The reason that a bunch of evangelicals went all in on calling empathy a sin is that people like me spent years crying out for justice for victims of abuse: religious and spiritual abuse, sexual abuse (esp. child sexual abuse), domestic abuse, racist, and all the other ugly types of abuse perpetuated and protected by churches and Christian organizations.
The only possible answer you can give to that is to tell everyone to cover their ears, close their eyes, and shout "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
Artemis
in reply to Artemis • • •The book "The Sin of Empathy" was published by Canon Press. Canon Press is the vanity publishing house for a certain Mr. Douglas Wilson and his friends and associates (like whoever the fuck this guy that wrote the book is).
Mr. Wilson is a long-time white supremacist (used to be semi-covert) and slavery apologist (not so covert) who also happens to be a "pastor" of a cult-like church in Idaho.
Artemis
in reply to Artemis • • •I've met the man, Doug Wilson, and he presents as very jovial and intellectual. He's a piece of shit.
Me and some other folks really got under his skin about 10 years ago when we got our hands on 2 separate stories of severe child sexual abuse that occurred at his church which he covered up and even seemed to sort of tacitly endorse. We made a huge stink and wouldn't shut up, and it was fucking unpleasant for him for a while.
Artemis
in reply to Artemis • • •But the clear thing he took away from it was that he needed to train his followers to *not care* about people. To *never care* about people. To hate the very idea of caring about people.
It's a convenient thing to encourage when you want to be sure you and your friends and family can commit every kind of abuse imaginable without accountability.
Artemis
in reply to Artemis • • •Before "empathy" was his favorite sin to condemn it was "bitterness". He and his whole crowd loved to talk about it. Bitterness is when you refuse to forgive and forget about the abuse which people have done and continue to do to you.
Empathy is the perfect companion "sin" for bitterness because you commit the sin of empathy when you *listen* to a (bitter) victim of abuse and seek justice and healing for them.
NKT
in reply to Artemis • • •Artemis
in reply to NKT • • •Yeah, he is. He could very well be the most malevolent person I have personally met and interacted with.
Artemis
Unknown parent • • •It's an abuse pyramid scheme. If you're a dude who wants to use religion to control your wife and children, then Doug's church is a dream come true. The promise is "you support my abuse of power, and I'll look the other way when you commit yours."