The Gospel of They

 Some form of the Golden Rule exists in most religions: a suggestion that we ought to treat others as we wish to be treated.  This truism offers a way to think about kindness, generosity, and empathy, certainly, which are all traits we might like to cultivate in our religious lives. But taken to its ultimate conclusion, the Golden Rule holds within it an underlying calculation that when thinking about others, our beliefs and our feelings are most important.  What might emerge in our lives and our communities if we thought instead about treating others the way they want to be treated?  How might we be changed as a result?