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In reply to the discussion: Is empathy a sin? Some conservative Christians argue it can be [View all]Ocelot II
(131,254 posts)12. Yep. Matthew 25:31-45.
31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
37 Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
40 The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.
44 They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?
45 He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
37 Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
40 The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
41 Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.
44 They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?
45 He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.
There doesn't seem to be much wiggle room: Show compassion to anyone who is hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, a stranger or in prison, with no exceptions, or you'll go to hell. Very straightforward, IMO.
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Agreed - All of the above. The right wing christians are all presumptuous assholes.
flashman13
Aug 2025
#92
Once they start judging people, accurately or not, the Christian right can be brutal
bucolic_frolic
Aug 2025
#3
Dostoevskey had this nailed in "The Grand Inquisitor" (within "The Brothers Karamozov)...
Moostache
Aug 2025
#34
Exactly. Religious wars are not gentle. They are fighting to see who will get to heaven.
Biophilic
Aug 2025
#74
They believe they'll go to heaven as long as they have faith in Jesus, period.
thought crime
Aug 2025
#49
Ocelot II actually posted it before I did. I didn't notice because I replied to someone else.
HeartsCanHope
Aug 2025
#90
Because they want to belong to the sect with the most secular power
muriel_volestrangler
Aug 2025
#61
I sure have no empathy for them. Guess I better be ready to sweat ..... FF!!! ;) n/t
Cheezoholic
Aug 2025
#15
These types of christians have no compassion. You must welcome empathy to have compassion.
Clouds Passing
Aug 2025
#16
She's a political strategist, doing her rightwing political strategy thing
struggle4progress
Aug 2025
#17
Nope. Lack of empathy is lack of love for your neighbor. Because of these lies they are anti-Christ-ian.
ancianita
Aug 2025
#20
Empathy is a "sin" to a narcissist because they are fundamentally incapable of it.
milestogo
Aug 2025
#32
Jesus gave 2 commandments...love God and love your neighbor. Everything else is above your pay grade
JT45242
Aug 2025
#42
There are two major types of Christians... Christians of faith and political Christians.
Norrrm
Aug 2025
#53
"Softness is not weakness. It takes courage to stay delicate in a world this cruel." ― Beau Taplin
twodogsbarking
Aug 2025
#54
I've thought for many years that the "church" has nothing in common with what Christ is supposed to have
BComplex
Aug 2025
#55
Of course they think that way. They accuse Democrats of being "Godless" because we have empathy.
LeftInTX
Aug 2025
#57
It does and we know it bc not all christians are the same. . . . . nt
Bernardo de La Paz
Aug 2025
#76
Very little, of course. Everything an organized religion can accomplish, can be done as or more effectively other ways.n
Bernardo de La Paz
Aug 2025
#85
I HATE it that they call themselves Christians therefore making that what we all call them.
summer_in_TX
Aug 2025
#94