Barack Obama and the Golden Rule

During his first few days in office Barack Obama delivered brief remarks at a National Prayer Breakfast. In part he said. “We know too that whatever our differences, there is one law that binds all great religions together. Jesus told us to ‘love thy neighbor as thyself.’ The Torah commands, ‘That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.’ In Islam, there is a hadith that reads ‘None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself’.’ And the same is true for Buddhists and Hindus; for followers of Confucius and for humanists. It is, of course, the Golden Rule – the call to love one another; to understand one another; to treat with dignity and respect those with whom we share a brief moment on this Earth.

“It is an ancient rule; a simple rule; but also one of the most challenging. For it asks each of us to take some measure of responsibility for the well-being of people we may not know or worship with or agree with on every issue. Sometimes, it asks us to reconcile with bitter enemies or resolve ancient hatreds. And that requires a living, breathing, active faith. It requires us not only to believe, but to do – to give something of ourselves for the benefit of others and the betterment of our world."

In my estimation this endorsement of a Golden Rule is noteworthy, especially the emphasis of the notion of personal responsibility. Responsibility is a recurring motif of Mr. Obama. (His just released budget is titled "A New Era of Responsibility.") In his Prayer Breakfast remarks he charges us all with taking responsibility for the the common good of one another and our world.

What are the touchstones of such responsibility? His remarks defining the Golden Rule are clear: "to love one another; to understand one another; to treat with dignity and respect those with whom we share a brief moment on this Earth."