The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (866 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions
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Golden Book
(mythology of Buddhist-influenced millennial movement)
:
Golden Calf
.
The golden statue made by
Aaron
in Exodus 32.
Golden Legend
(Lat.,
Legenda Aurea
). A manual consisting of lives of the
saints
and of episodes in the lives of Jesus and
Mary
, making connection with Christian festivals, in the order of the Church
calendar
. It was written by the
Dominican
Jacob of Voragine between 1255 and 1266.
Golden Lotus
(form of religious Taoism)
:
Golden Rule
.
Epitome of ethical action, occurring, at least proverbially, in most religions, but associated particularly with Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism, it occurs most often in negative form: ‘Whatever is hateful to you, do not do to another’. In the New Testament, it appears, unpacking Leviticus 19. 18, in the form: ‘As you would that people should do to you, do likewise to them’ (Matthew 7. 12; Luke 6. 31).
Golden Temple
(Sikh holy place)
:
Golem
(Heb., ‘shapeless matter’). An embryo (Psalms 139. 16) or stupid person (
Avot
5. 9), and eventually a creature brought into being artificially through the use of God's name. At the outset, they are created as useful servants, but they use their great strength malignantly and get completely out of control.

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