Distancing Ourselves from Love

In almost every aspect of life we are creating distance.  It's a disturbingly seamless progression.  The pendulum of modern convenience has swung wide.

• Processed foods are only food in the sense that we eat it.
• Online communication is not a substitute for company.
• We have more gadgets imaginable for containing babies.
• Children's lives are structured, scheduled from dawn to dusk.
• Many of us do not or cannot eat family meals.
• Together time is watching TV.

What is Truth? Easter and Controversy

Following the Passover meal, Jesus was arrested.  He was sent to Pontius Pilot for judgement as he had the authority under Roman law to order Jesus to be crucified.  Jesus was charged with sedition against Rome, opposing the payment of taxes to Cesar, and calling himself a king. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_Pilate)

37 Pilate then said to him: Art thou not then a king? Jesus answered: Thou sayest, for I am a king. To this end was I born, and to this end have I come into the world, that I might testify to the truth: every one that is of the truth hears my voice.

38 Pilate says to him: What is truth? (http://codexsinaiticus.org/en/manuscript.aspx?book=36&chapter=18&lid=en&side=r&verse=37&zoomSlider=0)

Christ's Empathy for Us

I read an article called The Healing Power of Empathy, by Daniel Harrison in which he wrote: "This type of love [empathy] Jesus commands His followers to possess (John 15:12–14)—the type of love that, once it understands what another person is going through, actively seeks that person’s well-being." http://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2008/September/the-healing-power-of-empathy.html

The article was about cultivating empathy to heal the divides between people.  What I took away was the significance of the snippet I quoted above.  It prompted me to look up the passage from John 15, and I found the below, John 15: 1-13 to be very insightful as I read it with a new perspective.

Words for Love: Empathy in the bible

I occasionally come across online discussions that raise the fact that the word "empathy" does not appear in the bible.  I've seen discussions parsing words over what kinds of spiritual gifts are given.  That having the abilities that empaths claim is not possible and one instead may be compassionate, sympathetic, or have a mental illness.