The most commonly found of ethical statements discussed in Golden Rule context is the one I have suggested be called The Ethic of Restraint. That is found in slightly different language from culture to culture and time to time but it is generally represented in such statements as:
“That which is hateful to you, do not do to another.”
My suggestion that calling this The Ethic of Restraint rather than The Silver Rule is meant to avoid its being implicitly judged as secondary or inferior to the “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you “statement, which has come to be termed the Golden Rule.
I think it is useful, for perspective on the idea of restraint, and for the record, to look at the two most basic sets of behavioral rules that come down to us in the western monotheistic tradition: The Ten Commandments and the Seven Noahide Laws.
The Ten Commandments is, like The Golden Rule, a label.
In the Hebrew original this set of ideas is known as the aseret ha’devarim or aseret ha’dibrot, meaning the ten words, or sayings or things. The original Greek translation was deka logoi; ten words; which became the Decalogue.
Interestingly, the perfectly serviceable Hebrew word for commandment is not used in the actual text.
Different versions and translations over time have created some differences in the numbering of the sayings and the text is somewhat longer in the Hebrew Bible than it is in many Christian versions.
For our purposes I’ll use the version found in the English Standard Version Study Bible and after each one I’ll comment on the essence of the statement i.e. whether it demands action or restraint.
The Ten Commandments
EXODUS 20 And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. [Restraint]
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. [Restraint]
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. [Restraint]
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the l sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. [Restraint]
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. [The concept of “honoring” arguably involves both Action and Restraint]
“You shall not murder. [Restraint]
“You shall not commit adultery. [Restraint]
“You shall not steal. [Restraint]
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. [Restraint]
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” [Restraint]
Bibles, Crossway. ESV Study Bible (Kindle Locations 21810-21875). Crossway. Kindle Edition.
Clearly, the central behavioral regulations found in the document that is central to western monotheism overwhelmingly require that humans exercise restraint in their behavior toward one another.
Other than the element of honoring one’s parents that would require respectful and appropriate action, all interpersonal requirements enjoin restraint.
From the perspective of the Israelites, to whom these were originally addressed, there is another version of Laws that are thought to apply to all humans. Those derive from the covenant that God announces to Noah following the flood and are known as the Noahide Laws, of which there are seven.
The Noahide Laws are found in several sources in rabbinic literature including the Talmud and midrash and have been the subject of a great deal of commentary. For our purposes, however, it is sufficient to note that these have been understood to apply to both Christians and Muslims.
The seven Noahide Laws (in a version that abbreviates the language somewhat):
You shall establish a system of justice.
You shall not curse God.
You shall not practice idolatry.
You shall not engage in illicit sexual activity.
You shall not kill.
You shall not steal.
You shall not eat the flesh of a living animal.
The establishment of a system of justice can be considered the creation of restraints on unwanted behavior. If we view it in that light, all of the Noahide Laws prescribe restraint.
The Israelites are subject to more restraints than the other nations but all of mankind, in this view is bound, before all else, to practice restraint.
To abide by The Ethic of Restraint has to be the first element in any system of interpersonal ethics.
©Charles R. Lightner