Compassion is the key in Islam and Buddhism and Judaism and Christianity. They are profoundly similar.
Karen ArmstrongRead
Religions have always stressed that compassion is not only central to religious life, it is the key to enlightenment and it the true test of spirituality. But there have always have been those who'd rather put easier goals, like doctrine conformity, in place.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Compassion is essential for true spirituality and enlightenment, often overshadowed by rigid doctrines.
This quote by Karen Armstrong highlights the importance of compassion in religious practices, presenting it as a fundamental aspect of spiritual enlightenment. While religions advocate for compassion as a core value, many followers may opt for adherence to rules and doctrines over the more challenging yet rewarding practice of compassion towards others, suggesting that true spirituality is measured by our empathetic actions rather than mere conformity.
Themes
CompassionSpiritualityReligionEnlightenmentDoctrine
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about spirituality at a community event.
More from Karen Armstrong
All quotes →Yet a personal God can become a grave liability. He can be a mere idol carved in our own image, a projection of our limited needs, fears and desires. We can assume that he loves what we love and hates what we hate, endorsing our prejudices instead of compelling us to transcend them.
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When violence becomes imbedded in a region, then this affects everything. It affects your dreams, your fantasies and relationships, and your religion becomes violent, too.
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Far from being the father of jihad, [Prophet] Mohammad was a peacemaker, who risked his life and nearly lost the loyalty of his closest companions because he was determined to effect a reconciliation with Mecca
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Yes, all fundamentalists feel that in a secular society, God has been relegated to the margin, to the periphery and they are all in different ways seeking to drag him out of that peripheral position, back to center stage.
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Religion is a search for transcendence. But transcendence isn't necessarily sited in an external god, which can be a very unspiritual, unreligious concept.
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