C'mon.....Everyone is doing it.......Just try it..... What are you, a chicken?

"Do unto others as you would have done unto you." - The Golden Rule....




Well, it's a phrase we are all familiar with. What you folks may not know is that this simple phrase is a basic teaching that permeates every single major religion in our world. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Baha'i Faith, Taoism, and Satanism (yes, Satanism, albeit their version states "Do unto others as they have done unto you" but hey, it's a start....). All of these religions have their own version of this rule but the general idea is the same. Treat people how you want to be treated. Be nice to people if you want people to be nice to you. Do good things for folks if you want folks to do good things for you. Seems pretty simple, eh? Yeah.... Sure it does.... So why is it so hard for people to live by this? Including myself? It seems like such a simple thing. Such an easy way to live through each day. Bullshit!!!! It's not easy. Wanna know why (don't make me say it......you are gonna make me say it aren't you...)? Too bad!!!! I am telling you anyway!!!!!
The reasons we find it so hard to live by this simple parable are as easy to understand as the parable itself. There are a few reasons and I will spell them out clearly as though I am expecting a solution. I am not, though. Expecting a solution. That is not what I am about. Solutions. I am all about causing the problems. Bringing them forward and letting y'all mull them over in your little worlds. Hoping with all of my heart that you will find a solution for me. Okay, here we go..... First problem is that the boundaries are not clearly defined, therefore they are left up to interpretation. Dammit!!!! I have a huge ass pimple behind my ear and now I have one on my chin that hurts like a mother fu.....Uhhhh nevermind...... Interpretation. That is where I left off, that is where I shall return now. If you look at the basic rule, there are no real parameters. Do unto OTHERS. What others? All others? Just family others? Just religious others? Just racial others? If you think about, I mean REALLY think about it, you will see that this is the very root of why this is seemingly so difficult to live by! So many people twist and use this rule to their own advantage and agenda. The Nation Of Islam is supposed to be a pure form of Islam where this parable is taught and yet they hate Jews and call white folk the "white devil." Christians preach this all of the time and yet look at the persecution of other religions throughout the centuries. Not real familiar with any hatred from the Taoists, Baha'i people, or the Buddhists but I bet if I search long and hard enough, I'd find some.....heh heh.... I said long and hard....heh heh..... Anywho..... With this lack of definitive borders, extremists have taken this phrase and turned it into a mantra for isolationism. It's okay not to follow this rule if the other guy ain't one of us! That really sucks. I think. Another reason why this is so hard to follow is basic human nature. I am going to quote one of my favorite movies again to explain this. In "The Untouchables," Robert DeNiro, playing Al Capone, says, "...if you steal from me, I'm gonna say you stole, not have you arrested for spittin' on da sidewalk...." Uhhhhhh what? How does this lead to The Golden Rule and human nature? Simple really. If somebody treats us like crap, we want to call them out. We want to return the favor, or lack thereof. So often it happens, we start our day off at Starbucks, McDonald's or some Quickie Mart and the person who takes care of us just puts us off. They were rude, they screwed up our order, they looked at us funny. Whatever the reason, we are now grumpy. As a result, we take this grumpiness with us to our next destination. Be it work, school, or whatever it is you people do during the day. Whatever it is, you now take your bad attitude and pass it along... Etc.... etc.... and so on.... ad infinitum. Even if you started the day with the best of intentions, one pimply-faced, snot-nosed, mean-spirited Barista from Hell has now caused you to pay the shittiness forward. That really sucks, too. There are , I am quite sure, many other colorful reasons why it is so hard for us to abide by the Golden Rule, and with the cynical mood I am in, I would love to bring them up, but I have to be honest with y'all..... This pimple on my chin is really pissin' me off and I don't want to be angry towards anyone tomorrow so I must end now. I am going to make the world a better place by popping my little problem right now!!!!!!