When Jesus fed the 5,000, He did not perform a miracle to show his power. Mark 6:34- "he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." Jesus did miracles and still does them today because of his empathy. Then in John 6:34, the people said,"Give us this bread always." Jesus did not multiply bread every day to feed the poor. He had a better way- by being the bread of life. The way to really care about people is not always the direct way. So, even in these comments, Trump supporters are maligned as not compassionate or showing empathy. Because empathy is not always just one way or a direct way. There is a bigger picture sometimes. There is a difference between empathy and toxic empathy.
Thank you for this much needed reminder and defense of Christ like empathy, compassion, mercy and kindness so needed in our country, and especially among the political followers of Mr. Trump.
Thank you Dr. Gupta. It seems wild to me that empathy is controversial and compassion is up for debate. I appreciate your clear voice.
I recently wrote about the compassion (and empathy) of Jesus and focused on the often overlooked story of his healing of the widow's son in Luke 7. If you would be at all interested, it is here: https://mattbellgr.substack.com/p/the-compassion-to-act?r=2x2r1l
Excellent word! On the practical level in local churches one of the battles I have had with my congregations in the UMC is a lack of empathy in their ministry to underfed and underserved in the community. They are happy to push dollars out the windows and doors. This is a transactional model that makes the recipients mere objects that are used to fulfill biblical “mandates.” Jesus teaches us such ministries are relational requiring direct encounters and vulnerability.
Our food ministry has gone from providing food to the hungry to sitting down with the hungry and knowing them not only through their hunger pains but also the pain and joy in their souls. We have all become more fulfilled and empathetic with others in our communities.
Dr. Gupta, thank you so much for this. Thank you for centering us on Christ's example of weakness/strength (esp. during Holy Week). Your words are a gift!
I think it is important to distinguish between "empathy" as an emotion and "empathy" as a virtue. It seems to me that the individuals you quote at the beginning are concerned with "empathy" as an emotion, while you seem to be concerned with "empathy" as a virtue. To be sure, well-cultivated virtues involve our emotional life, but virtues are much more than highly cultivated emotions.
I think empathy is empathy. Whether we follow English etymology or Greek, its feeling with someone, entering into their experience. That's human nature, and any time we villify that, we make a move towards dehumanization. Elon actually does say (in the longer clip) that empathy is good, but his point is that it cannot be allowed to take over. I don't think empathy is the problem, it's what we do with the empathy.
You make an interesting point. I was discussing empathy with a psychiatrist recently, and she pointed out that psychopaths exhibit empathy but not compassion. Empathy is the ability of comprehend and/or co-feel the emotions of another, and actually I don’t think those decrying “toxic empathy” mean empathy at all. Instead , they seem to be rejecting compassion, that is sometimes the result of empathic connection, moving one to journey with the suffering of another, and act to alleviate it.
I’m sure there are people who fit that description, but I’m not sure that all the people Nijay quoted are arguing that we should become psychopaths. In fact, if you read what they say in context, they acknowledge the necessity of alleviating suffering. They strike me as more concerned with the way that the left uses victim status for rhetorical purposes. They seem concerned with excessive permissiveness. Al Mohler’s comments get at this explicitly. I don’t think they’re opposed to alleviating suffering. That would be an unfair caricature.
However, the concern with excessive permissiveness is real and valid, and I agree that they are right in holding this concern. The problem I see is binary thinking, mistaking any permissiveness for absolute permissiveness, and therefore advocating for no permissiveness.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that anyone does anything out of actual malice. I love Catherine Goldstien’s quote that maybe the devil doesn’t know they’re the devil, and believe they are fighting for what is right. I do however think that psychopathy is being held up as a virtue, because love has been redefined as control. Nijay quotes Sirach 30, but just before that passage Sirach says (my paraphrase) “traumatise your children when they are young, and they will do what you tell them, even when you are dead”. Sirach advocates that love is control and that the ends justify the means. 🤮
Thank you for writing this. Such an important word in these times.
This shouldn't be controversial—but sadly it is!
When Jesus fed the 5,000, He did not perform a miracle to show his power. Mark 6:34- "he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." Jesus did miracles and still does them today because of his empathy. Then in John 6:34, the people said,"Give us this bread always." Jesus did not multiply bread every day to feed the poor. He had a better way- by being the bread of life. The way to really care about people is not always the direct way. So, even in these comments, Trump supporters are maligned as not compassionate or showing empathy. Because empathy is not always just one way or a direct way. There is a bigger picture sometimes. There is a difference between empathy and toxic empathy.
I don’t think we understand Jesus or the God of the Bible apart from understanding his compassion. Thank you for this!
Thank you for this much needed reminder and defense of Christ like empathy, compassion, mercy and kindness so needed in our country, and especially among the political followers of Mr. Trump.
Thank you Dr. Gupta. It seems wild to me that empathy is controversial and compassion is up for debate. I appreciate your clear voice.
I recently wrote about the compassion (and empathy) of Jesus and focused on the often overlooked story of his healing of the widow's son in Luke 7. If you would be at all interested, it is here: https://mattbellgr.substack.com/p/the-compassion-to-act?r=2x2r1l
Thanks again for your work!
Excellent word! On the practical level in local churches one of the battles I have had with my congregations in the UMC is a lack of empathy in their ministry to underfed and underserved in the community. They are happy to push dollars out the windows and doors. This is a transactional model that makes the recipients mere objects that are used to fulfill biblical “mandates.” Jesus teaches us such ministries are relational requiring direct encounters and vulnerability.
Our food ministry has gone from providing food to the hungry to sitting down with the hungry and knowing them not only through their hunger pains but also the pain and joy in their souls. We have all become more fulfilled and empathetic with others in our communities.
Thank you, Dr. Gupta! This was a good teaching and reminder about empathy.
I've been praying about what to preach on for my sermon on the 27th, I think it's going to be compassion and empathy.
Thank you. I hope your words go deep into each of us at this critical moment in our history.
Dr. Gupta, thank you so much for this. Thank you for centering us on Christ's example of weakness/strength (esp. during Holy Week). Your words are a gift!
Jesus IS empathy. Phil 2. And we are commanded to emulate Him.
"If empathy is a sin, most of those saying so don’t seem to have been tempted beyond their ability to bear it." ~ Russell Moore
😆👏
I think it is important to distinguish between "empathy" as an emotion and "empathy" as a virtue. It seems to me that the individuals you quote at the beginning are concerned with "empathy" as an emotion, while you seem to be concerned with "empathy" as a virtue. To be sure, well-cultivated virtues involve our emotional life, but virtues are much more than highly cultivated emotions.
I think empathy is empathy. Whether we follow English etymology or Greek, its feeling with someone, entering into their experience. That's human nature, and any time we villify that, we make a move towards dehumanization. Elon actually does say (in the longer clip) that empathy is good, but his point is that it cannot be allowed to take over. I don't think empathy is the problem, it's what we do with the empathy.
You make an interesting point. I was discussing empathy with a psychiatrist recently, and she pointed out that psychopaths exhibit empathy but not compassion. Empathy is the ability of comprehend and/or co-feel the emotions of another, and actually I don’t think those decrying “toxic empathy” mean empathy at all. Instead , they seem to be rejecting compassion, that is sometimes the result of empathic connection, moving one to journey with the suffering of another, and act to alleviate it.
I’m sure there are people who fit that description, but I’m not sure that all the people Nijay quoted are arguing that we should become psychopaths. In fact, if you read what they say in context, they acknowledge the necessity of alleviating suffering. They strike me as more concerned with the way that the left uses victim status for rhetorical purposes. They seem concerned with excessive permissiveness. Al Mohler’s comments get at this explicitly. I don’t think they’re opposed to alleviating suffering. That would be an unfair caricature.
However, the concern with excessive permissiveness is real and valid, and I agree that they are right in holding this concern. The problem I see is binary thinking, mistaking any permissiveness for absolute permissiveness, and therefore advocating for no permissiveness.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that anyone does anything out of actual malice. I love Catherine Goldstien’s quote that maybe the devil doesn’t know they’re the devil, and believe they are fighting for what is right. I do however think that psychopathy is being held up as a virtue, because love has been redefined as control. Nijay quotes Sirach 30, but just before that passage Sirach says (my paraphrase) “traumatise your children when they are young, and they will do what you tell them, even when you are dead”. Sirach advocates that love is control and that the ends justify the means. 🤮