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The Preaching Humanist 06.42 Just Do It LOST EPISODE!

The Preaching Humanist 06.42 Just Do It LOST EPISODE!

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 The Preaching Humanist with David Oliverio
Episode 06.42: Just Do It
The Golden Rule, Humanist Style Unlock the Secret to Human Goodness—It's Biological, Not Biblical! Do you think the Golden Rule belongs exclusively to religion? Think again! Join David Oliverio this week as he challenges common misconceptions and reveals the deep, ancient, and universal truth behind the simple principle of treating others as you want to be treated. This episode isn't about theological debates; it's about action: Just go out there and do it!.

In This Compelling Episode, You Will Discover: The Universal Principle of Reciprocity: The Golden Rule is a "beautiful concept", a foundational truth found in over 14 versions and reflected in most religions and cultures worldwide. David Oliverio shows why associating this idea exclusively with Christianity (specifically the New Testament version: "do to others as you would have them do to you") is inaccurate.
  • A Scholarly Misunderstanding: Hear about David's conversation involving a well-educated, progressive liberal Methodist pastor who incorrectly stated that believers "have... the golden rule" exclusively. This incident proves that we, as humanists, need to step up and promote this wonderful worldview.
Ancient Wisdom That Predates the Bible: Explore the origins of this ethic of reciprocity, proving that human compassion is timeless:
  • Buddhism: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful" (500 to 700 years prior to Jesus).
  • Hinduism: "Do not under others which would cause you pain if done to you".
  • Confucianism: "Try your best to treat others as you wish to be treated yourself," which is identified as the shortest way to benevolence.
  • Ancient Elite Egyptians: Even 3,800 years ago (1800 BCE), they had a version: "Do for one who may do for you that you may cause him thus to do".
  • A Surprisingly Humanistic Worldview: Learn how even Satanism (whose followers often don't believe in the devil) adheres to a very humanistic tenet similar to the Golden Rule: "Strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason".
The Heartwarming Science of Goodness: Why should we practice the Golden Rule? Because it’s biological! David explains that our genes reward us for this essential behavior.
  • The Social Animal: As social animals, this principle motivates us to do what benefits the entire species. We can observe this inherent drive for good in other social creatures, like ants, termites, and bees.
  • The Feel-Good Factor: When you treat others well and help them, it makes you feel good! David shares a touching moment about how listening to and making his lonely, elderly clients happy makes him feel good, demonstrating how "reciprocal altruism" works in reality ("I will scratch your back if you scratch my back").
  • The Pleasure of Survival: David draws a parallel: essential human functions like eating and procreation feel good because they are vital to species existence. In the same way, the Golden Rule is pleasurable because it is vital for our survival and advancement.
Let the light and the compassion of secular humanism shine! Don't miss this inspiring message—it's time to share this humanistic principle, live it, and make the world better.

The Atheist Community of Austin (ACA), is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization based in Austin, Texas. The Atheist Community of Austin is dedicated to promoting atheism, critical thinking, secular humanism, and the separation of religion and government.The ACA serves the local Austin community through outreach programs, providing informational resources and various volunteer activities. In addition, the ACA serves the community-at-large through free online portals including regular audio/video podcasts and social media. We are affiliated with a number of national and international groups devoted to atheism, freethought, or secular humanism.We define atheism as the lack of belief in gods. We see that people can be compassionate, giving, and live happy lives without a god belief. We see that we can have community with each other and work towards a common goal.
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