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Love Means Compassion

Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:54 pm
by ArlissWhiteside
I have noticed that the word compassion means about the same as (Christian) love. I have also noted that the word compassion is used in the titles of several other websites and organizations that seem to be Humanian.

Compassion (noun) Deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it (copied from https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/compassion).

When used as similar to love, I think compassion includes:
* Both physical and mental suffering
* Both current and possible future suffering

Re: Love Means Compassion

Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 2:23 pm
by wvanfleet
I think that is an interesting observation. I think that many will have the impression that the word "love," even in its Christian context, but especially in its more widely encountered context, refers to something additional to compassion as defined above, namely, something having to do with a feeling of attraction to the loved object, a wanting to be with it, to "have" it, to interact with it, or to experience it. The "it," of course, may be human or otherwise.

My orientation to the word "love" has for a long time been that it is what might be referred to as a "magic word," that is, a word with no specific meaning but with power or effect when used, like "abracadabra." It is not at all unusual for it to be inserted in a conversation in which the effort is to have an effect on the other person, that is, to alter the other's feelings in a positive or negative way or to increase the likelihood that the other will comply with one's wishes.

Re: Love Means Compassion

Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 1:27 pm
by osgart
Compassion means that i desire only the best intentions for other people. Love means that i appreciate someones worth to me.

So even in the face of bad intentions toward me, i can still be compassionate in principle, though i truly dont feel compassionate. I tend to gauge people on what they deserve, and fully recognize i may never come to know what they deserve. So i extend grace towards people realizing i may never truly know them.

So depending on the person i may feel love or mercy. Whereas i feel nothing for the person, but i decide in principle to extend grace to them.

If a person is severely bad toward me, then i render a judgment and do my best to defend myself.

Re: Love Means Compassion

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 2:03 pm
by wvanfleet
Thank you for those clarifications. They are pretty understandable. They resonate with my concepts of being as understanding as possible (as opposed to being judgmental), and of Humanianity, which is the promotion of a basic ethical philosophy for our species, rather than remaining divided up into our various tribes. Please let me know of anything that does not seem clear or right on the humanianity.com website. Thanks!

Re: Love Means Compassion

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:30 am
by fbacker
Interesting info.