It is a serious question and may be one reason why people justify stealing from others.

Think of those rich people who want the government to take their earnings and want the government to take other rich people's earnings and actively support that taking of other rich people's earnings.
Warren Buffett comes to mind. He is following the golden rule. Maybe there is a loop hole.

I'd let you know if I could, but even Houdini couldn't do that.

I knew that my choice of beverage in my previous post would draw a reaction. Pun successful.

Sure teach evolutionary theory in school. But teach it without discussing the origin of the species. The only fact TOE contains is that animals adapt over time; everything else is speculation which, according to those critical of Creation, has no place in public schools (unless your teaching islam of course) .

People can believe anything they want. They just can't do anything they want.
GW Bush is real and not some belief system.

When some God (or Goddess) becomes utterly contradictory, such as one or more infinite immortal all powerful all knowing supernatural being(s) that created everything, I tend to reject that idea. I can't accept everything I'm told. I try to use logic and reason. I know of nothing that exists that is not subject to the rules of logic. In a (public) discussion I may express my views on this. Others express theirs. We try to learn.

I'm sure that you'll have plenty of people, not just solver, getting on Christians over that verse.

Bah, no trip to Guyana. j/k

The trouble is that there are those on either end who choose to use words like "stiff necked, hardheaded, or knucklehead" and seek to marginalize and belittle others when anyone breaches any subject that threatens their perception. I would contend that God, making Man as we are, wants us to strive for knowledge and understanding. This would mean questioning everything and exploring different ideas. Personally I think the world would be rather boring if everyone believed the same things - I think God would too.

String theory is pretty freaky stuff. I've been toying with the idea of an advanced alien life form which threatens humanity sovereignty (futuristic sci-fi) with a weapon designed to alter our phases resonance. Naturally there is much more but thats the core conflict. :)

It matters only in that I agree that it should not be taught to children as a fact.

New rule:
Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check if the supernatural is involved. :O

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Always wondered, does that mean that if I would have people give stuff to me if I'm poor but take half my money if I'm not, that justifies me doing the same unto others?

The reasoning of humankind does not apply to pink unicorns either. But as far as I know, pink unicorns do not demand belief based on something other than reason, perception or experience. And they don't threaten to punish unbelief with eternal torment.

I can only relate to that which I can embrace with my senses and use reason to reach a conclusion. It is not necessary that I, as an individual can explain everything to everyone, only that I satisfy my own needs to enjoy my life. I need to have an ethical basis by which I can live a productive life that does not depend on others or makes them subservient to me. I am convinced that this is the only existence I will ever know and I want it to be worthy of my efforts. I do not believe that anything that I do has any bearing on anything other than my own life on earth and my opinion of myself. My opinion of myself is totally related to trading value for value. I believe that great evil can only be perpetrated by those that have no values or those that believe that life on earth is only to please some mythical being that will reward you in death.

Sidestepping the defense of your assertions while claiming they are valid isn't a fair tactic.

I reached a point, in the ongoing process of removing contradictions from my personal views, where my concept of God became so watered down that it became redundantly useless.

I can't make the "leap" anymore to accept something (of fundamental importance to my existence) that is beyond my means to understand and is by definition a contradiction to existence. If someone else does, I may 'understand'; but I don't excuse or agree.

I'm not trying to convert you or anyone, either. I just wanted to define the contradictions in play.

Some in the Gulch will conclude that you have enslaved yourself. It is a burden, but I wouldn't call it slavery. And moreover, it is a burden that is an exchange of value (one's mind and labor) in exchange for a (undeliverable? false?) promise of a wonderful future.

This is not true. An infinite series of "1"s contains no "2"s.

I won't make anyone drink the KoolAid.

Existence exists. Period.
Time and space, however, are flexible and can change scale.
The String Theory will eventually be tested and tried and found to be correct...but probably not in my lifetime.