An Excess of Empathy?

Elon Musk, a billionaire businessman, recently stated that the “fundamental weakness of Western Civilization is empathy.” He added that he favors empathy as a whole but fears that misguided empathy will lead to “civilizational suicide.” I’m not at all sure what he means when he says that “he favors empathy as a whole.” From his work as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, I can only infer that he understands empathy selectively, meaning that some people deserve empathy while others do not.

Cuts in foreign aid to poorer countries, for example, have resulted in a decline in the number of children receiving vaccinations and other medical treatments, especially HIV care. I guess poor kids or kids of color are examples of “misguided empathy.” The absence of programs like PEPFAR and OVC (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) places vulnerable children at risk to be sexually exploited and trafficked. Moreover, the defunding of medical supplies to help prevent disease through programs like USAID may lead to global pandemics as disease doesn’t stop at borders. I can only infer less advanced countries don’t deserve empathy either.

When Musk tells us that he believes in “empathy as a whole,” his actions provide clues as to what he means. In other words, to have empathy for the whole justifies allowing a child to starve in war-torn Sudan, or the mother with AIDS in Eastern Europe to go untreated because that will lead, in his words, to “civilizational suicide.”

I have no idea what religion Musk practices or even if he is religious. What I do know is that those who try to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, however falteringly, know full well that without empathy for others, faith is only a comfortable illusion or maybe a cultural convenience.

Empathy feels the pain, poverty, and hopelessness that other human beings experience and does everything possible to alleviate their suffering. Well, actually I may be stretching the definition a bit. Empathy means to feel what others feel but compassion or mercy represent the actions taken when one feels empathy. Of course, in reality, empathy, compassion, and mercy are so intrinsically bound they can be viewed as synonyms. I mean, only a monster would see the suffering of a child or another human being and turn his back, right?

Now Elon Must is not the only one who needs a crash course in empathy. The Christian podcaster Ben Garrett, followed by millions of Christians, warns us “not to commit the sin of empathy.” Empathy a sin? Wow! As someone has quipped, “If empathy is a sin, then let us sin boldly!”

Joe Rigney, another right-wing Christian pastor/theologian, writes that empathy is the “excess of compassion.” I’m wondering how compassion can be excessive, that is, if we’re following in the footsteps of Jesus? It seems to me that Jesus’ compassion was excessive. He fed hungry crowds, healed the sick, whether they were deserving or not, and was moved with compassion when he saw their suffering and pain. He showed mercy to tax-collectors, prostitutes, fishermen and, well, to everyone. When John writes that “God so loved the world,” it didn’t just mean he loved people as a whole, he loved Tom, Jane, Bob, Martha, Zayan, Imran, Abdullah, Zhang, Liu, and Chen. You probably get the picture. God loves the individual, every human being and calls them by name. My goodness, God even has the hairs of our head numbered!

What I can’t understand is how some Christians, people who struggle on a daily basis with their own moral and ethical failures, can be so unforgiving and cruel toward people whose culture, lifestyles or race are different from their own. Take the LGBTQ community. Many right-wing Christians have publicly expressed that empathy for these people goes against God’s will as these lifestyles run contrary to God’s law. So, are these people outside of God’s empathy? What about the Gospel story of the woman taken in the very act of adultery who Jesus forgave? Was Jesus counteracting God’s law? Was he excessive in his compassion? And then there is Zacchaeus the tax collector. Was Jesus being excessive in his compassion for a man who made his living by cheating others?

Only God knows why a person is the way he/she is, but I do know that God’s empathy is not selectively reserved only for the saint—“while we were yet sinners,” the Bible tells us, “Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). When human beings are at their very worst, God reaches out to us in love, compassion, and empathy! He most assuredly does not rank people based on merit—those who meet a certain spiritual criteria receive empathy, while those who don’t measure up are left out.

Vice-President J.D. Vance wants to prioritize the distribution of empathy by referencing an ancient Latin phrase that goes all the way back to Augustine called “Ordo Amoris,” or Order of Love. The vice-president suggests that when it comes to empathy, we start with those closest to us, family, friends, close neighbors, etc. Now, while the vice-president’s advice may sound logical, even religious, it can too easily be used as an excuse for selective empathy. In other words, if a person is within my circle, then I’ll show empathy, but if not, then what’s that to do with me? I’m responsible only for a select group of people.

Thank goodness the Good Samaritan didn’t follow Ordo Amoris when he helped the Jewish man who had been beaten, robbed, and left for dead. He went far beyond his familial circle when he gave comfort and aid to a man outside of his family, culture and religion!

Putting the biblical stories aside, if we accept Vance’s argument, then what difference is there between the empathy of a Christian and the non-believer? Even the most self-absorbed person would probably reach out to those closest to him. If we only express empathy to those who are in our circle, then there is little distinction between the believer and non-believer.

The Bible pictures Jesus as having compassion, yes, empathy, for the throngs of people who came to hear him. The word compassion expresses the tender feelings of love and concern that a parent has for a child, especially the mother for her infant. When Jesus saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them as a father/mother feels love for his/her children (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34; Mk. 8:2; Lk. 7:13). In particular, Jesus reached out to sinful people, people who had lost their way, for one reason or another. He did not enter our world to condemn it or even judge it (Jn. 3:17). He came to show God’s love, God’s empathy, mercy, and compassion for all.

Musk is wrong. It is not empathy that will destroy our civilization. Empathy builds community and communities help build civilizations. What will lead to “civilizational suicide,” however, is materialism, greed, self-centeredness, prejudice, racism, poverty, and a LACK of empathy for fellow human beings.