A Simple Test
The recent death of poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen caused a twinge of sadness in my heart. Gone was the writer of beautiful songs like Suzanne and the Sisters of Mercy and many many others. Gone was another talented member of my generation, taking all of that talent with him. Gone was a man who embraced religion and spirituality with the fervor of a monk, but the soul of a poet.
His passing did cause me to take a look, as so many of our Boomer obituaries do, at his life as well as his art. While reading about him, a remarkable quote from him stood out. When speaking of his great affection for Jesus Christ, Mr. Cohen said that Christ’s generosity would “overthrow the world if it were embraced because nothing would weather that compassion.” A beautiful thought. An inspiring thought. And one with which Jesus Himself would, I think, be pleased.
While meditating a bit on this, a realization came to me. That word “compassion” wouldn’t leave my thoughts. A simple word who’s meaning is known by every one. A treasured word. A word that has a place in everyone’s heart. We would all like, of course, to be treated with compassion. As a consequence we all realize the need to treat others compassionately as well. A word that important should have a place in all the sacred books in all the world’s religions.
And, indeed it does! In the Pentateuch the compassion of God, from Exodus on, is a constant theme. So, of course, with Christ through out the New Testament. Even in Islam, there are appeals are to Alah, “the merciful and compassionate.”
So, compassion is a main theme running through the sacred texts of the world’s great religions. But, dear reader, is the reality of those religions a true reflection of those words?
The realization I came upon, thinking of Mr. Cohen’s quote, is that compassion (not just in word, but, more importantly in practice) is the most important test a religion must face when we look to decide if it should fill our hearts and minds. So, although all religions preach the virtues of compassion, NOT all live and breathe by it.
No matter what the sacred verses say, there are some religious practices, that make a mockery of those lofty platitudes in scripture. There are some religious practices that are so inhumane that they call into question the very compassion that the religion espouses.
It is hard to see, for example, how a religion that cuts off hands and arms as punishment is compassionate. It’s hard, also, to see how a religion that orders a sentence of death for a sincere questioning of one’s faith (interpreted by that religion as apostasy) is compassionate. It’s hard to see how a religion that advocates stoning to death an adulteress is compassionate. Hard to see how a religion that advocates throwing homosexuals off the roofs of parking garages is compassionate. Hard to see how a religion that advocates its dominance of all other religions is compassionate. Hard to see how forced female genital mutilation is compassionate. Hard to see how childhood marriage is compassionate. Hard to see how jihad is compassionate. Hard to see how crucifixion is compassionate. Hard to see how beheading is compassionate. Hard to see how halal slaughter of animals is compassionate. Hard to see how wife beating is compassionate. Hard to see how honor killings are compassionate. Hard to see how suicide bombings in which innocents are killed is compassionate. Or how the killing of children is compassionate.
Hard to take ALL of these things together and see compassion. Or see mercy.
A simple test, and one that arises from a word we hold so dear.
Thank you, Mr. Cohen, for shining a light on these matters and bringing to mind this simple test.
“Nothing could weather that compassion.”