor, especially when it comes to how we treat others. It might be better to just assume that my long threads will be semantically tedious, and you should not punish yourself by reading them.

theres an exception to every rule which is why we use metaphor sometimes because that illustrates the point that sometimes escape those of a more literal persuasion. figurative speaking cuts out all the needless nonsense when you have to explain every little thing to people who cant use common sense. and then there are those who simply choose not to employ common sense, apparently under the belief that simplicity sacrifices a clarity that so many need because they are unable to figure it out themselves. to borrow and modify a quote i enjoy: before you diagnose allegory as being abstract to the point of invalidity, first be sure you are not just surrounded by idiots. just because a gun is used to kill an innocent person does not mean the gun is inherently useless as a security device. the same with any proverb. that's not to say you are without your inspiring pieces. I have enjoyed quite a few of your threads, im not criticizing you personally but the idea you have set forth and your approach to it. I think both could be improved.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Great post and wonderfully written.

In light of some things you have said.....this is why I interpret this passage with some expansion. That being sometimes my neighbor needs me to put my foot up his azz and so I must be willing to have him do the same when I need it. My neighbor should never feel like a kind deed toward him will insure that he will not receive a scolding when he needs it. I believe this expansion challenges the ego sufficiently and can be tempered with the other well know truism about "Judging not" i.e. would I want some one to rip me a new one over this and yes if it I had it coming because "with what measure we dish out it will be measured back to us" at some point. So just be ready for it. This temperament will insure that an azz kicking contest is not an ongoing and never ending revelry.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope


Treat others how they wish to be treated, not how you wish to be treated. How is this nonsense?

I believe that was really the intended meaning. If you like being indulged than indulge the other as he likes. You like apples but he likes oranges. So don't give him apples. If you are allergic to oranges then he gets nothing or some 3rd fruit and he should understand that.

a reply to: Nechash

Not only that, but in its various forms, this “do unto others” creates a world of oppression, as when those who consider themselves the world police dive into another country so as to free it from oppression, it does so under the assumption that it wants and requires their benevolence, that this country would do the exact same thing if the tables were turned.

yea you did. you act like that line advocates these things you listed.

creates a world of oppression,

It doesn't unless you contort it into that. you can not oppress with this line. No one would say, for instance " If I were them I would like them to get me to believe in my religion, so I'm gonna beat them into belief of my religion"

this is called exploitation of loopholes by lack of closing every loose end.. God didn't feel e needed to add clauses to this i think. God probably felt that man could figure out how to not deliberately avoid the message in that line by themselves.
kind of like the government expect you to be smart enough to understand laws like say:

"dont drink and drive"

that does not mean to chug your bottle outside your car then get in it and drive.. you can deliberately miss the point behind any rule if you try.


I think the problem with people not understanding the bible or the context of its lines is people simply don't want to.

a reply to: MikeHawke

Zombie Apocalypse Example:

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I would never want someone to end my life as a zombie to "give me mercy," just in case a cure might be developed someday, yet many, many people out there would want to be extinguished so they wouldn't have to live that way and wouldn't have to risk infecting others.

What does do unto others say here?

Drug use example:

"Love thy neighbor as thyself."

When I quit using drugs, I was very hard on myself and became very self-crucifying. Should I approach others that way?

Should I tell the alcoholic that they are wasting the only shot they have at living this life?

Personally, I think when you deliver venom to yourself it can often be a motivating force, but when someone else delivers it to you it can be entirely counterproductive. If someone else told me I was committing suicide by drinking, I would have stewed for a minute and drank even more to spite them.