On The Line Dr. Joe Rigney: This Lie Has Undermined the Church
Nov 24, 2025
Dr. Joe Rigney, a theologian and author of The Sin of Empathy, dives deep into the pitfalls of untethered empathy that muddle compassion with emotional manipulation. He explores how this trend undermines truth and stifles debate in society and politics. Rigney critiques the role of sympathy versus empathy, illustrating how the latter can weaponize victimhood and silence opposing views. He argues for sober-mindedness and the necessity of grounding compassion in truth, calling for clarity on moral issues, especially in modern cultural dilemmas.
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Pity Party Example From Lewis And Film
- Lewis's The Great Divorce illustrates pity becoming manipulative and tyrannical.
- Rigney uses the 'pity party' and movie examples to show emotional leverage in relationships.
Empathy Used To Dismantle Boundaries
- Empathy gets used to erase boundaries, like borders or institutional rules.
- Rigney shows emotional appeal often short-circuits reason and policy debate.
The 'Dead Son or Live Daughter' Pressure
- Medical and cultural actors pressured parents with 'Would you rather have a dead son or a live daughter?' appeals.
- Rigney recounts this phrase as emotional blackmail driving transitions for children.