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Originally Posted by politicophile
This is mildly tangential, but I thought I'd ask anyway:
1. Do you find the golden rule helpful in situations where someone has done something that you have never done before? (For example, provided you are not yourself a murderer, is it helpful to think of treating a murderer the way you would like to be treated if you were in their shoes?) I find that in most cases of evil, I have no idea how I would like to be treated were I the evildoer. Do you think this drawback is surmountable?
2. Do you think there are circumstances in which it is permissible for you to harm others? In which you are obligated to harm others? Or is it truly the case that you should always refrain from harming others?
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I didn't mean to ignore your post politicophile...sorry.
I've never *really* encountered a situation you've described in number one. I know someone who is a murderer, he got in a barfight and accidentally killed someone, did his time, and has been out of prison for years. I treat him the same as I treat anyone else and hope to be treated in return...respectfully until that respect has been violated.
As for harming others...yes, I would harm others if my safety or the safety of my child/family was in question. Purposefully, without provocation...no.
Basically, I'm human. I make mistakes. I do my best to treat others as I would like to be treated, and hope that others do the same for me.