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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Tiffany Stanley

Why the Christian right are preaching that empathy is a sin

Allie Beth Stuckey Donald Trump Albert Mohler Jesus Mariann Budde Doug Wilson
Anti-empathy arguments gained traction in the early months of President Donald Trump’s second term, with his flurry of executive orders that critics denounced as lacking empathy - (AFP via Getty Images)

Empathy is usually regarded as a virtue, a key to human decency and kindness. And yet, with increasing momentum, voices on the Christian right are preaching that it has become a vice.

For them, empathy is a cudgel for the left: It can manipulate caring people into accepting all manner of sins according to a conservative Christian perspective, including abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, illegal immigration and certain views on social and racial justice.

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