1. "Can you think of a twenty-first century equivalent to the li (ancient rites controlling egotism and cultivating compassion, described on page 40) that would make each member of the family feel supremely valued" (p. 71)?
2. "How can you make your family a school for compassion, where children learn the value of treating all others with respect? What would life be like if all family members made a serious attempt to treat one another 'all day and every day' as they would wish to be treated themselves" (p. 71)?
3. "What would be the realistic criteria of a compassionate company," organization, school, or community" (p. 71)?
4. To whom in your life — home, work, school, etc. — would you give a Golden Rule prize and why (pp. 71-72)?
1. Look at what's happening in your family, school, workplace, religious community, penal institutions, etc. What teachings, practices, or policies contribute to a lack of compassion? Identify ways you might help bring them to light and/or change them — whether it's writing a letter to the editor of the local paper, creating a curriculum on compassion, starting a mediation program in the schools, or whatever action resonates with you.
Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life ~ by Karen Armstrong, 2010
18 comments:
I haven't read this second chapter yet, so I'll come back later to comment.
Before deactivating my Facebook account a few minutes ago, I clicked on one of those silly quizzes. This one asks, "Which one of Jesus's disciples are you?" Since we are into books here and since our subject is compassion (which Karen Armstrong says is all about the Golden Rule), I just have to share part of the answer I got:
"People looking for you can always find you in the library with your nose in a good book. You firmly believe in the Golden Rule and often go out of your way to help people, just because you can."
I meant to give you the link, in case any of you wanted to see what the quiz says about you.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/which-of-jesuss-disciples-are-you
It is disturbing, but my answer was:
You got: Judas Iscariot
Via Wikimedia Commons
Black sheep, loner, ne’er-do-well, rebel… You’re the kind of person who’s never really fit in with the crowd and you’re okay with that. You do your own thing and live by your own rules. (Also, people don’t really seem to trust you for some reason. You might want to work on that.)
What made you decide to deactivate your Facebook account?
I didn't give all that the quiz told me. I got Saint Matthew, and what I quoted above was in the middle: You're easily the nerdiest person in your group of friends, and you're 100% okay with that. People looking for you can always find you in the library with your nose in a good book. You firmly believe in the Golden Rule and often go out of your way to help people, just because you can You're a pretty awesome human being!" Actually, it's the last line that bothers me. I'm not feeling very awesome right now. I left Facebook because most of my family seems to be angry at me and I seem to be the cause.
I disagree strongly with you. I think you are awesome. I can't get over all that you accomplish, the research, intensity of your reading, and your willingness to share.
http://topinfopost.com/2013/12/12/guy-brings-his-white-girl-to-barbershop-in-harlem-and-this-is-what-happened
What would you do if you had been at Mo's for a haircut on the day this occurred?
Did you see the March 1 op-ed from Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times, titled "The Compassion Gap"? (Click here.)
Alison, this is a wonderful article from Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times. Thank you for alerting us. I had not seen it, but read the article and all 174 of the comments.
Hi Bonnie,
Zorro thought I would enjoy what your group is currently reading and doing with this read. If it is ok with everyone I'd enjoy following this discussion.
Thanks,
createjoy
Welcome, Createjoy. You may want to start with the first post about this book:
http://bookbuddies3.blogspot.com/2014/01/twelve-steps-to-compassionate-life-by.html
It has links to each step (or chapter) along the way. Though you don't have to read the book to join our conversation, you'll get a lot more out of it that way.
MaryZorro is in my town right now, and I may get to visit with her.
Thank you Bonnie, I appreciate the welcome. I hope you and Z get to again share time together. I would like to read the book, I think this topic and adventure you are taking us on will be wonderful. Thank you.
Hello all Book Buddies, you are welcome to refer to me as "m", it is my nickname.
Hi Shirley... :-)
It will take me a bit of time to learn how to navigate this site. All suggestions are welcome.
Bonnie, are all the comments here in the Blogger section and Book Buddies page public? Or are the comments in both sites only seen by the signed in members?
Createjoy, this blog is public, so anyone can read the posts and the comments. If you want me to have the blog automatically send you every comment we make, send me your email address (which I never share). Here's my email (be sure to include the DOT between the words).
emerging DOT paradigm AT yahoo.com
I moderate all comments on our posts that are over 30 days old, which basically means only our most recent topic. It simply means I don't allow SPAM or someone who wants to disrupt our conversation by calling names or putting people down or other kinds of negativity. Once I approve a comment, all current participants will get the comment via email, if I have their email addresses to include them (up to Blogger's limit of ten of us). You can always ask me to remove you from the mailings if you no longer want to receive them.
Donna (AuntyDon) said...
"This is a great example of compassion and small acts of kindness."
Headline:
Police officer’s kind note eases fears of sleepless girls
news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/police-officer’s-kind-note-eases-fears-of-sleepless-girls-201533044.html
That is a touching story reminding us how words can help others and that there are caring public servants around.
Fred Phelps, Sr., the leader of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka is on his deathbed. His church not only taught hatred of gays, but he led pickets preaching his beliefs of God's hatred of gays at various churches and more recently at the funerals of soldiers.
There has been an insightful debate on whether or not his funeral should be picketed. Most seem to favor not picketing preferring not to stoop to his level.
Although his graphic and sickening pickets left one feeling rather sick, I do think that the hatred preached by him and his church members resulted in greater tolerance of the gay community as people did not want to identify with the hatred he preached.
The compassion being encouraged by some who were most hurt by his hatred made me think of this year's book. I wasn't sure where the appropriate place to post this comment is so chose this one.
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