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Do Mormons believe empathy is a sin? Do they feel it distracts from strict obedience to the Church line of authority?

I dunno, but I'm more interested in the question if they believe oral sex is a sin.

bill4long wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 15, 2025 5:28 am

I dunno, but I'm more interested in the question if they believe oral sex is a sin.

If I remember correctly, the answer is yes, but bishops are not supposed to ask about this.

I heard a bit more about empathy from a podcast. It is a natural human and animal trait that forms the basis of morality without the intervention of some God-driven command. Even so, I cannot fully understand why religionists would be opposed to that trait, although extreme individuals such as Trump and Musk do seem to lack it.

Moksha wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 14, 2025 11:48 am

Do Mormons believe empathy is a sin? Do they feel it distracts from strict obedience to the Church line of authority?

As with everything related to the way the Church operates, it's conditional. Empathy is fine, unless or until it becomes expedient to replace it with shunning. Empathising with someone who has discovered the Church isn't what it claims to be? No, that's a dangerous road. Best not to talk with them about it, keep your distance. Doubt is an infectious disease as far as the Church is concerned. I remember an article in which Oaks says that it can become necessary to shun family members. And another where they told a story about an (I want to say Amish) couple whose family were finding it difficult to understand them converting to Mormonism, bottom line was that shunning their family was seen as the right thing to do.

It's interesting to observe the lip service the Church pays to things like "empathy".

Moksha wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 14, 2025 11:48 am

Do Mormons believe empathy is a sin? Do they feel it distracts from strict obedience to the Church line of authority?

To be a faithful Mormon there are only two requirements...

1. Obey the "Brethren"
2. Pay a full tithing
3. See #1

It really is that simple

Dan McClellan tackles empathy in the Christian context:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z8DEF6b54I

Not sure how empathy conflicts with church teachings. Even animals have empathy.