Do unto others what you want them to do to you, how SELFISH is that?

I think I only go by this with how I treat someone not for the acts I do. I want people to be respectful to me, but even when their not I am still respectful to others. Its just part of my nature. My husband and I help so many others not expecting anything in return. We have given money to many people that needed it, food and opened our home to many people as well. We do not not expect anything in return. We love to help. I do wish these people would pay it forward, not for our gain but so many others would be Blessed like they were.

I always translated "Do unto others" as meaning treat others the way you would want to be treated, regardless of whether or not they're actually going to treat you that way. I don't know that I can answer honestly or unbiased in saying that I don't really expect a greater reward for attempting to do good by other people, I'm human after all. I do think that on many levels I desire to be treated well too.

I believe we should treat others the way we wish to be treated. I believe it is selfish to treat others one way and then expect them to treat you another. I am not doing this to get something back, I am doing it out of courtesy. I do the best I can and I hope for the best in return. Karma is real, whatever you cast out does come back to you. Since I like good things in my life, I try to cast out good things. If this makes me selfish, then I guess I am guilty.

No I don't really. It can be a let down as there are people who wouldn't help someone even if they were dying. I don't expect anything from anyone anymore as there's just been so many let downs in my life and continuously so.

No, It's never been a selfish notion. There's a hidden meaning behind this saying. It's not about material things. Jesus taught us to be kind and to love one another. This is the message of the saying. I never do things just to expect something in return from others. I helped others because that is what I want to do and that is what makes me happy. This saying is almost similar to the golden rule of Confucius which is, "DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT YOU DO NOT WANT OTHERS DO UNTO YOU". But the only difference is that Jesus taught us to be kind to others while Confucius taught us not to harm other people.

Nah, I don't do it with the promise of any greater reward- whether that reward is other people treating me better or an afterlife like heaven or anything like that. Honestly, it seems less than honest to do things just because I'm hoping for something in return. Me, I just want people to be happy- I believe that's the ultimate goal that most people have. I think the world would be a better place if more people tried to make everyone happy, so I do my part. *nods*

That isn't what it means. It means that you should treat others as you would like to be treated. Not in any expectation that you will be treat that way, but because it is the right thing to do.

I think you misunderstand this saying. It's actually "Do NOT do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you". It's actually saying that you should keep yourself from creating pain for other people so that you would not feel that pain by others as well. Like, when you are tempted to cheat other people for personal gains, you should not do so else someone else will cheat you. It's talking about karma. Have a great Mylot experience ahead!

It's "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It means treat others the way you want to be treated.

No...I don't do things for a reward but I think the saying is so that it makes people think about how they would feel if the tables were turned. I actually often reference that in my line of work. "How would I feel if I were in this position and how would I want someone to treat me?" I see what your saying though and it can be taken that way for sure. I think the saying is good but like anything else...it depends on how it is used.

I actually don't think that this is a selfish thought at all. The reason that I say this is not because I expect to get something out of doing something kind for another person, instead, I tend to think about it in terms of saying that the reason that I do kind things for a person is because I hope that there would be someone that would do something similar for me if I was in a position that was similar to theirs. I think of the cliche as being "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."

I do not think that anyone really does anything without expecting something in return, and I do not consider this as selfish, although I admit that when I do things and say that I do not "expect anything in return" I actually mean that I do not expect that particular act to benefit me in any way. However, if you believe in God, then you do what you think you should do in order to get into Heaven - isn't that expecting something in return? If you help out another person hoping that it will make the world a better place is that not also expecting something in return? So just because a person does not expect to gain anything from a particular act does not mean that he or she is not hoping for something better in the long-run, but again I do not think that is necessarily selfish, especially if the "something better" would be for all to share.

I do believe in the Golden Rule of doing unto others as you would want done to you. This does not mean that when I do good deeds for others I am expecting the same in return. Rather I am just treating others in the same manner that would wish to be treated if I ever found myself in the same situation. I do recall a few years back when the wife and were both working I came across a family that was trying to decide whether to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving or save them money to pay the gas bill so my wife and I bought them the turkey. I remember the look of gratitude upon their face and the feeling of God's work in our hearts was priceless. WE could only hope that one day when this family found themselves in the situation to help someone else that they would remember the generosity shown upon them they would do the same. There is nothing wrong in helping others as long as you do it with a closed mouth and an open heart. Do not let others keep you from doing what you feel is right and maybe we all could help the world to be a better place.

I don't think that's what it means really. I think it's saying, do what you wish someone would do for you in the same situations. It doesn't mean just because you buy a homeless girl a bus ticket home you're going to get a free bus ticket, it just means your experiencing empathy.

hi ink, Actually if I will ask my friends or strangers to pay me in return every time I did good something to them I maybe a millionaire today But I never did and I don't have plans to do that I believe if we help someone we should not expect anything in return happy mylotting