Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. -Romans 12:15-16
So why would anyone claim that Empathy is a Sin? Let us enumerate:
Unfamiliarity with the word “sin”
Unfamiliarity with the word “empathy”
Unfamiliarity with the very basics of the Gospels
– or –
*** They are lying. ***
Background – The Kerfuffle
In a nutshell, tRump is a baby.
Mariann Budde Mariann Edgar Budde (née Edgar; born 1959) is an American prelate of the Episcopal Church. She has served as the bishop of Washington since November 2011. She is Washington’s first female diocesan bishop.
Budde worked in urban ministry in Arizona and then as a missionary in Honduras before joining the clergy.[10] She was accepted as a postulant in the Episcopal Church at the age of 24.[3] She was ordained as a deacon on May 28, 1988, and as a priest on March 4, 1989.
In January 2025, Budde delivered the homily at the interfaith prayer service following Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration. Her sermon called for compassion toward marginalized groups. Trump and some of his supporters criticized her remarks, while other public figures and church leaders supported her. Budde later stated that her sermon emphasized leadership qualities like mercy and unity.
She grew up in the Flanders section of Mount Olive Township, New Jersey, attending West Morris Mount Olive High School
Let me make one final plea, Mr President. Millions have put their trust in you. As you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican and independent families who fear for their lives.
And the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in our poultry farms and meat-packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shift in hospitals – they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes, and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches, mosques and synagogues, gurdwara, and temples.
Have mercy, Mr President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. Help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were once strangers in this land.
May God grant us all the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, speak the truth in love, and walk humbly with one another and our God, for the good of all the people of this nation and the world.
The Right Rev Mariann Edgar Budde is the Episcopal bishop of Washington Full transcript available on The Guardian
The Nuts and Bolts
Sin
WLBOTT will investigate further
Check out the animals checking out the sinners….
By Peter Paul Rubens/ Jan Brueghel the Elder – Geheugen van Nederland Public Domain
Empathy
Empathy is generally described as the ability to take on another person’s perspective, to understand, feel, and possibly share and respond to their experience.
On average, females score higher than males on measures of empathy, such as the Empathy Quotient (EQ), while males tend to score higher on the Systemizing Quotient (SQ). Both males and females with autistic spectrum disorders usually score lower on the EQ and higher on SQ (see below for more detail on autism and empathy).
Naked people by By Carl Sagan – Derived from a public domain NASA image, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=322194
Other studies show no significant sex differences, and instead suggest that gender differences are the result of motivational differences, such as upholding stereotypes.
Wikipedia / Images ChaoticBrain – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79884144 By Machine Elf 1735 – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13285286
The Gospels
WLBOTT: Could you summarize the gospels in one sentence?
Elder G: Each Gospel emphasizes different aspects of Jesus’ mission, but together they proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom and love for all people.
The Lie / Empathy Gets in the Way of Hatred
[from Rev. Trevor’s video – lightly edited for brevity/clarity]
While it is essential for a Christian life, empathy is the enemy of the maga Christian life. It is the enemy of the white nationalist Christian life. It is the enemy of all those preachers…. empathy is the worst for those folks, because empathy gets in the way of hatred. Empathy gets in the way of blame. Empathy gets in the way of our desire to destroy another.
Empathy is a danger to the very idea of Christian nationalism because empathy stops us from hating others.
“They” are not a general amorphous group that we can lump together. They are a collection of beautiful, unique, and wonderful individuals.
They – Trump, maga, Christian nationalists, need us to make big, bold, ridiculous, vague, blanket, generalized assumptions, and empathy prevents us from doing that.
Empathy ultimately gives everyone a name, everyone a face.
The maga crew simply do not want us connecting with, because if we connect with them we won’t hate them, and if we won’t hate them, we won’t do horrible things to them, and we won’t allow others to do horrible things to them.
Empathy is not sinful. Empathy is the enemy of hatred. Empathy is not sinful. Empathy is the friend of love, and mercy, and connection.
Rev. Ed Trevors, Anglican Priest in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
Psychopathy and Empathy
Elder G: The relationship between psychopathy and empathy is both complex and fascinating, often examined in psychology and neuroscience. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Deficits in Emotional Empathy
Emotional empathy is the ability to feel and share the emotions of others. For example, if someone is in pain, you might instinctively feel distress for them.
Psychopaths typically lack emotional empathy. This means they don’t experience the natural emotional responses to another person’s suffering or joy. This is often attributed to abnormalities in the amygdala, a brain structure involved in processing emotions.
2. Cognitive Empathy Remains Intact
Cognitive empathy, on the other hand, is the ability to understand what someone else is feeling, even if you don’t feel it yourself. Psychopaths often have a well-developed sense of cognitive empathy, which they may use to manipulate others. For example, they might understand that someone is scared or upset and use that understanding to exploit them.
3. Neurobiological Basis
Studies show differences in the brains of psychopaths, particularly in areas like the amygdala (emotional processing) and the prefrontal cortex (decision-making and impulse control). These differences can contribute to their lack of emotional empathy and moral reasoning.
Functional MRI scans have demonstrated reduced activation in these areas when psychopaths are exposed to emotional stimuli, like images of people in pain.
4. Manipulative Behavior
Psychopaths often use their intact cognitive empathy to manipulate others. They may mimic emotional reactions or feign concern to gain trust or achieve their goals. This is why they can sometimes appear charming or compassionate on the surface.
5. Degrees of Psychopathy
Psychopathy exists on a spectrum. Not all individuals with psychopathic traits completely lack empathy, and their behavior can vary significantly. For instance, “successful” psychopaths, like some high-functioning professionals, may harness their traits in non-violent ways, while still displaying a lack of concern for others’ emotions.
6. Empathy in Treatment
Psychopathy is notoriously difficult to treat, partly because traditional therapies rely on the ability to empathize with others or feel remorse. However, some approaches focus on improving cognitive understanding of morality and social consequences rather than trying to instill emotional empathy.
