The Golden Rule

Facebook and I have a love/hate relationship.  I love Facebook for the interaction it gives me with my distant family and friends.  I enjoy seeing their photos and reading about what is going on in their neck of the woods.  I hate it for providing an outlet to share all of the negativism that goes on in the world. 

Don't get me wrong, I think it is important to know what kinds of things are happening out there.  I don't want to shelter myself from bad things.  But post, after post, after post of persecution, terrorism, illness, disease, etc.  can get pretty discouraging.  That isn't even to mention the comments, but they deserve a mention.  Every other comment seems to be attacking either the original post, the intelligence of the poster, or the other commenters.  It just seems that very few people have anything nice to say anymore.

I have really been thinking about all this negativism, pondering what could be done to improve life for us all.  Then it came to me... Many of us learned the answer in nursery school.

The Golden Rule, if everyone would follow it, the world would be a much better place.

The Golden Rule, as I know it from Sunday school, is taken from Matthew 7:12, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."   But similar direction be found in many of the world's religions.

Treat others how you would want them to treat you.  What a concept!

Would I want someone to steal my things?  No?  Maybe I shouldn't steal.  Would I want someone to murder my family?  No?  Maybe I shouldn't murder those people.  Would I want someone to kidnap my child?  No?  Maybe I should leave their kid alone.  Would I want someone running me out of my home based on my beliefs?  No?  Maybe I shouldn't be doing it to others. 

See a theme here?  I can only imagine the greatness of this world if everyone would get on board and remember the Golden Rule.

And along the same lines, people should really remember that if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Recently, my city was found to be the 2nd most unhappy city in the United States.  I would kind of like to argue this, since I know a bunch of seemingly happy people, but I realize I don't know anywhere close to the 75,000+ people who live here.  I also know how many negative comments to local news stories and events I have seen on Facebook and the news sites posted by residents of my city. 

I am always amazed by the people who start attacking those who also comment.  We all have different opinions.  Mine might be different than yours, but I am not going to call you an idiot, question your upbringing, attack your family, or wish death upon you for it, especially on a public forum.  I must admit that the question of your intelligence or upbringing might cross my mind, but I believe in being polite.  Respectfully disagreeing.  Saving my breath for saying nice things and making my words count.

Think about how good you feel when you get a compliment, when someone praises something you have done.  I am confident that if everyone made it as much their business to uplift and encourage one another as they do to tear each other down, we would all be happier. 

But a girl can only hope.