With all the strife and discord we are seeing worldwide and with much of it now being focused on the United States, I thought it would be a good time to do a little study on the concept of “love your neighbor.”
One doesn’t have to look far to find Judeo-Christian beliefs on this front. In the Old Testament and the Torah (Leviticus 19:18) says one should “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This teaching is central to Jewish ethics and calls for treating others with respect, kindness, and fairness. The New Testament says, “love thy neighbor as thyself.” This can be found in Matthew (22;39), Mark (12:31) and Luke (10:27). These teachings emphasize the importance of loving others with the same care and consideration that we have for ourselves.
No one holds a monopoly on this concept. |
In the New Testament Jesus’ teachings about the term “neighbor” go beyond the literal meaning of someone living next door, or nearby. Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to exemplify that your neighbor includes anyone in need of help regardless of their nationality, race or social status.
This concept goes far beyond 2.9 billion Christians and 15 Million Jews throughout the world. In fact, the major religions in the world all have similar concepts in their beliefs.
In Islam, its 2.8 billion devotees embrace the concept that loving and helping others is highly emphasized. Muhammad said, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,” encouraging Muslims to treat others with generosity, kindness, and compassion.
In Hinduism, the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) includes refraining from causing harm but also promoting love and compassion towards all living beings. The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes the importance of selflessness and caring for all others. This is reflected in the following examples of some of the many choices the religion supports:
Many Hindus adopt vegetarianism, avoiding harm to animals.
Emphasizing dialogue and non-violent solutions in personal and social conflicts.
Respecting nature and living sustainably, recognizing the interconnectedness of all life.
Practicing kindness, patience, and understanding in daily interactions.
Other religions have similar beliefs in their base beliefs:
Confucianism emphasizes the importance of ren (benevolence or humaneness) which involves showing kindness, respect, and empathy towards others which leads to harmonious and just societies.
Sikhism teaches seva (selfless service) and sarbat da bhala encourages its followers to help and support others, regardless of their background, and to always work for the common good.
Buddhism embraces and teaches the concept of metta (loving-kindness) by encompassing unconditional love and compassion for all. They try to develop feelings of goodwill and kindness toward others through meditation. The Dalai Lama said "Our world and our lives have become increasingly interdependent, so when our neighbor is harmed, it affects us too. Therefore we have to abandon outdated notions of 'them' and 'us' and think of our world much more in terms of a great 'US', a greater human family."
Native Americans often emphasize the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of living in harmony with others in a natural world. This concept is expressed differently by many of the nations, tribes and cultures but the key points are the same. These beliefs go the extra mile and can be summarized in the phrase “all things are relative” encouraging respect, compassion, and care for all people, animals, plants, and the earth itself. In many ways, the beliefs of Native Americans encompass the beliefs of many religions.
We all base our beliefs on similar concepts but in a time when the world needs understanding, compassion, love, and tolerance, we are woefully short of those commodities. We are watching as nations pull farther and farther apart in strong nationalistic drives worldwide. We have forgotten who our neighbor is. Our neighbor is everyone. “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me” is a quote from the Bible, Matthew 25:40. All of these beliefs share common ideals and could act as a catalyst for a better understanding of those who are different in so many ways but alike in many more. We need to stop using religion as a divider of people and embrace our common beliefs. Shouldn’t governments strive for the same ideals? Of course, our own countries should be our major concern but is it right to think that because people are different, or that they have different customs and cultural mores, those could and should be encompassed in the melting pot that once the United States but now because of the availability of global travel is not global itself. Love your neighbor does not tell us to love your neighbor when they are like you. No, it stops there. Love your neighbor.
Absolutely. "Love your neighbor" is such a powerful and universal message. It reminds us to act with kindness, empathy, and compassion towards those around us, regardless of their background or beliefs. It’s a principle that can truly make the world a better place, one small act of love at a time. Look for the similarities between you and others and you will find, on that common ground, the impetus for what is being written here.
We could adopt a global culture; one that is not exclusive, one that is inclusive. This would be a culture that recognizes the differences as assets as they have been for hundreds of years. This new global culture would not push others’ beliefs on anyone. It would however expose others to the very reason so many people love to and long to travel. We travel to expose ourselves to the differences far away places hold for us. You know, a country doesn’t have to change or adopt these cultures, but it should enjoy the heterogeneity this exposure brings with it.
While this post is not about immigration, it seems to me that the anti-immigration mindset embraced by many in our country at this time is a reflection of how we as a country have lost the ideal outlined in so many religions and beliefs to love our neighbor. This spills over to our everyday lives. We are less compassionate for some than others. We turn our head at wrong when we know right, looking the other way when we should be reaching out a hand to those in need or even to those who desire to better their own lives and the lives of their children. They hold in their hearts a burning desire to make themselves and their families a better home in a more stable place.
Even though this is not the theme of this post, I thought it might be good to provide a little background on its history in the United States. Immigration to the United States has evolved significantly since the 18th century. Initially, the country welcomed immigrants with an open-border policy, attracting settlers from Europe seeking economic opportunities and religious freedom. The 19th century saw waves of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and other parts of Europe, driven by factors like famine and political unrest. The late 19th and early 20th centuries introduced more restrictive immigration policies, including the Chinese Exclusion Act and quotas limiting immigrants from certain regions.
Working toward compromise is a dying art. |
Often, it took time, but every major nationality or group that came to our shores has been folded into this amalgamation we call the United States. Those making our laws in Washington, DC are proof of that fact. With this in mind, what has happened to the time when those men and women in D.C. could stand strongly for what they believe, and remain open and amenable to compromise? Now there is no room for compromise or a penchant for negotiation on which to meet on common ground. It reminds me of children arguing over the rules of a long-standing game. They are trying to change the rules as they play even though they and those who served before them have played by those rules for almost 250 years.
...finding common ground. |
I know I have gone down a rabbit hole and it looks like I have strayed from my original topic, but I have not. It all comes back to no one holds a monopoly on this concept of love your neighbor. No, you should respect everyone for they are your neighbor. When man searches for common ground, he can find it and, when there is respect for others, that common ground can be the basis for the understanding we all need to build a community and enjoy more harmony and accord with one another.
…until next time.