Mercy

Mercy is a term used to describe the leniency or compassion shown by one person to another, or a request from one person to another to be shown such leniency or compassion. One of the basic virtues of chivalry and Christian ethics, it is also related to concepts of justice and morality in behaviour between people. In India, compassion is known as karuna.

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Mercy can refer both to compassionate behaviour on the part of those in power (e.g. mercy shown by a judge toward a convict) or on the part of a humanitarian third party (e.g. a mission of mercy aiming to treat war victims).

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In a legal sense, such as a defendant having been found guilt of a capital crime, they may ask for clemency from being executed.

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The reverse situation applies in the case of euthanasia (mercy killing).

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A famous literary example is from The Merchant of Venice when Portia asks Shylock to show mercy. The quality of mercy is not strained, she tells him.

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There are also a number of organisations taking 'mercy' into their name to describe their work, including the Mercy Corps, the Sisters of Mercy and the Temple of Mercy and Charity.

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Compassion: :For the Doctor Who character, see Compassion (Doctor Who)....

Chivalry: See also order of chivalry...

Christian: :This article is about the religious people known as Christians; for the 1980s British music group, see The Christians.For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation)....

Mercy related Images and Photos (experimental)

Mercy (Paperback) Book	Mercy The Complete Series DVD (Widescreen)	Fistful of Mercy - As I Call You Down CD	The Sisters of Mercy 1859
Karate Kid Cobra Kai No Mercy T-Shirt	The Seven Acts of Mercy	The Mission of Mercy Florence Nightingale Receiving the Wounded at Scutari	Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness 1969
Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness 1969	Madonna della Misericordia (Madonna of Mercy)	Polyptych of the Misericordia (Or Virginn of the Mercy)	Polyptych of the Misericordia (Or Virginn of the Mercy)