What is the importance of compassion in your religion?

Question

How do you put it into practice?

Answer 1

For me compassion is the center of my belief center. I'm not a Church goer. I'm self taught and therefore subject to be wrong. I love to help others it makes me feel good and it makes other's feel good. To just stop in the grocery store and actually make eye contact and talk to an elderly person. They are usually so lonely, I've had them talk to me for an hour and give me their home phone numbers and they have hugged me and called me a good example of what a Christian should be and I have called them to see how they are, if they would like some company, or I'm going into town can I pick up something for you. I have made a lot of friends this way.. To me a Christian doesn't judge other's(not our job, God's job) finds the good in situations, makes a difference in other's lives without shoving God down someone's throat. Helping someone put their groceries in the car,getting something someone needs off the top shelf that they cannot reach. In other words "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." But that's just me.

Answer 2

My "religion" - for the sake of labels - is Deism. That just means that I acknowledge the existence of a God as regards creation in general. That said, on to the issue of compassion.

"And whoever walks a furlong without sympathy
Walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud."
- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

Every man, woman and child on this planet is deserving of a measure of sympathy - until such time as they commit some act that suggests otherwise.

There aren't too many people in the USA - regardless of their theology or politics - that are so independently wealthy that they're more than a few paychecks away from sleeping in a homeless shelter or a cardboard box.

I try to share some of what I have with others, whether it be in the form of a donation (homeless shelters) or food (pantries).

I may believe in "personal responsibility," but I also believe there are folks that use that as a smoke screen to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the fact that we will always have poor and needy people amongst us.

Answer 3

The Flying Spaghetti Monster commands us all to be excellent to each other. No, wait, that was Bill and Ted. Oh well, either way, it's good advice.

Answer 4

It is very important to Christians. Christ named two commandments: To love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself.

How to put it into practice? By keeping in mind that how we treat others, we treat Christ.

Answer 5

"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." seems pretty important to me!

oh wait, compassion is helping people who don't deserve it right? oh! so then "do unto other as you'd have them do unto you!"--Golden rule. Or maybe "If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you?...love your enemies, do good back to them, and lend to them without expecting them to get anything back" is easier to understand.

basically, yeah, it's very important!

Answer 6

Finally, a theist question!