Does God follow the golden rule?

[The Pixie]

Does God follow the golden rule?

I think the answer to this question is no if we look at the OT (eg the flood) or at hell, but perhaps Christians can make the case otherwise (perhaps they could argue that God would want to suffer an eternity in hell for being sinful).

If god does not follow the golden rule, but tell us that we should, does that make him a hypocrite?

[seer]

Does God follow the golden rule?

I think the answer to this question is no if we look at the OT (eg the flood) or at hell, but perhaps Christians can make the case otherwise (perhaps they could argue that God would want to suffer an eternity in hell for being sinful).

If god does not follow the golden rule, but tell us that we should, does that make him a hypocrite?

Nope, any more than we would violate the golden rule by executing a criminal. The golden rule is about personal interaction, how we should generally treat our fellow man, and not about how the State or God deals with law breakers. And one could argue that removing law breakers from civil society prompts peaceful co-existence in a larger sense, which is the ultimate goal of the golden rule.

[Adrift]

Nope, any more than we would violate the golden rule by executing a criminal. The golden rule is about personal interaction, how we should generally treat our fellow man, and not about how the State or God deals with law breakers. And one could argue that removing law breakers from civil society prompts peaceful co-existence in a larger sense, which is the ultimate goal of the golden rule.

I also wonder how far we can take the Golden Rule when it's applied to those who are not intrinsically equals. Wonder if JimL ever applied the Golden Rule to the cow in his Big Mac.

[seer]

I also wonder how far we can take the Golden Rule when it's applied to those who are not intrinsically equals. Wonder if JimL ever applied the Golden Rule to the cow in his Big Mac.

Well, I'm certainly not going to apply it today - Tuesday is my MacDonald night!

[Cow Poke]

Well, I'm certainly not going to apply it today - Tuesday is my MacDonald night!

You want fries with that? Supersized?

[whag]

I also wonder how far we can take the Golden Rule when it's applied to those who are not intrinsically equals. Wonder if JimL ever applied the Golden Rule to the cow in his Big Mac.

Why bring JimL into it when Pixie made the post? Am I missing something?

[seer]

Why bring JimL into it when Pixie made the post? Am I missing something?

Jim brings up the golden rule a lot.

[whag]

Well, I'm certainly not going to apply it today - Tuesday is my MacDonald night!

There's real ambiguity here. We're all culpable for cruelty to animals to some degree, but we also bristle when we read stories about dog and cat abuse.

The amount that we bristle is generally proportional to their cuteness and our experience with them.

[whag]

Jim brings up the golden rule a lot.

Ah, okay.

[Cow Poke]

There's real ambiguity here. We're all culpable for cruelty to animals to some degree, but we also bristle when we read stories about dog and cat abuse.

The amount that we bristle is generally proportional to their cuteness and our experience with them.

That's probably another thread, Whag, but... yeah, we eat cows but not horses.

[whag]

That's probably another thread, Whag, but... yeah, we eat cows but not horses.

Also, cows aren't described as being made in God's image, so it's a sloppy analogy.

[Cow Poke]

Also, cows aren't described as being made in God's image, so it's a sloppy analogy.

I don't think it was intended as a serious argument. Humans were given dominion over all animals - period.

[whag]

I don't think it was intended as a serious argument. Humans were given dominion over all animals - period.

Except microorganisms. They have dominion over us.

[seer]

There's real ambiguity here. We're all culpable for cruelty to animals to some degree, but we also bristle when we read stories about dog and cat abuse.

The amount that we bristle is generally proportional to their cuteness and our experience with them.

Except in the Orient where they eat cats and dogs...

[Cow Poke]

Except microorganisms. They have dominion over us.

Only because everybody was forced to use those antimicrobial hand soaps! Now the bugs win!