Unto Others

Last updated on: September 27, 2012 at 10:06 pm by Erin Wathen

Unto Others 2012-09-27T22:06:00-07:00 Erin Wathen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m preaching on the Golden Rule this Sunday. Total snooze, right?

It seems like the very heart of simplicity. Otherwise known as the ‘ethic of reciprocity,’ there is an equivalent of this directive in every faith tradition in the history of the world. And yet, the notion of treating others as we’d like to be treated is the most challenging, transforming, life-giving concept imaginable. Even if we memorize it in kindergarten, it has a way of getting lost among the other platitudes of our cultural imagination. Or rather, it gets utterly warped by the culture itself.

There’s a country song–and while I dearly love ‘real’ country music, it is not a great song–called “Karma.” And part of the lyrics reference remembering that golden rule: “What you do to others is gonna get done to you.”

??! Wait a minute. Is that what Jesus said?

Hold on, I’m re-reading it… No, i’m pretty sure that, in addition to demonstrating atrocious grammar and an utter lack of poetic nuance, this song has utterly missed the essence of $*^! Jesus Says. It provides an apt example of how we westernize the gospel, shape it to our own likeness, and then go about abusing it in the name of Jesus, God and everything holy. We twist it to reflect our own set of ‘values’ that have, in essence, nothing to do with the good news.

I’m not entirely opposed to the idea of karma. In fact, i think it is pretty much common sense that if you are mean-spirited and act ugly, then bad mojo will come back to you; and if you work to put good, loving energy into the world, then goodness will flow back your way. However–to imply that Jesus somehow encourages retribution (when, just a few verses before the ‘golden rule’ moment, he actually cautions against it!) speaks to a grossly westernized Christianity that we hear in our current political climate, in many of our churches, and yes, in pop-crossover country music. (Remember that horrible post-Sept 11 song about the U.S. coming to put a boot in your behind? This makes me think of that).

Aside from the overt ugliness of ‘hey, if you get me, i’ma get you back,’ there’s a gentler, more subtle misreading happening here. And that is, the idea that we treat others well so that they will be kind to us in return. While that approach might have the same positive influence on one’s behavior, it still misses Jesus’ point. The minute we start being kind/generous/faithful SO THAT good things will come to us, then we have removed Jesus from the picture. He never promised us that everybody would be nice to us if we were nice to them. On the contrary, he mentioned something about being persecuted for righteousness’ sake…

No, Jesus asked us to treat others well because it is the daggone right thing to do. Correction–it is the CHRISTIAN thing to do. Because, you know, once you’ve met Jesus, you believe that God is present in the world, in people, and capable of walking around in the flesh. Once you’ve met Jesus, you start treating every person you meet like they are the body of Christ, the essence of God incarnate. Because they are.

Do we follow Jesus so that we will be loved, accepted, validated and claimed by grace? Or do we follow BECAUSE we have already known the transforming power of mercy, and we heard a call to go and do likewise? Maybe the golden rule should be reconfigured a bit to reflect a deeper truth. Perhaps Jesus meant “Do unto others AS I have done to you.”

That’s the song that we should be singing, as people of faith in a broken world. It might not rhyme, and it probably won’t win a grammy… but hey, neither did ‘Karma.’ And our song, at least, is good news.

photo from kvdl, via flickr

progressive christianity

spirituality

the golden rule

Previous Post

September 26, 2012

50 Shades of "Seriously?"

Next Post

October 5, 2012 Golden Arch

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was Paul's original name?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Simon Saul Matthias Levi