Udja
Well done assignment posting-
About your statement: “In Maat Philosophy, morals are judged by deeds and not by one’s thoughts.”
It is important to understand that aryu or the sum total of past experiences and feelings and desires and actions is lodged in the Ab or unconscious mind. As such the recorded impressions are derived from the Ka or mind and thus the experiences are mental and not physical. Therefore, whether or not there are physical deeds or mental [i.e. thoughts or desires for deeds] they are all deeds. In other words thoughts or acted out thoughts can become negative aryu. The key is understanding that if the intent behind those mental or physical deeds is based on ignorance then it will have a negative karmic effect. If the understanding and intent is based on wisdom and understanding then it will not be injurious. The other point is that physical actions can have the effect of amplifying the ramifications if they are carried out. For example, if you think about punching someone it is not the same as physically doing it as in the physical there can be long-term injuries, hospitals, lawsuits that can go on for days and weeks or years filling the mind with more thoughts of the incident that otherwise if suppressed could have been avoided and the mental issue dealt with privately in a shorter period (if under proper guidance).
The proverb “Morals are judged by deeds.”
Means that deeds are a reflection of morals or the level of ethical conscience of the personality. So deeds and thoughts are measures of morals (ethical conscience).
About your comment: “holding on to certain beliefs and attempting to mix traditions, and extract what one may feel is convenient or “relates” to the other faith/religion”
only one thing to say – “Right On”
This is a key understanding in order to be able to grow as an aspirant. -very good.
