It might sound wild, but empathy, that seemingly normal human trait we all rely on, is increasingly being labeled as sinful within certain MAGA-aligned Christian circles. We’re seeing this idea pop up in books like Allie Beth Stuckey’s 2024 release, “Toxic Empathy,” and Joe Rigney’s “The Sin of Empathy,” which came out the following year. Even Elon Musk declared, on Joe Rogan’s podcast, that empathy is “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization.”
Empathy lets you understand and share other people’s feelings and perspectives, which has been a key part of the bible. However, those pushing the “toxic empathy” critique argue that it undermines moral judgment or promotes policies they believe go against biblical principles. This view within “MAGA Christianity” is a real concern for many religious scholars and advocates.
