United Nations “Golden Rule Mosaic” – Mr. Abdu Murray, J.D.
Transcript: Golden Rule Mosaic at the UN – “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”
As I begin this, I think about the attraction at the United Nations building. Now maybe you’ve been there and you’ve seen this particular exhibit at the UN building. It’s called the Golden Rule Mosaic. When you go to the United Nations, there’s this mosaic made of stone. It’s based on a painting by the American artist, Norman Rockwell. And this painting is a depiction of people from different religious backgrounds, ethnic backgrounds and social strata, who are standing shoulder to shoulder in various poses of contemplation, or prayer, or smiling, or interacting with each other. And it’s this idea of unity, despite our big differences. And etched right into the mosaic, right into the very fabric, or the stone of the mosaic, are the words, “Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”
So the mosaic is called the Golden Rule Mosaic. Now it’s interesting, the Golden Rule is one of these things that we hear all the time. And it’s across cultures. Like I said, I’ve been to numerous continents, numerous countries. And there’s a familiarity with this idea of the Golden Rule; of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
But what’s interesting about the Golden Rule Mosaic at the UN building, is that it became cracked. Now that’s poetry. The idea that we want to do unto others, that there’s this picture of unity, became so cracked, that it was in need of restoration. I think this is a poetic picture of what’s going on in our world today, as the idea of unity is becoming more and more eroded as time goes on, as humanity seems to have lost its humanity.
Now the mosaic was eventually restored. And the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations at the time–Jan Eliasson at the rededication ceremony–was talking about the Golden Rule and the mosaic itself. And he said this about the Golden Rule. He says that it reflects the very essence of our mission, as set out in our charter. At its core, the work of the UN, based on the Golden Rule, is about narrowing the gap between the world as it is, and the world as we want it to be. The idea here is to narrow the gap between the world as it is, and the world as we want it to be.
We sometimes forget, because we’re so familiar with the Golden Rule, where this actually comes from. And there’s various versions, as I said before, of the Golden Rule in various different cultures and in various different religious settings. It’s a particular framing of the Golden Rule that we see in the UN. And it’s on the hearts and minds of so many people all around the world. It’s found on the lips of Jesus of Nazareth, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
We see this in Matthew chapter 7 verse 12, where He says this: “So in everything, do to others, what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets.”
You know, it’s interesting. This idea of doing for others as you would have them do unto you, forms the foundation of how the UN and all of us in our various spheres of work–whether it’s legislative, whether it is part of the diplomatic corps, whether it’s part of the businesses you’re involved in, whatever it might be–we’re trying to narrow the gap between the world as it is, and the world that we want.
We’re trying to get rid of these conflicts. But as you look around and you see the despair that’s happening and the strife that’s happening in our world at a breakneck pace, the gap is not getting narrower, the gap is getting wider. The cracks are getting wider.
I know that all of you are dealing with very complex problems, and I don’t mean to simplify them. You’re dealing with complex domestic issues, foreign issues, conflict…But my humble suggestion is that this peace–the shalom, the eiríni, the salaam, the wholeness with God, and then with each other– could be the fountain from which each one of our policies flow. And with that fountain, perhaps–as Jan Eliasson was so hoping when he rededicated that mosaic–perhaps we, together with the shalom, eiríni and salaam, can narrow the gap between the world as it is, and the world as we want it to be.
Mr. Abdu Murray, J. D.
Abdu Murray is a speaker, author and attorney who specializes in addressing issues where religious faith and emerging cultural trends intersect and collide. Since founding Embrace the Truth in 2004, Abdu has spent decades analyzing how the major religious and non-religious thought traditions have attempted to address emerging cultural issues, he has authored several books including Saving Truth, Grand Central Question, Apocalypse Later and his latest, More than a White Man’s Religion: Why the Gospel is Not Merely White, Male-Centered, nor Just a Religion. His articles have been featured in Fox News, Christianity Today, Christian Post and Western Journal.
For most of his life, Mr. Murray was a Muslim until a nine-year historical, philosophical, theological and scientific investigation pointed him to the Christian faith. He has engaged with diverse international audiences in debates and dialogues across the globe and hosts the podcast and YouTube shows, All Rise, Deliberations LIVE and CouldaShouldaWoulda.
Mr. Murray holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School and was named to Best Lawyers in America and to Michigan Super Lawyers three times.
He lives in the Detroit, Michigan area with his wife and their three children. Read his full bio here.
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