Golden Rule for Strangers 
The Golden Rule (“GR”) is a universal maxim that states “treat others the way you want to be treated.” The GR and its variations are found in many of the world’s religions. There is a false simplicity to the Golden Rule, which leads to problems in the application of its various iterations due to varying perspectives of the world’s religions. What may be right for some people may be wrong for others. Treating someone the way you want to be treated may be an affront to a stranger.
A religion must have the ability to be hospitable toward the religious other in order to exist with the multiplicity of strangers. A two facetted golden rule is necessary in order to satisfy the idea of hospitality as stated in Hosting the Stranger. The most common formulas, positive GR and negative GR, are used together to set a guideline for morality. A positive GR, “treat others the way you would like to be treated” encourages kindness and love. The negative restatement of the GR, sometimes known as the Silver Rule, “do NOT treat others as you would NOT like to be treated” is the moral guideline for the evil humanity should not commit. Theoretically, these maxims provide a sound construct for morality. As can be seen in various religious conflicts around the world however, the key to unlocking the GR, empathy, is missing; therefore, the golden rule cannot be applied correctly or universally.
All traditions, which participate in interfaith dialogue, must understand the assumptions and the logic of the other traditions involved in the discussion. Before acting, the individual must know how their actions will affect others. He or she must know whether the stranger would want to be or is willing to be treated in a particular way. While the ability to understand the feelings of others is missing from the dialogue, it is an aspect to hospitality that can be conditioned. The key aspect to GR for Strangers is information. The more one knows of the stranger, the better one can host the
A religion must have the ability to be hospitable toward the religious other in order to exist with the multiplicity of strangers. A two facetted golden rule is necessary in order to satisfy the idea of hospitality as stated in Hosting the Stranger. The most common formulas, positive GR and negative GR, are used together to set a guideline for morality. A positive GR, “treat others the way you would like to be treated” encourages kindness and love. The negative restatement of the GR, sometimes known as the Silver Rule, “do NOT treat others as you would NOT like to be treated” is the moral guideline for the evil humanity should not commit. Theoretically, these maxims provide a sound construct for morality. As can be seen in various religious conflicts around the world however, the key to unlocking the GR, empathy, is missing; therefore, the golden rule cannot be applied correctly or universally.
All traditions, which participate in interfaith dialogue, must understand the assumptions and the logic of the other traditions involved in the discussion. Before acting, the individual must know how their actions will affect others. He or she must know whether the stranger would want to be or is willing to be treated in a particular way. While the ability to understand the feelings of others is missing from the dialogue, it is an aspect to hospitality that can be conditioned. The key aspect to GR for Strangers is information. The more one knows of the stranger, the better one can host the
Cited: Cornille, Catherine. "Interreligious Hospitality and its Limits." Hosting the stranger: between religions. New York: Continuum, 2011. . Print. Lumbard, Joseph. "Some Reflections on Hospitality in Islam." Hosting the stranger: between religions. New York: Continuum, 2011. . Print. Gensler, Harry. Ethics and the Golden Rule. 1st . New York: Routledge, 2013. Print. Saeed, Sohaib. An Islamic Dialogue Perspective. 2010. Print. Sajdi, Dana. "The Dead and the City." Hosting the stranger: between religions. New York: Continuum, 2011. . Print.