Theos-Talk Archives (April 1997 Message tl00005)

>I am wondering if ethics and compassion are to be developed 
>concurrently and if they could be treated as separate. 

Doss, they have to be in this order: ethics, and then
comapssion.  It won't work together or the other way
around, because compassion is just a word to a
person without ethics, and with compassion, ethics
become automatic and spantaneous.  Ethics, IMHO,
are only important as a foundation for compassion.
By themselves they are useful in keeping society
together, but not much help on the spiritual path.
However, compassion is absolutely essential on 
the spiritual path.  Ethics are relatively easy to get,
and most of us get this growing up.  Compassion,
a sincere and honest concern for others, is a lot
more rare.  The only real difference between the
White Brotherhood and the Black Brotherhood
(I wish they would invent new names for these!)
is that White Brothers have compassion, while
Black Brothers don't.  There is no other difference.

Jerry S.
Member, TI