“However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you
If you do not act upon them?”
Buddha
“The essence of all religions is love,
compassion, and tolerance.
Kindness is my true religion.
The clear proof of a person’s love of
God is if that person genuinely
shows love to fellow human beings.”
The Dalai Lama
“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.”
Paul the Apostle
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7
The role of religion is simple; teach only love. Should a religious organization retain past doctrines that inhibit or prevent the teaching of love in all areas, then that doctrine should be replaced quickly with doctrines of Love. Getting closer to God is to get closer to His Unconditional Love.
© 2020, Lekatt. All rights reserved.
If I interpreted the post right, it’s that compassion is something you practice, and not just words to recite. And that compassion and religion are 2 separate things. Organized religion should be a place where people are encouraged to deliberately practice compassion, and not the opposite.
I think we all have compassion inside of us, but many of us grow up in environments where it is not cultivated, and taught to ignore it, regardless of their religious or nonreligious background. But some people choose to practice being kind regardless of their religious background. One effective animal rights person who’s work I admire is an atheist.
Religion should teach what Jesus taught, and that is love and compassion for everyone. It is to be done and not just talked about. Belief does not mean anything unless it is followed with practice in the real world. Yes, you are correct.