The Good Samaritan

The parable of The Good Samaritan is one of the most well-known and well-loved of the stories attributed to Jesus. It appears in the Gospel of Luke (and only there, which is a pity, because it's a winner), chapter 10:25-37. Seen as central to Christian ethics, it is also a shining example of core humanist ethics that make no call on a god for validation.

Our poor assault victim lies by the roadside, and is passed by by the religiously observant priest and Levite. They weren't simply ignoring this unfortunate chap because they couldn't be bothered - their religion explicitly forbade them touching a wounded man. They were doing what their god had commanded them to do! This aspect is frequently glossed over.

When Jesus told this story, the barb would not have been lost on his hearers - this is an *antireligious* story. It tells of religion's ability to get between a person and their ethical responsibilities. Who holds people to account? God? No. People? Yes.

The Samaritan, unencumbered by religious nonsense, and acting on pure basic humanistic principles, helps the injured man, and demonstrates the real value of humanistic ethics. Jesus could not have put it plainer than this. He could have told the story about a good Muslim, a good homosexual, a good atheist - all of the above. It is just one episode that justifies non-believers claiming Jesus as a fellow-traveller along that hazardous road to Jericho.