Exploring Views In The Mansion
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 4:55 am
I recently read a thought that stated the world is like a mansion. Each religion has a room in that mansion. In each room is a window with a view out on the grounds and gardens. The grounds and gardens are things spiritual. No two windows have exactly the same view. No two windows have a complete view of the grounds and gardens.
I think this is an excellent analogy. Even though a TBM wouldn't like it, they would probably end up conceding it's got a point, at the very least. Any time we say "we don't know", it means our view from our window is incomplete. The thought went on to say that in order to get a better view of the grounds and gardens and get a fuller idea of what they contain, it would be a good idea to visit the other rooms.
For example, I love Corinthians 13. It's one of my favorite passages. It's Paul's sermon on charity. It basically spells out the elements of compassion. Here's my view of compassion. It is one of the most important traits for us to have as individuals and as a society. Here is my experience of compassion. People seem to think compassionate people are chumps. This has been heart breaking for me, but it has been my experience that being kind really gets you steamrolled. That's the view from my TBM window.
The view from another window. I also recently read that compassion is a necessary component of courage. That you can't be courageous if you're not compassionate. It's that love and kindness that will give a person the courage to do difficult things in uncomfortable circumstances.
I think this is an excellent analogy. Even though a TBM wouldn't like it, they would probably end up conceding it's got a point, at the very least. Any time we say "we don't know", it means our view from our window is incomplete. The thought went on to say that in order to get a better view of the grounds and gardens and get a fuller idea of what they contain, it would be a good idea to visit the other rooms.
For example, I love Corinthians 13. It's one of my favorite passages. It's Paul's sermon on charity. It basically spells out the elements of compassion. Here's my view of compassion. It is one of the most important traits for us to have as individuals and as a society. Here is my experience of compassion. People seem to think compassionate people are chumps. This has been heart breaking for me, but it has been my experience that being kind really gets you steamrolled. That's the view from my TBM window.
The view from another window. I also recently read that compassion is a necessary component of courage. That you can't be courageous if you're not compassionate. It's that love and kindness that will give a person the courage to do difficult things in uncomfortable circumstances.
I am in my fifties and the recent readings of those thoughts is the first time I have ever come across them. I was ready to give up on one of the traits I considered vital. I wouldn't give up on being compassionate. I would give up on believing in it. This reading from an Eastern philosophy has restored my belief in the importance of compassion.Courage and compassion are two sides of the same coin. Compassion without courage is not genuine. You may have a compassionate thought or impulse, but if you don’t do or say anything, it’s not real compassion.