The Remnant Radio's Podcast When Empathy Becomes Sinful
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Jul 16, 2025 Joe Rigney, a theology fellow and pastor from Moscow, delves into the troubling side of empathy. He reveals how unchecked empathy can morph into manipulation and distort biblical truth. Rigney emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between empathy and genuine compassion, explaining how emotional influences can lead to tribalism and moral failings in the church. He also discusses the societal implications, notably in church leadership and gender dynamics, highlighting the need for a strong moral framework to guide our emotions.
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Empathy vs Compassion Explained
- Empathy differs from compassion; sympathy/compassion reach out anchored to truth while empathy fully immerses in another's feelings untethered.
- Untethered empathy loses sight of reality and truth, leading to two people drowning emotionally rather than true help.
Feelings Replace God as Idols
- When empathy replaces God, feelings become idols, driving actions disconnected from divine truth.
- People often rationalize cowardice or fear as empathy, resulting in sinful compromises rather than true compassion.
Empathy Drives Church Liberalization
- Cultural liberalization in churches often follows untethered empathy, starting with reinterpretations driven by compassion to women’s desires.
- This empathy-driven approach tends to culminate in liberal stances on gender and sexuality, undermining biblical authority.
