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A short essay on compassion
A short essay on compassion
Compassion meaning essay
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Philosophy of Compassion
Today world, kinds of compassionate acts and movement from various religious groups and humanitarian organizations can been seen. There may have been different perspectives and numerous definition on compassion. Maybe for many of them compassionate acts might come from the concept that people lack basic human needs and need assistance like for food, water, clothing, shelter while other might do out of pity, sympathy, or empathy. Some may intent just to fill the temporal need of people for a certain time. From these, one can assume that human has kind of feeling of compassion for other. In other words, one can be compassionate person without being a Christian but for a Christian it is a mandatory. Compassion is a sharing life with those who are suffering. It is a lived out faith: who we are. It is helping people in their distresses. It focuses holistic aspects of a person: mental, physical and spiritual needs. It will have to do with people in their discouragement, their guilt, their repentance, their hunger, their helplessness, their insecurity, their loneliness and so on. It necessarily involves actions. Compassion begins with and is rooted in love. God is love so He is compassionate. Compassion is both biblical and theological. It is our heritage in faith.
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Compassionate acts are not just for who cheer us but also for those who are opposing us or undeserved in human sight. Jesus states that what credit will be if we do good to who do good to us. So, in compassionate ministry, there is no deserving or deserved person to be the recipients of compassionate blessings because God is compassionate to all. This suggests we are ought to extend our compassionate acts to people whom we may be unfamiliar, aliens to us, unchurched people. In doing so, God can move people’s hearts because people are not
The definition of compassion: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. As this definition shows compassion shows concern for other that every person would love to have. In The Chosen written by Chaim Potok, Mr. Potok really presents compassion in his book. Not only does he display compassion in one of his character but in every single one he gives them compassion that is expressed in different ways. He goes into detail example of compassion with each of his characters and really emphasizes the true meaning of compassion. Three main character that he shows compassion through in different ways are, Reuven, Mr. Malter and Reb Sanders.
Drawing a distinction between being for someone and being with someone, Father Boyle writes: “Jesus was not a man for others. He was one with others. Jesus didn’t seek the rights of lepers. He touched the leper even before he got around to curing him. He didn’t champion the cause of the outcast. He was the outcast.” Such a distinction has significant implications for understanding ourselves in relation to others. While being for someone implies a separateness, a distinction between “them” and “us”, being with someone requires the recognition of a oneness with another, a unity that eradicates differences and binds people together. “’Be compassionate as God is compassionate’, means the dismantling of barriers that exclude,” writes Father Boyle. Accordingly, true compassion is not only recognizing the pain and suffering of others – it is not just advocating for those in need. It is being with others in their pain and suffering – and “bringing them in toward yourself.” Indeed, scripture scholars connect the word compassion to the “deepest part of the person,” showing that when Jesus was “moved with pity”, he was moved “from the entirety of his
Our responsibility towards others means our kindness should not only be for family and friends but should be shown to anyone we meet. Compassion is meant to be equal, “if people only deserve compassion based on their actions, then we can hardly expect ourselves or others to feel it toward all human beings. Extending it to everyone would require a shift in focus from action to something shared and underlying.” (LaTour, 10). Relationships based on attraction are unstable because “someone we consider a dear friend one day can become our sworn enemy the next.” (Lama, 539). In order to distribute compassion equally, it is best to not depend it on the circumstances of each person, such as if a person is wealthy or poor. “We forget that just like us, whether fortunate or unfortunate, distant or near, they desire to be happy and not to suffer.” (Lama,
In our world, I see many people that lack the ability to show compassion. They can be so selfish when they should be more selfless. Even I admit it, I am selfish sometimes and don't help others when they may need it. For this reason, I believe that compassion should be a human right. Many people will see a person or an animal in distress and think, “I don't need to help them; some other generous person will.” But in most cases, nobody ends up helping the distressed person or animal because every person thinks “it’s not their job to help” or “somebody else will do it.” I believe a right of compassion will make it human nature to help others without second
Compassion is a feeling that humans portray towards others, but you also have to act in some way to aid them and to decrease their suffering. Barbara Lazear Ascher's purpose “On Compassion” of her essay was to distinguish emotions that people feel towards homeless people. She posed the question of whether or not people feel compassion or pity towards homeless people. The thesis statement is the first sentence, which encompasses the main themes that compassions revolves around somebody’s circumstances, rather than a situation that one can dream about. In other words, it is one’s reality. Specifically, “the man’s grin is less the result of circumstance
What is compassion? It has two components. One component of compassion means to put yourself in another person’s shoes, and ask yourself, What if I were that person? How would I feel? So, compassion means to develop an awareness of the suffering in another person. Another component of compassion is self-compassion, having compassion doesn’t always have to be putting everyone else before you, sometimes compassion can mean putting yourself first. Throughout generations, compassion has played an important role in many people, it’s a natural instinct within all of us. We show compassion towards our loved ones, when confronted with someone in pain, we
Compassion towards someone or something that an individual has can spread to others and change their perspective and thought process on that specific subject. In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, provides a story of a man who
Barbara Ascher’s, essay, “On Compassion,” compels the audience to interpret the compassion and empathy with their underlying definitions. Ascher states “I don’t believe that one is born compassionate. Compassion is not a character trait like a sunny disposition. It must be learned” (189). By depicting deeper meaning from three events which took place in Manhattan, New York, she helps her audience reanalyze the thought process when we believe that we have done something out of the “kindness of our hearts” without some kind of hidden agenda. Ascher requests that her audience takes a deeper look at the idea when she states “Could it be that the homeless, like those ancients, are reminding us of our common humanity? Of course, there is a difference. This play doesn’t end—and the players can’t go home” (189). After referring back to her everyday life examples of what anyone would all call acts of kindness she questions her audiences’ understanding. By analyze these story’s she informs the audience there is a thin line between compassion and pity or being empathetic and being annoyed.
Many of us have often wondered if we have a moral obligation to help others we don’t know. The term moral obligation has multiple meanings but it is often referred as a belief that an act is one prescribed by a person’s principle and set of values. In the reading “The Ethic of Compassion” by the Dalai Lama, the author’s argument is about the importance of cultivating not only love but, also compassion. It is said that in terms of empathy we are able to share others suffering. This is something that just occurs naturally from our own instincts. When we enhance our sensitivity towards others it is believed that we can extend our compassion to the point where an individual feels responsibility towards other people. This causes the person to help
For instance, if one person is despondent other will do anything to make ones pleased. Everyone deserves compassion, and that no one should be the judge to whether the other person actually deserve it or not, but in general, some individual do not always feel the need to extend their compassion to others, in most cases because they do not think the others deserve it, or it’s because some people do not feel as though they are able to afford to help in any way possible. For example, there are people who naturally have sympathy to one another, but in some cases some people just have sympathy for interest. Some people help the needed one for interest to show the world their good actions, but in reality they are people who are just showing their compassion for interest or benefit. Compassion is someone who is willing to help the needless, who is always there for them in the hard times. “However, compassion is defined as the emotional response when perceiving suffering and involves an authentic desire to help alleviate that suffering” (Seppala). The compassion of a human is portrayed through actions, emotions, and most importantly love
In the story On Compassion, the author, Ascher, explains how no one is born with compassion and must be taught it. A homeless, black man was staring at a women’s baby in the stroller and she offered him a dollar. At first he was hesitant to take it, but eventually did. Later another man walks into an overpriced coffee shop in which the store owner handed him a bag with food. Ascher makes the readers question whether these were acts of fear, pity, or just simply out of the good of heart.
Radey, M., & Figley, C. R. (2007). The social psychology of compassion. Clinical Social Work Journal, 35(3), 207-214.
middle of paper ... ... Furthermore, it is said that the enlightenment the Buddha attained is also “a state of compassion” (Brown). Therefore, compassion is viewed as a means to reach both forms of salvation in Christianity and Buddhism. The concept of sin is present in both religions, but it is regarded differently.
Compassion cannot be confided to just a feeling or emotion of empathy, or the antidote to pleasure of peace. Compassion is a vehicle to improve one’s being, physically, mentally and emotionally. Even without the desire to reach Buddhahood, everyone can benefit from employing and expressing compassion as it is one of the few things one can do that benefits oneself as much as others.
German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, once said: “Compassion is the basis of morality”. Morals are subjective and interpretations, and vary everywhere you go. The world’s morals are dictated on how the majority of people feel on a subject. Morals are rooted in compassion, but the idea of compassion is also subjective. Morality is what is thought to be right, not wrong.