Can you be pious AND have compassion?

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I'm not talking aout pious monks or that kind of thing, I mean being fixated on upholding high moral conduct. Someone might say "I always try to operate from a place of compassion", and hold that view about themself when really its just hot air. Its irrelivant that they hold themselves to a high standard, they are unable to lower the bar for others and are therefore deluded.

I won't comment but feel free to answer the question, pick holes it or question wether its born out of questinable sentiments.

I think the problem arises when the person has to sacrifice their ideals.

For instance, I feel it is right for our family to work for the things we need/want. That's a personal decision based on upbringing. I vote that conscience for myself. Then, someone comes along and tells me I'm not compassionate because I voted that way. And I don't understand the logic of that... I did what I believed in my heart was right. I am doing my best not to take what I do not need. How can that be wrong?

Someone else is doing what they feel is right.

Why can't both exist?

Why can’t a person be highly religious and have compassion at the same time?

I think that it boils down to how strictly people want to follow their particular theology.

If a religious group is very rule focused, I think there’s a tendency to be judgmental and non accepting. Probably these people would lack compassion with or without religion, though. The term “highly religious” (as opposed to liberal, spiritual beliefs) makes me think of people with rigid beliefs who could lack compassion due to this rigidity although that’s not always the case.

My religion advocated shunning which caused naturally kind and compassionate people to behave abominably.

With that being said, religious people certainly can be compassionate as long as they look at the bigger picture instead of hyper focusing on things that don’t matter.

what do you all think of Pope Francis?

Forget that he’s a Pope and Roman Catholic.

First, I don't think this kind of "pious" is necessarily a religious thing.
I can imagine exactly the same scheme with moral standards of secular humanism.

Then, I think there is a trap in obsession with morals. Feeding one's own feeling of superiority and obsessing over petty rules to follow is generally what Jesus criticised in the Pharisees - but I'm sure it goes beyond this particular historical and religious context. I use it just as a well-known example.

On the other hand, I do believe one can have high moral standards and be compassionate. One can have high moral standards and not be hypocritical.
It's not easy but come on, who expects high moral standards to be easy?

I think he’s progressive as far as popes go. I’m glad that he’s addressed child abuse more satisfactorily than in the past although he probably had to. It’s been a PR nightmare and a large reason why Mass attendance is dwindling.

Sex abuse is unfortunately going to happen in any organization, but how it’s handled is crucial. Is it going to be continually swept under the rug, creating more victims, or is it going to be swiftly and appropriately addressed, protecting children? For too long, it’s been the former.

Overall, I think he’s a step in the right direction.

Last edited by TwilightPrincess on 30 Nov 2019, 1:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I don't really think about him too much. But, he has a right to follow his conscience. If he's following his convictions, it's not my call on whether he's right or wrong. Life is only a group exercise while living, then there's death, which must be done by one's self.

I’ve never heard “pious” used in anything other than a religious context.

In Plato’s Euthyphro, piety is defined as doing one’s duty to the gods. It’s very amusing. Socrates is debating with someone who believes that piety is goodness as the gods (Zeus, etc.) would want it.

It’s still a relevant dialogue for our day, just insert a different god’s name.

I don't feel competent to discuss English words but OP described "being fixated on upholding high moral conduct" and for this you don't need any religion.

Yeah, there’s a religious connotation to the word “piety.” It’s sort of like morality in a religious sense. The OP probably didn’t intend that particular connotation, though.

When a person is pious, the person wants to come across, mostly, as being devoted to their religion.

Moral uprightness counts....but the adherence to, especially, the ascetic aspects of religion is what makes someone “pious.”

I hope I am thought of as “morally upright,” though I will never be thought of as “pious” in the least.

I looked up the meaning of pious, it listed hypocritical as a synonym. I would say if you look at that respect, no it is not possible to be pious and compassionate. The people I have met who would be considered pious always refused to consider my circumstances if I did any little thing wrong but expected me to understand their circumstances if they got out of line.

That’s definition #2.

Definition #1 is “devoutly religious.”

I believe #2 is an ironical take on definition #1.

Right, I was speaking in the context of how it is quite common for someone who is devoutly religious to be religious to the point of being hypocritical. There is a very thin line to walk in-between being moderately religious and being hypocritical. Very few people can be devoutly religious without crossing the line to being hypocritical.