Friday, January 05, 2007

Do unto others...unless

Do unto others unless…

It’s called “the golden rule.” Just about everyone has heard it. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you..” It turns out there are many versions of this same principle throughout the world. Christ put it this way, “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 niv). Here are some others I found at www.religoustolerance.org:

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

Confucianism: "Tse-kung 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 impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'" Doctrine of the Mean 13.3

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

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."

Lakota spirituality: "All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One." Black Elk

Socrates: "Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you." (Greece; 5th century BC)

21st Century United States:“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you – unless it somehow affects your income, your lifestyle, your free time, or is otherwise inconvenient"

Never heard of the last one from 21st Century United States? Let me introduce it to you by example. There was an article in yesterdays Daily Herald entitled “Strangers in a strange land.” The article is about a shelter for children who have been found abandoned crossing into our nations boarders. These are children who have no home in a strange land – a land with something called “The Statue of Liberty” that has a famous poem by Emma Lazarus on it:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"


This home for abandoned, homeless children is run by Heartland Human Care Services, Inc., a not for profit human rights agency, according to the article. The children range from infants to 17 years old. The average stay is from 60 to 90 days while their immigration status is determined. Good so far? Sure.

Until Heartland Human Care Services wanted to open a center in the suburbs of Naperville.

They propose to buy a four level house on 3.5 acres near Hobson Road and Route 53 to accommodate 30 Children. Now the people who live in the area are up in arms. Comments range from the “Why do they have to put them here?” type to the “I agree with what they are doing but just don’t do it here” type. An article in the same paper, the following day (today) contains the following: “About 70 people came to the hearing, many of whom opposed the plan and said they are concerned about property values and density.”

Property values?

Density?

I am not sure about lowered property values, but I can say one thing for sure…

…the density of the neighborhood has already gone up, but it has nothing to do with the number of people living in the area.

God Bless you all,

Sister Julie

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