When christ tells us to take up our cross and follow him, we think, for some reason, that he is talking about personal difficulties. In context, Jesus is calling us to imitate what he is doing, which is taking up a cross of suffering on behalf of those nailing us to it.
Hi Susan. PG stands for Prosperity Gospel. That is a belief in some (even many) Christian groups that teaches God blesses those who are faithful with prosperity and health. It is a quid pro quo kind of religion that basically says that God will reward financially the person who has faith. Therefore, if you get sick it is because you don’t have enough faith (your fault). If you have problems in your home, it is because you must be committing a sin in your life. It turns God into a merchant and faith a currency.
I wish I could like a post 1000 times because this is *absolutely, completely on point!* We must be wary of anyone who professes such doctrine, and pray that we can lift our brothers and sisters out of this lie from Hell.
This spoke so deeply to me because I have experienced it in my life. I had not heard about this negative concept of empathy until very recently. But, when I was in my 20s, I experienced stepping out of myself and just being present to a person in pain. We were working in a residential home for children. I came from a loving, secure home, so I was not prepared for the pain I saw in these children. There is no rational explanation for my response of just being still and present and feeling their pain. But that is what happened and has continued to happen through life. Thank you for opening my eyes to the truth.
BTW....let me agree with your analysis that narcicism is at the heart here... "pay attention to ME"
And what is that...if not a demand for....wait for it...EMPATHY!
Rigney ends up with a theology that demands we "empathize" with his "sad plight" as a man burdened with the weight of "leadership" in family, church, state?
Thank you for this. As I've responded to others of your post, this issues is under my skin too.
I would however suggest that the misuse of Friedman DOES matter, in that he claims it as a sociological underpinning of his whole theological view.
But, as you say, he's got it all wrong.
I took the liberty of writing up a response about all of it, defending "Family Systems Theory' specifically, which has meant a great deal to me, over the years:
Love love love this one. Esp the emphasis at the end on judging the fruit of the theology. If people are getting healed and helped, then God is being glorified. If you are separating yourself from the suffering of others, you might want to check yourself.
I watched that appalling Mohler-Rigney podcast. These people twist the Good News to suit their own bigotry and cruelty in ways the deceiver himself would find fascinating. IMHO, this whole "sin of empathy" garbage is intended to de-sensitize Christians to the brutality of fascism in order to get them to accept it. I don't know who's behind this "anti-empathy" movement but it's in service of fascist ends. The only thing more disturbing about that podcast is the comment section. The overwhelming majority of comments accept this heresy.
You write: "No matter which culture war topic drives them to selfishness, to refuse to treat others as Christ would ... it comes down to their narcissistic insistence that the sufferer must bow to THEIR beliefs on what is true or "real."" They miss the point of the Good Samaritan ... being a Samaritan.
Thanks for posting it! I honestly didn’t know there were “Christian” arguments against empathy and for the prosperity gospel. Loved reading your thoughts and about these cultural positions that are certainly anti-Christ.
Thank you for your article. I’m glad you posted it. You can never rebuke false teaching too often. I was reminded of a verse from 2 Timothy that expresses similar feelings as Paul dealt with false teachings in the early church.
2 Timothy 3:5 “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
I’m finding that a common theme with false teachings is that they seek to offer a free pass on morality by elevating self. They sell people on being elite, or the elect, or the chosen ones, which is dangerously close to the truth of what Christ has done for us but it leaves out submission to him.
Wonderful. Antichrist is the correct word.
When christ tells us to take up our cross and follow him, we think, for some reason, that he is talking about personal difficulties. In context, Jesus is calling us to imitate what he is doing, which is taking up a cross of suffering on behalf of those nailing us to it.
Thanks for your contribution and for tying this un-Christlike belief system to the PG doctrine. Two sides of a counterfeit penny.
Hi Susan. PG stands for Prosperity Gospel. That is a belief in some (even many) Christian groups that teaches God blesses those who are faithful with prosperity and health. It is a quid pro quo kind of religion that basically says that God will reward financially the person who has faith. Therefore, if you get sick it is because you don’t have enough faith (your fault). If you have problems in your home, it is because you must be committing a sin in your life. It turns God into a merchant and faith a currency.
Please tell me what PG doctrine is. I am learning so much.
I wish I could like a post 1000 times because this is *absolutely, completely on point!* We must be wary of anyone who professes such doctrine, and pray that we can lift our brothers and sisters out of this lie from Hell.
This spoke so deeply to me because I have experienced it in my life. I had not heard about this negative concept of empathy until very recently. But, when I was in my 20s, I experienced stepping out of myself and just being present to a person in pain. We were working in a residential home for children. I came from a loving, secure home, so I was not prepared for the pain I saw in these children. There is no rational explanation for my response of just being still and present and feeling their pain. But that is what happened and has continued to happen through life. Thank you for opening my eyes to the truth.
Well put. If we fail to recognize our own weakness, we will recoil from the weakness we see in others. It is a reflection we cannot stand.
Good one, as always. Glad you decided to post it.
BTW....let me agree with your analysis that narcicism is at the heart here... "pay attention to ME"
And what is that...if not a demand for....wait for it...EMPATHY!
Rigney ends up with a theology that demands we "empathize" with his "sad plight" as a man burdened with the weight of "leadership" in family, church, state?
Thank you for this. As I've responded to others of your post, this issues is under my skin too.
I would however suggest that the misuse of Friedman DOES matter, in that he claims it as a sociological underpinning of his whole theological view.
But, as you say, he's got it all wrong.
I took the liberty of writing up a response about all of it, defending "Family Systems Theory' specifically, which has meant a great deal to me, over the years:
https://open.substack.com/pub/wheneftalks/p/refuting-empathy-as-sin?r=9i0xo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
I saw Allie AB’s book on empathy and knew it didn’t sit right. Thank you for articulating it so well!
Oh, thank you!
Love love love this one. Esp the emphasis at the end on judging the fruit of the theology. If people are getting healed and helped, then God is being glorified. If you are separating yourself from the suffering of others, you might want to check yourself.
Thanks for this. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, unchecked ego is a tool of the devil. These people are in hell and they don’t even know it.
I watched that appalling Mohler-Rigney podcast. These people twist the Good News to suit their own bigotry and cruelty in ways the deceiver himself would find fascinating. IMHO, this whole "sin of empathy" garbage is intended to de-sensitize Christians to the brutality of fascism in order to get them to accept it. I don't know who's behind this "anti-empathy" movement but it's in service of fascist ends. The only thing more disturbing about that podcast is the comment section. The overwhelming majority of comments accept this heresy.
You write: "No matter which culture war topic drives them to selfishness, to refuse to treat others as Christ would ... it comes down to their narcissistic insistence that the sufferer must bow to THEIR beliefs on what is true or "real."" They miss the point of the Good Samaritan ... being a Samaritan.
Thanks for posting it! I honestly didn’t know there were “Christian” arguments against empathy and for the prosperity gospel. Loved reading your thoughts and about these cultural positions that are certainly anti-Christ.
I like the print of “The Christ Of The Breadlines”1950
Thank you for your article. I’m glad you posted it. You can never rebuke false teaching too often. I was reminded of a verse from 2 Timothy that expresses similar feelings as Paul dealt with false teachings in the early church.
2 Timothy 3:5 “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
I’m finding that a common theme with false teachings is that they seek to offer a free pass on morality by elevating self. They sell people on being elite, or the elect, or the chosen ones, which is dangerously close to the truth of what Christ has done for us but it leaves out submission to him.