The Social Justice doctrine of WOKE is precisely where the modern 20th Century, counterfeit, concept of empathy runs into the Biblical teachings of compassion and sympathy. The Bible never uses the word empathy, which means to suffer in. Instead the Bible uses the words compassion or sympathy, meaning to suffer with.
How does this play out and does it matter?
In his, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts, Karl Marx advanced his Entfremdung Theory, in which he correctly observed that everyone is estranged from their true selves. He attributed this alienation to the capitalistic economic system. Christians can all agree that we are all alienated but we understand that this alienation runs much deeper than just economics. Because we are alienated from the true God we are, by default, alienated from ourselves. Genesis 3:9-10
We are, in many ways, at odds with ourselves. We are not the people that we imagine ourselves to be. We are not the people that we want to be. We all experience psychological problems. We may experience fear, shame, guilt, and anxiety.
To some extent we all create false self-images or tell ourselves convenient lies to try to live more comfortably in our skin. We practice self-deception, lying to ourselves about things that we know to be true; thoughts, words, and deeds that we would rather forget. To quote Bob Dylan:
How long can you falsify and deny what is real?
How long can you hate yourself for the weakness you conceal?
To help cope with this universal alienation many anesthetize themselves with drugs, both legal and illegal, alcohol, accumulating possessions, seeking new experiences, or any number of other pursuits to ease our psychological discomfort. Some have come to believe that if they could earn enough money, or have the right friends, or enjoy the right experiences, or support the right cause, they could find peace.
And placing truth directly in the path of and at odds with WOKE doctrine, those struggling with body dysphoria sincerely believe that they are trapped in the wrong body. For example those suffering with bulimia think that they will be happy, whole, and complete, only when they lose more weight. Transgenders believe that, if only they could have access to sex change hormones and surgery they could find peace.
Using transgenders as our first example, the modern concept of empathy demands that we stand with them. Love, as defined by empathy, means validating their self-concept and wholeheartedly endorsing and affirming everything they believe, including using their preferred pronouns. And, in fact, simply pointing out the underlying biological realities to a man who believes that he is a woman, is seen as hate. As the A in LGBTQA implies, we are to be allies, unquestioningly supporting every sexual experimentation and body concept, no matter how destructive those dysfunctional self concepts ultimately are. To not affirm is to hate.
To fail to support, or to, in any way, question any of the accepted and approved WOKE self-concepts, is to hate. All such haters are required to offer apologies even when such apologies contradict objective reality. For the cowardly, it is expedient to give in to the WOKE crowd, although it does them no favors. To name a few such examples, doctors have had to apologize for not accepting and celebrating morbidly obese patients as they are, never mind they are at risk for heart disease or COVID; coaches have had to apologize for suggesting that it is unfair that biological boys, considering themselves to be female, are able to compete in girls sports, never mind that this puts girls lives at risk; pastors have had to apologize for believing that marriage is to be only between a man and a woman, never mind that God judges such behavior as an abomination. The list could go on and on, but many times even the apology is not enough, as the WOKE gleefully demand the ruin of the un-woke.
In contrast to the destruction wrought by empathy, sympathy and compassion are restorative.
When Jesus saw the crowds he had compassion on them… He went through the towns and villages, teaching…proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. Matthew 9:35-36
The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Isaiah 30:18
We can see the difference clearly in the second example of the bulimic. Validating their self-concept, as empathy demands, will lead to their death. Only compassion; love in action, is able to teach, helping the hurting understand the root of their dysphoria and helping them find the way out, so that they may develop healthy and constructive coping skills.
We all, long to be at peace with ourselves. We are all, to some extent, addressing this very real problem in unhealthy and counterproductive ways. True peace both here in this world and on into eternity can only be found in the unconditional love of Christ. Christ understands our dilemma and accepts us as we are. But rather than simply standing with us and affirming our twisted “reality” Christ offers the only lasting path out of our alienation.
Compassion and sympathy mean holding on to Christ and holding on to the truth. And while we are holding on to the one who said, I Am the way and the truth and the life, John 14:6, we are able to reach out, in love.
Truth matters. Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims. This is why we cannot love someone without speaking the truth. -John Stonestreet
Empathy enters in, with the suffering and oppressed, accepts their “truth”, and affirms even their destructive choices: choices which will not only harm them but will ultimately rip at the entire fabric of society.
Sympathy and compassion stand with the suffering and oppressed, speaking the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15. By holding onto the truth they are able to be objective, bringing healing, renewal, and peace.
It’s time we began to recognize the divide in our nation is a war. On the one side are those forces that sow division, discord, and isolation. On the other side, there are forces in society that nurture attachment, connection, and solidarity. We’re witnessing a vast showdown between the “rippers” and “weavers.” It is easier to destroy trust than to build so the rippers have an advantage. But there are many more weavers, people who yearn to live in loving relationships and trusting communities. -Robert L. Woodson, Jr.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Return to “And Justice for All”