THE GOLDEN RULE 997The injustice to which I refer left two courses of action open to
me. I could have struck back at my antagonist through both civil court
action and criminal libel proceedings, or I could have exercised my
right to forgive him. One course of action would have brought me a
substantial sum of money and whatever joy and satisfaction there may
be in defeating and punishing an enemy. The other course of action
would have brought me the self-respect that is enjoyed by those who
have successfully met the test and discovered that they have evolved
to the point where they can repeat the Lord's Prayer and mean it!
I chose the latter course. I did so despite the recommendations
of close personal friends to strike back and despite the offer of a
prominent lawyer to do my "striking" for me without cost.
But the lawyer had offered to do the impossible, because no one
can strike back at another without cost. Not always is the cost of a
monetary nature, for there are other things with which one may pay
that are dearer than money.
It would be as hopeless to try to make someone who was not
familiar with the law of the Golden Rule understand why I refused to
strike back at this enemy as it would be to try to describe the law of
gravitation to an ape. If you understand this law you also understand
why I chose to forgive my enemy.
In the Lord's Prayer we are admonished to forgive our enemies, but
that admonition will fall on deaf ears unless the listener understands
the law upon which it is based. And that law is none other than the
law upon which the Golden Rule is based. It is the law through which
we must inevitably reap that which we sow. There is no escape from
the operation of this law, nor is there any cause to try to avoid its
consequences if we refrain from putting into motion thoughts and
acts that are destructive.
I have incorporated this law into a code of ethics that anyone
who wishes to literally follow the injunction of the Golden Rule
might appropriately adopt.