Countryside Community Church - Joy Luke Club

This week a Countrysider was obviously listening to the sermon, where I stated that all the major world religions have some version of the Golden Rule as a key facet of their practices.  She passed me a compilation of scriptures from around the world:

BRAHMANISM (A form of Hinduism): This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which cause you pain if done to you. - Mahabharata 5:1517

BUDDHISM: Hurt not others in a way that you yourself would find hurtful.  Udana-Varga 5:18

CONFUCIANISM: Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.  - Analects 15:23

TAOISM: REgard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss. T’ai Shang Kan Yig P’ien

ZOROASTRIANISM: That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.  - Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5

JUDAISM: What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowman.  That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. – Talmud, Shabbat 31a

CHRISTIANITY: All things whatsoever ye would do that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.  - Matthew 7:12

ISLAM: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. - Sunnah

If you haven’t been to the Charter for Compassion website, read the charter that was released last week, and/or signed the charter yourself, I suggest clicking here.

Just for fun I thought I’d post the very brief video I took this morning at our 11 am service of the congregation donning 3D (anaglyph) viewing glasses to experience an illustration between living life in 2D (described as following the principle of reciprocity – “do unto others what they have done unto you”) and living life in 3D (following the principle of compassion – “do unto others as you would have done unto you”).  Watch below, but don’t blink because it goes by fast!

Of more satisfying length – and better video quality – is this clip from Saturday night’s Experimental Youth Service - a jazz taize service in which Luke 7 was highlighted as well.

This evening one of my “Facebook friends,” Brian McClaren, turned me onto what may just be the single most intelligent article written about the Fort Hood shooting thus far.  The article is written by Paul Rauschenbusch on the “Progressive Revival” blog on Beliefnet.  The key insight from Rauschenbusch’s article reminds me very much of Luke 6:31 and Jesus’ command to “do to others as you would have them do to you” – a passage we will also be engaging this coming  Sunday when we focus on Luke 7.

Here’s the heart of the article:

We who are White, Christian and Male (WCMs) should ask ourselves this basic question: When we heard about the Oklahoma bomber, Columbine, or the shooter at the Holocaust museum – all horrible crimes committed by WCMs did we think to ourselves – ‘oh, this will reflect badly on me?’

The answer is no. Why? Because still in this country, White, Male, Christians are considered normative and therefore the range of WCM behavior, from very good to very bad, simply represents the wide range of human behavior. I know I have nothing in common with Timothy McVeigh and so does the rest of American society. Unfortunately, people of other races and religions in America do not have the benefit of recognition that there are very good people and very bad people among them. Instead, the actions of one person of a minority group reflects upon the reputation and sense of security and worth of the entire group.

This has to stop.

To watch the “Roadside Conversations” videos associated with Luke 5 – 7, simply click on the links below.  If you have trouble viewing them, try taking off the “HD” setting by clicking on the icon at the right of the video.  Enjoy!

Luke 5

Luke 6

Luke 7