In my experience most Christians tend to think that the Golden Rule originated with Jesus: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12).

But its early form was written in the Jewish Torah some 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18) Then in the 6th century BCE, three leaders across the known world all said something very similar: Confucius: “Do not extend harm to others which one would not wish for one’s self.” The Buddha: “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” Hindu teaching included: “Do not unto others which would cause pain if done to you.”

Rabbi Hillel, whom I am convinced influenced the young Jesus said: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Law; the rest is the explanation; go and learn.”

Then, in Islam 600 years after the execution of Jesus, Mohammed’s Farewell Sermon said: “Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.”

If all people and all religions could live by this same Golden Rule lived and taught by their original leaders, what a different world we would be living in. The will of the One God of all would indeed be done on earth as it is in heaven.

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