In the post "Big Knobs" I mentioned Zig Ziglar - the salesman's salesman. One of Zig's many pithy sayings has been adopted by many (including me) as their personal motto: "You can have anything you want in this life just as long as you are prepared to give others what it is that they want"

Recalling this set me to wondering which of my AWAD colleagues had a creed they try to follow? (Having noted several definitions of "creed" I am using it in the context of a set of fundamental beliefs and/or a guiding principle.)

Care to share.....?

(I guess we can take the ten commandments as a given?)

stales

No - you can't take the ten commandments as a given. 1-4 mean nothing to anyone not Jewish or Christian, and 7 does not apply if the wife and husband both agree such a rule is silly - and it happens.

I have only one - Try to be nice, and give everyone as much room as possible to pursue happiness, and require the same from them. The rest is just window dressing.

Cheers,
Bryan

I like the all-encompassing Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you. Something to strive for. Like good karma.

Post-edit: I guess I just rephrased Bryan's last paragraph!

Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.

Or I prefer the Pagan version: And it harm no one, do as ye will.

As to the ten commandments I'm waiting for the ten commandments judge to make sure they ain' no little graven eagles on none of his flag poles.

Cheating is a confession of inferiority which I do not choose to make.

aside from the golden rule, that several have posted, one of my basic rules is:
It's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

if your first rule is to do no harm to others, and this is a second... it works fine..
it doesn't mean you can act with out thinking-- just with out permission.

Hillel: What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow men. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. This differs subtly from Matthew 7.12: "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." Bryan, above, strikingly parallels the former: "Try to be nice, and give everyone as much room as possible to pursue happiness, and require the same from them. The rest is just window dressing."

http://www.fragrant.demon.co.uk/golden.html lists the versions of various faiths.

Seems to be a general agreement in tone if not in detail.

My own articulation of it is a little narrower: never miss the opportunity to say something nice to people.

In all things be kind.Not always as easy as it sounds

One is passive, "don't do ..." The other is active, "do ..."

Sounds like negative and positive imperative, not active and passive, but naetheless. The big difference I see is that most of them make the assumption that what pleases/bothers me will please/bother you. Only the Wiccan Rede seems to avoid this assumption.

Can't believe we haven't heard from Jackie on this one yet. Lady with a heart as big as a pumpkin and plenty of nice things to say to everybody.....

stales

On her deathbed my Grandmother advised my Mother, "Dorthy, do everything you can to help everybody you can".
My Mother always thought that this was a tall order because if the First Baptist Church had awarded Sainthood to deserving members she would have been enshrined long ago. So would have my Grandmother. So would most of the women that adorn this earth. This is why Catholic Saints are mostly men. A good man is hard to find and good women are a dime a dozen.
As for myself, being a man my credo is more modest...As I lumber about in life I will try not to step upon anyone less fortunate than I, which accounts for most of the people on earth, except of course, you, the good-looking, kind-hearted, well-mannered, highly-intelligent, selfless, good-humoured readers of this post, to whom I say... Merry Christmas.

stales, I...sit here with face VERY warm--and with the deepest, biggest breath I can muster, I am blowing you a kiss. Hope you can feel it! Don't think I've tried one that far, though they've been felt in Japan.

Yes, I've delayed answering this, because I don't think I live by just one, and have been trying to decide on THE most major one (plus, I have hardly been at home at all, lately--I did not read the board all day yesterday or today, until late tonight); plus, Bryan really stated mine quite well, so why duplicate?

There is a related incident to tell, though. Just last week a good friend said something to the effect that sometimes he has pondered the mystery of why we're here. I said, "Mercy, there's no mystery to that--we're here to help others. Did you not know that?" I was genuinely astonished--I always believe that everyone knows the same things I do. Of course I know it's not the only reason we're here, but...is there anybody who DOESN'T know that?? I mean, look around wherever you are, you'll see it. You read about it, you see it on TV. I was really at a loss for words. A-and, I just happen to know something VERY thoughtful that that dear Rodward did for one of our members--totally unasked and unnecessary, but...so very nice! Kudos, my dear.

Oh--I guess my second-most important credo is that I don't lie--not without extremely extenuating circumstances.

If we're here to help others what are the other people here for?

i don't know about you, david, but i for one, like Blance Dubois, could not get by with out the help of strangers. i do believe that "bread cast upon water comes back seven fold".

Now day, i have a car, and i think nothing of driving anyone, anywhere.. (well almost anyone, anywhere) when i didn't have a car, and my kid where young. 3 times, when i had medical emergencies.. before i could even think ( and in one case just moments before it happened,) some one offered me a ride.. None of the emergency where life or death-- but serious enough..

my life is better, because others, have cared for me, have seen to my needs, for no other reason, except they saw it their duty to help me. How can i do less for someone else?

Hey, I got nothing against helping other people; I just don't think it's why we're here. I don't even think that there is a why we're here, but then, I think water is wet, so who am I to say?

See what I mean?
http://www.courier-journal.com/cjextra/columns/hill/hill.html

Dear Faldage,

Philosophy aside, if we do help others, we're probably better able to do so if others have helped us. We learn by experience and example.

Symbiosis. Probably not a philosophy, but a function of getting along more easily--at times.

Professional credo: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Personal credo: "By turning, turning, we come 'round right."

All babies must eat.

Dear Max,

You quoted, "When ye have and hold a need, hearken (AWAD today) to other's greed" .

Sounds Ghandian to me in essence. Moderation to the max, Max!

Also, a quibble. Wouldn't the thing read with more sense if your other's read others', hmmmmmm?

Best regards,
WW

But you would not force them to do so, would you, if they did not wish to?

That's not the hortatory must, my dear Max, but the biological imperative must.

"property is theft" - Proudhon (1840)

The following response is posted facetiously, not intending any serious political discussion. No brickbats, please.

-ISMS

Socialism: You have two cows. Give one cow to your neighbor.
Communism: You have two cows. Give both cows to the government, and they may give you some of the milk.
Fascism: You have two cows. You give all of the milk to the government, and the government sells it.
Nazism: You have two cows. The government shoots you and takes both cows.
Anarchism: You have two cows. Keep both of the cows, shoot the government agent and steal another cow.
Capitalism: You have two cows. Sell one cow and buy a bull.
Surrealism: You have two giraffes. The government makes you take harmonica lessons.

You have two cows

I knew that list seemed a little short. Here's a link to an all-encompassing list: http://netec.mcc.ac.uk/JokEc/jokes/joke99.html

Which shows us just how *unrealistic it is for a democracy to harbor capitalists (and versa vice).

"Ownership is idiocy" - anonymous (2001)

Some of the best sayings I have heard give good advice :

i.e. "Always give your opponent an honorable way out."

"Always give your opponent an honorable way out."

I fully agree with the above--in fact, give 'em all an honorable way out. This is both charity and grace. And at least those two.

WW

"Do unto others as they would do unto you. But do it first ..."