Re: the idea that empathy or compassion is bad or even "toxic," a belief held even by some Christians today. There is problem with that belief, and that problem comes from Jesus himself....
Replies
🌿 Sapientia eiusque studium benignitatem et misericordiam generator.
jul 25, 2025, 3:49 pm • 0 1 • view
Empathy and compassion can not easily exist in a society that worships at the altar of technocratic efficiency, and where morality is reduced to an inescapable utilitarianism. This is why most Christianity in America is just an extension of the capitalist system, not a moral impediment to injustice.
jul 25, 2025, 1:33 pm • 7 1 • view
Another pertinent theocratic data point that intersects with techbro anarchism. bsky.app/profile/gild...
jul 29, 2025, 1:16 am • 0 0 • view
I've seen it said more than one place that the mugga synonym for woke is empathy.
jul 25, 2025, 3:05 pm • 1 0 • view
True! Evangelicals are profoundly sick people.
jul 24, 2025, 5:23 pm • 3 0 • view
Their pastors are preaching this toxic interpretation of the Bible. Not to mention radical Catholic sects like Opus Dei.
jul 25, 2025, 2:04 am • 5 0 • view
Without empathy and compassion we are not fully Christian.
jul 25, 2025, 1:53 am • 2 0 • view
Thank you for this analysis, as someone who left the (Protestant) church due to the hate and hypocrisy. I am ever more often reminded of the quote, “I like your Christ but I do not like your Christians” when I see the behavior of family members who proudly consider themselves devout followers.
jul 25, 2025, 2:24 am • 4 0 • view
You can thank John Calvin for this.
jul 25, 2025, 4:01 am • 1 0 • view
Aside from it being totally at odds with the recorded teachings of Jesus, there’s another huge problem with that belief. And it’s that people who lack empathy can and clearly do easily find justification for committing acts of horrific evil against others.
jul 25, 2025, 2:26 am • 3 0 • view
They don't like Jesus. He's just too wussy for them. He kept saying things like "love one another" and "welcome the stranger" and "feed the hungry," and they're just not into that. He's much too woke! They much prefer the angry God of the OLD Testament -- always smiting people. VERY manly!
jul 25, 2025, 2:36 am • 1 0 • view
I feel that gut punch when I see someone suffering, it's very visceral. This is a beautiful reminder of what Jesus wants us to be. Thank you Father.
jul 25, 2025, 1:44 am • 6 0 • view
And Buddhism compassion is everything.
jul 24, 2025, 5:51 pm • 1 0 • view
One of my favorite stories and paintings.
jul 24, 2025, 3:21 pm • 2 0 • view
Even ants care for each other and work TOGETHER to achieve unimaginable things. Independence is an illusion, by ourselves we are doomed to die, only by working together as a society can we live and more importantly progress. #Trump & his sycophants are a cancer Killing our civilisation.
jul 26, 2025, 5:10 am • 1 0 • view
I have often wondered why pop-Christians do not argue for "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." on courtroom walls, or in the Oval Office when criminalizing homelessness. When will churches open their lawns and restrooms?
jul 26, 2025, 1:45 am • 1 0 • view
and that sir is a known fact weather you choose to acknowledge this or not is not my problem but truth and fact all say otherwise
jul 25, 2025, 2:12 am • 1 0 • view
empathy name one empathetic muslim you know all they spew is hate for jews and if you step out of line its justified to kill the person stepping out of line needless murder over christian who spread only love of life like how we feed the homeless and donate not worthless teens and islamic trash
jul 25, 2025, 2:11 am • 0 0 • view
And you just made his point. Well done. Thank you.
jul 25, 2025, 2:27 am • 4 0 • view
Gross
jul 25, 2025, 9:12 am • 0 0 • view
Sad
jul 25, 2025, 2:08 am • 1 0 • view
Over and over in the Gospels, an important word is used to describe what Jesus feels whenever he sees someone who is poor, or hungry or struggling. Most English-language translations say that upon seeing suffering, Jesus's "heart was moved with pity."
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 45 3 • view
In Matthew 9:36, when Jesus sees hungry crowds, "like sheep without a shepherd," the Greek word used to describe his feeling is σπλάγχνον ("splagchnon").
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 38 2 • view
Basically, that word means that he felt compassion in his spleen, or as we might say, in his "guts," the seat of emotion in the Hellenistic world. It is an almost physical reaction to seeing someone suffer.
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 44 3 • view
That word is used repeatedly in the Gospels to describe Jesus's emotional reactions. Jesus himself also uses the same word in some of his most famous parables: for example, to describe the feelings of the Good Samaritan towards the man by the side of the road (Luke 10:33),
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 37 1 • view
or the compassion of the loving father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:20).
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 32 1 • view
In other words, Jesus himself felt compassion so intensely that he felt it in his guts. And his own parables invite us to feel that same compassion ourselves.
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 47 4 • view
Sympathy is feeling how you would feel if you were suffering like the other person. Empathy is feeling how they would feel. Compassion is the willingness to suffer what they are suffering, alongside them.
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 99 12 • view
Jesus felt deep compassion, in his guts, for anyone who was poor, sick, hungry or struggling in any way. For the Christian, then, empathy is not a sign of weakness but of strength, as we follow Jesus along the road of compassion. (Image: "The Return of the Prodigal Son," by Rembrandt)
jul 24, 2025, 2:54 pm • 118 12 • view
Good word Father
jul 24, 2025, 8:59 pm • 1 0 • view
AMDG
jul 24, 2025, 2:56 pm • 1 0 • view
I think the problem is that he ended up crucified. He must have been a wonderful human being but we don't want to end up like him. Both Jesus and his society represent humans both natures, the good, generous & the selfish, happy-to-see-you-fall evil, the suffering powerless and the powerful 🤷
jul 25, 2025, 7:39 am • 0 0 • view
And isn't the Rembrandt wonderful?
jul 24, 2025, 2:58 pm • 7 1 • view
Thank you for sharing.
jul 25, 2025, 1:49 am • 3 0 • view
Empathy in my view is feeling what sufferers feel and being hurt by evil emanations from evil people.
jul 25, 2025, 8:22 pm • 0 0 • view
Just like the folks that put him on that cross, last time he was here.
jul 25, 2025, 2:16 am • 3 0 • view
They don't read the red.
jul 25, 2025, 1:22 am • 2 0 • view
In the household and church in which I grew up compassion and empathy for those in need was foremost. In youth group and Sunday School we studied the scriptures and I took it to heart with reinforcement from my parents. It was practiced always. If not then what’s the use of the whole Jesus thing?
jul 24, 2025, 4:48 pm • 5 0 • view
that's the trouble with faith, it allows ANY belief
jul 25, 2025, 2:19 am • 1 0 • view