Faith Forum: How vital is 'kindness' in your
religion?
Rajan
Zed December
31, 2015 RDJ
Nobel laureate and spiritual leader His Holiness the
14th Dalai Lama reportedly stated: “My religion is very simple. My
religion is kindness.”
Gautama Buddha (about 566-486 BCE), historical
founder of Buddhism, is said to have tamed the angry elephant
Nalagiri with his loving kindness.
There is an "Australian Kindness Movement" which
claims to be "Making a real difference in the world through the
power of kindness."
Kindness, a virtue involving concern for others, is
valued by many religions and denominations. Some claim that
God is synonymous with kindness, while some have defined it as
“pure love.” Kindness affects us all and many believe that is
capable of curing many ills in society. It is also described as
“fellow-feeling” and “helpfulness,” while some stress that it
breeds other virtues.
We asked our panel: How vital is “kindness” in
your religion?
Here is what they have to say:
KINDNESS IS THE CORE
Muhammed A. Quddus, Northern Nevada Muslim
Community member
To begin with, all but one of the 114 chapters in
the Quran carrying God’s messages begin with His benevolence and
mercifulness. The followers of the Islamic faith are to strive for
a peaceful and successful life in this world and a gratifying
eternal life thereafter. Achieving these goals require one to be
righteous in belief and in action. Of the righteous deeds, kindness
and compassion are at the core of this faith as evidenced in the
Quran.
Quran teaches love and compassion for everyone
imaginable (17:23; 30:21; 16:90; 4:36; 4:8; 2:177), including the
nonbelievers (60:8-9). Additionally, it speaks of pluralism in
God’s creation to lay the foundation for competition in
righteousness among the diverse “nations” (5:48;
49:13). “There shall be no compulsion in religion” (2:256),
the Quran declares. Likewise, kindness towards non-Muslims is
affirmed in the verse that stipulates that they are to be treated
justly with kindness (60:8).
KINDNESS IS KEY
Charles T. Durante, Roman Catholic Diocese of
Reno vicar general
Two passages from the Christian Scriptures quickly
come to mind: “God is love” from 1 John 4:8 and “Love is patient;
love is kind” from 1 Corinthians 13:4. Love and kindness cannot be
separated and both are attributes of a Christ-centered life. In the
gospels Jesus is often portrayed as a model of kindness when he
stops to talk with those who are hurting – the blind, the deaf, the
lame, the sick, the poor, the widow, the foreigner, and those
viewed as sinners. He extends kindness to those who otherwise were
rejected in society. In these encounters he brings healing. His
outreach to children also demonstrates exceptional kindness. This
kindness is more than just being polite to others. It is a lived
awareness of the feelings, hopes, anxieties and needs of others,
centered in sacrificial love, and responding as best one can to
lift their burdens.
PATH TO UNDERSTANDING
Matthew T. Fisher, Reno Buddhist Center resident
priest
Loving Kindness is essential to the Buddhist
approach to spirituality. All genuine practices of the Dharma
develop this quality. Unless we practice and integrate this quality
into our everyday lives, it will be impossible to attain
enlightenment. The Buddha said of Loving Kindness, “As a mother
would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so
should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all
beings.”
In Buddhism, Loving Kindness is the facility to
accept all parts of others and the world - but ultimately it
embodies profound acceptance of ourselves. Practicing Loving
Kindness creates inner wholeness because it stops us from denying
the different aspects of ourselves. We open to everything with the
nurturing force of love. With an expansive mind we include the
entirety of life in full awareness; both joy and pain are
reconciled in Loving Kindness.
ESSENCE OF HEAVEN
Ryan J. Earl, Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints assistant area public affairs
director
Kindness has been said to be the balance between
justice and mercy. God is kind because His plan balances the
eternal laws and demands of justice with the eternal laws of mercy
(see Alma 34). The reason Jesus Christ was required to suffer
an infinite and eternal sacrifice was to allow the arms of mercy to
overpower the grasp of justice on all those who have
sinned. This divine gift of kindness is available to all who
exercise faith unto repentance.
Kindness is the essence of greatness, a fundamental
characteristic of nobility (see lds.org). Kindness softens
hearts and molds relationships that can last
lifetimes. “Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others.
Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at
school, at church, and especially in our homes" (see
lds.org).
As stated in a Primary song, “Kindness begins with
me.”
KIND SPIRITS
Brian E. Melendez, American Indian spirituality
scholar
From a tribal perspective, kindness is the essential
ingredient in the Great Cookie of life. Kindness for many
tribal cultures is synonymous with gratitude and sincere
concern. Kindness may in fact be the truest testament of an
individual’s character in regards to enhancing the quality of life
for others and nature.
Tribal spirituality is being (re)defined and
(re)created everyday; evolving significantly with every single
dream and intuition of those with open minds and open
hearts. Kindness in conjunction with spirituality always
produces the best possible fruits — if the intention to provide
love and light is sincere, a single genuine act is the
magic to heal anything.
Some of the greatest teachers and keepers of tribal
knowledge have been able to transmit their message to welcoming
ears and hearts of unreachable demographics, primarily because of
their kind nature. Too many people of the World are not cared
for. Be kind, do something …
BALANCE
ElizaBeth Beyer, Temple Beth Or and N. Tahoe
Hebrew Congregation rabbi
Chesed (kindness) is an essential middah (attribute)
which our Sages say is integral to Judaism. Chesed causes us
to do what is right to help those in need. However, chesed
must be tempered with its opposite: gevurah (strength,
severity, justice). Kindness is key. However, too much
chesed causes an imbalance. Maimonides instructed us to strive for
a balance between these two opposites.
We must stand up for our deeply held
values. Those in leadership positions must provide
guidance. Thus, there are times when we must be intolerant to
defend tolerance or be unkind to defend kindness. “Whoever is
kind to the cruel will end up being cruel to the kind” (Kohelet
Rabba 7:16; see also King Saul’s misplaced kindness toward
King Agag of Amalek, I Samuel 15). Our actions may appear
cruel as we work to stamp out hatred, intolerance or
injustice. Ultimately, this is not cruelty, but a great act of
kindness.
VITAL
Stephen R. Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox
Church presiding priest
Kindness is often understood in a superficial way,
as some sort of ‘nice-ness’. For the spiritually challenged
this becomes a problem because "nice guys always finish
last," as the saying goes. Far from being a weakness, however,
kindness is a spiritual virtue that expresses tremendous faith and
superhuman strength. Like all virtues, kindness is a trait that
belongs first of all to God, and then to those who imitate him. God
first shows us "the immeasurable riches of his grace in
kindness," which then enables us to "put on compassion,
kindness, humility, meekness, patience." It’s not superficial; it’s
not subjective, biased, or self-serving. It’s genuine. Scripture
teaches it’s a divine gift, saying that "the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control." Kindness is vital. It’s a reflection and
evidence of divinity. It’s the mark of health, of strength and of a
spiritually prosperous life.
BE INFINITELY KIND
Bradley S. Corbin, Baha’i
teacher
The purpose of the Baha’i Faith, summarized in this
passage by Baha’u’llah, ties the virtue of kindness to the
advancement of mankind. “All men have been created to carry forward
an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me
witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of
man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance,
mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and
kindreds of the earth.” Each of us has the capacity to be
kind. God shines his kindness upon us and we can easily
share this kindness with others. Abdu'l-Baha appeals to the Baha’is
for action: “Wherefore must the loved ones of God associate in
affectionate fellowship with stranger and friend alike, showing
forth to all the utmost loving-kindness, disregarding the degree of
their capacity, never asking whether they deserve to be loved. In
every instance let the friends be considerate and infinitely
kind.”
FRUIT
Steve B. Bond, senior pastor of Summit Christian
Church, Sparks
Kindness is one dimension of the fruit of the Holy
Spirit. When someone becomes a Christ follower by inviting Jesus
into his or her life, the Bible teaches that the new believer
immediately receives the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. As
the believer grows in his or her obedience to the Lord, the Holy
Spirit increasingly produces the fruit of a transformed
life.
Galatians 5:22-23 identifies this fruit: “But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Collectively
the fruit of the Spirit epitomizes Christ-like spiritual maturity
because these nine characteristics find their ultimate expression
in Jesus.
Thus, kindness is important to the Christian faith
because it bears testimony to a life that has been truly changed by
Christ. Kindness serves as a lubricant in all human relationships,
enabling us to be more sensitive and forgiving to those around
us.
RELATIVITY OF KINDNESS
Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion
professor
One person being kind to another person usually
means the first individual conferring a benefit or goodness upon
another. Many religions have endorsed a moral principle such
as “The Golden Rule”, which says “do unto others as you would have
done unto you.” Applications of that rule vary depending upon
what you would have others doing to you. Suppose someone
values privacy and autonomy above all else; such a person would
take it as a kindness to simply be left alone to pursue his/her own
interests. For such a person, the Golden Rule would sanction
one to simply ignore the concerns of others. But autonomy has
its limits. The drowning or starving person surely wants and
needs the assistance of others. So, ultimately, kindness is a
relative notion. Depending on context, what might seem a kindness
to one person might well be construed as meddling interference by
another.