day no. 17,169: feelings make for terrible gods

"When empathy is unhitched from the Truth, it becomes an idol and a god. And feelings create tyrannical idols and gods." — Joe Rigney, The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits 

Feelings make for terrible gods. They are irrational, unpredictable, intense, and insistent. Letting your feelings lead is like letting a toddler drive. It doesn't usually end well and a lot of people end up getting hurt in the process.

"The issue is whether the sensitivities and concerns of the most reactive and least mature members of a community (family, church, business, etc.) should be allowed to set the agenda.” — Joe Rigney, The Sin of Empathy: Compassion and Its Counterfeits

Just like your feelings should not be allowed to rule you, so those led by the feelings should be allowed to rule others. The mantra of the empaths is "we're not happy unless you're not happy." That is no way to lead other people. No Christian could consent to submit to that or be convinced to lead like that.

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

The sin of empathy, i.e. envy, is the photonegative of Christ's commands. It takes this instruction and turns it on its head. It rejoices when others weep and weeps when others rejoice. It cannot stand to see someone excited about their recent engagement of positive pregnancy test. It is irritated by someone else's promotion or acknowledgement. Untethered empathy holds others people joy hostage and complains that no one understands unless they become as miserable in reality, not just in compassionate charity. It does not just want others to validate its feelings, but to feel its feelings with it. It isn't about being seen, it's about being adored and and bowed down to.

"Pity was meant to be a spur that drives joy to help misery. But it can be used the wrong way round. It can be used for a kind of blackmailing. Those who choose misery can hold joy up to ransom, by pity." — C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

Misery used to be satisfied with company, now it clamors after converts. It does not just need you to sit with them, it needs you to be one of them. While drowning, it rejects the help of the one with a foot still on dry land and then accuses the one with his arm outstretched of being heartless for not jumping in and drowning with them.