I was baptized and raised as a Roman Catholic. I even went to 12 years of Catholic School, my high school years spent at an all-girl college preparatory. The thing is, all of the rituals and rules of the Catholic religion just never really “took” on me. I basically have a scientific mind wanting explanations and research on everything. The Catholic Religion’s teaching wasn’t supported by science and was just really illogical to me. So I got a really good private school education and survived all that doctrine that never, ever made sense to me.

My parents and the majority of my family on both my parent’s sides were Roman Catholic. My parent’s practiced it, raised us in it, but never pushed it. After we were 18, we got to decide on organized religion. Some of us chose it, some not. But what was so rewarding and completely understandable to me was “the golden rule”. That is the main doctrine they modeled and taught to their five children. The beauty of that is that this rule exists in all religions. What more simple way of living could you ask for than to simply, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”! Right?

I began searching for this idea in other religions and want to share them with you right here:

Baha’i Faith: “Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.” “Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.”

Brahmanism:  This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. Mahabharata, 5:1517 ”

Buddhism:...a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?  Samyutta NIkaya v. 353

Christianity:  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.  Matthew 7:12, King James Version.

Confucianism: Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you. Doctrine of the Mean

Ancient Egyptian: Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do. The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, 109 – 110 Translated by R.B. Parkinson.

Hinduism: This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you. Mahabharata 5:1517

The religion of the Incas: Do not to another what you would not yourself experience. Manco Capoc, founder of the empire of Peru.

Islam: None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself. Number 13 of Imam Al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadiths.

Jainism:  In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self. Lord Mahavira, 24th Tirthankara

In these difficult and somewhat confusing times, it is really the only rule we need. It takes care of a lot of problems both in us and the world.

I am far from perfect but have tried to follow in the footsteps of my parents by treating others the way I want to be treated. Sometimes I stumble and so did my parents. But … I try to catch myself, just as my parents did, and do something good to even out my karmic savings account! I never want to be overdrawn, the penalties are never worth it.

Namaste, DeeDee