English - Writer | November 14, 1944 -
In the holy city of Mecca, violence of any kind was forbidden. From the moment they left home, pilgrims were not permitted to carry weapons, to swat an insect or speak an angry word, a discipline that introduced them to a new way of living.
Karen Armstrong
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Ever since the Crusades, when Christians from western Europe were fighting holy wars against Muslims in the near east, western people have often perceived Islam as a violent and intolerant faith - even though when this prejudice took root Islam had a better record of tolerance than Christianity.
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All religions are designed to teach us how to live, joyfully, serenely, and kindly, in the midst of suffering.
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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.
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It's a great event to get outside and enjoy nature. I find it very exciting no matter how many times I see bald eagles.
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Today we often think that before we start living a religious life we have first to accept the creedal doctrines and that before one can have any comprehension of the loyalty and trust of faith, one must first force one's mind to accept a host of incomprehensible doctrines. But this is to put the cart before the horse.
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Well, logos is science or reason, something that helps us to function practically and effectively in the world, and it must therefore be closely in tune and reflect accurately the realities of the world around us.
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Pain is something that's common to human life. When we ignore it, we aren't engaging in the whole reality, and the pain begins to fester.
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I like silence; I'm a gregarious loner and without the solitude, I lose my gregariousness.
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Compassion is a practically acquired knowledge, like dancing. You must do it and practice diligently day by day.
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The hajj is one of the five essential practices of Islam; when they make the pilgrimage to Mecca, Muslims ritually act out the central principles of their faith.
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If we want to create a viable, peaceful world, we've got to integrate compassion into the gritty realities of 21st century life.
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