Yes, I saw and read some of the political news yesterday. I am politically independent - still I have plenty of thoughts about what path forward we should take so that we can all live together here in peace and well-being on our little blue dot.
I’m also theologically independent – with strong beliefs about foundational issues of ultimate concern (I was raised in the Bible Belt by a father who was a Nazarene minister for a few years; then a Methodist minister. My mother was a Christian psychologist, a chaplain, also had a Ph.D. also in religious letters, and later a non denominational minister. My first degree from college was in religious studies. The point is religion was a hot, free wheeling topic for me growing up.) And that’s where I’ll start this blog before I hit my political thoughts. Of course, politics and religion have become twisted together these days. They both have implications for how we live the good life together.
Yesterday, I also saw a clip of a local minister of a big Christian Nationalist church saying that “empathy is a sin.” Now, don’t you know, that threw me for a loop. Why?
Because empathy and fairness, and a sense of how our actions affect another, are the very basis of morality and religion. Morally disposed people aim to counter their selfish and tribal impulses to consider the rights and feelings of others. Most religions embrace the Golden Rule, some form of “treat others as you want to be treated” or “don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you.” (And in psychological terms, we call people lacking in empathy, sociopaths and psychopaths. We often find them in our jails since they do whatever they want without guilt, remorse, or shame; no thoughts about the consequences of their actions.)
My mind started to play with what ifs. Let me start with a little imaginative what if scenario I’ve conceived. Afterwards I’ll move to my own strategy for a strong and healthy and happy America.
What if this religious leader who views empathy as a sin actually met Jesus of the New Testament. What might happen?
By the way, this same religious leader, who said empathy is a sin and should be struck from Christianity also said that Christianity is really all about holiness. And that got me thinking about holiness too. What is holiness, what might Jesus have said about it?
Okay, keep this all-in mind as you read this little encounter; see what you think.
A Modern Religious Leader Meets Jesus of Nazareth
Characters:
Jesus – Jesus of Nazareth first century Jewish preacher and religious leader. The central figure of Christianity, the world’s largest religion. (Accounts of Jesus’s life are contained in four Gospels of the Christian New Testament.)
Ken – A contemporary Christian Nationalist leader who believes empathy is a sin and prioritizes holiness above all.
Setting: A quiet hillside in the Middle East. The sky is painted with hues of gold and lavender as the sun begins to set. Jesus sits on a rock, gazing out at the world. Ken, looking around in confusion, suddenly finds himself in this unfamiliar place.
Scene 1: A Shocking Encounter
Ken: (blinking, bewildered) Where… where am I? This doesn’t look like home.
Jesus: (gently) No, Ken. It is not.
Ken: (turning toward the voice, then gasping) You—You’re Jesus!
Jesus: (smiling) Yes.
Ken: I don’t understand. Am I dreaming?
Jesus: No, Ken. You are here because we must speak.
Ken: Speak? About what?
Jesus: About what you have been saying out there in the world in 2025.
Scene 2: The Conversation Begins
Ken: (gathering courage) Jesus, let me say, surely you understand the importance of taking a stand for holiness. The church today is too focused on emotions, on empathy. That’s dangerous. Empathy leads people to tolerate sin instead of standing for righteousness.
Jesus: (tilting His head) And you believe that empathy is a sin?
Ken: (nodding firmly) Yes. People let emotions cloud their judgment. Instead of obeying Your commands, they justify wrong actions because they “feel bad” for others. What matters is holiness.
Jesus: Holiness is important. I have said, ‘Be holy, as your Father in heaven is holy.’ But Ken, do you know what else the Father is?
Ken: (uncertain) Righteous? Fair?
Jesus: (smiling) Yes. And also full of mercy. Full of love. He is the One who causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, who is kind even to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35).
Ken: (hesitating) But, Jesus, didn’t You also say to ‘Go and sin no more’?
Jesus: I did. And I also wept with those who mourned. I touched lepers when no one else would. I dined with sinners and tax collectors. I felt the pain of the people—so much so that I bore it upon Myself on the cross. Ken, is this not empathy?
Ken: (struggling) I—I don’t know. But if we feel too much, won’t we excuse sin?
Jesus: (gently) Ken, do you think I ever excused sin? Sin keeps us separated. I want us to be connected. That's what empathy does.
Ken: (quietly) No. I don't think you ever excused sin.
Jesus: Remember I was moved with compassion for the crowds I encountered, for they were like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34). I wept for Jerusalem. I loved the rich young ruler even as he walked away from Me. Ken, you have set holiness against empathy, as if they were enemies. But holiness is not cold. True holiness is filled with love.
Ken: (whispering) But, Jesus… if I let myself feel too much, won’t it make me weak?
Jesus: (placing a hand on Ken’s shoulder) My child, love is not weakness. Love is strength. What is the greatest commandment?
Ken: (hesitant) To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength… and to love your neighbor as yourself. Every Christian knows that.
Jesus: Yes. But listen to this. That IS holiness. That IS righteousness. Ken, your desire for holiness is fine. In my days on Earth many Pharisees had the same desire, but holiness must be shaped by agape love - caring for others' well-being and abundant life.
Scene 3: Epiphany
Ken: (lowering his head) I think… I’ve been so focused on being right that I forgot to be loving.
Jesus: (nodding) That is why I called the Pharisees ‘whitewashed tombs’—beautiful on the outside, but dead inside. They knew the law but did not know love. Ken, I did not and do not call people to mere rule-keeping. I call people to be transformed by love.
Ken: (looking up, tears in his eyes) I don’t want to be a whitewashed tomb.
Jesus: (smiling) Then follow Me. Love as I have loved you. Be holy as I am holy—not with a hardened heart, but with a heart that beats for others.
Ken: (softly) Yes.
(The wind stirs, and suddenly, Ken finds himself back in his own world. But his heart is different now—softer, fuller, more alive.)
You may or may not care about religion, but we do all need to care about morality and fairness. How we live together. Morality – knowing the difference in right and wrong; understanding that wrong is what intentionally harms others...that bedrock mutual agreement gives our lives meaning, it makes the world coherent. And it allows us to cooperate, to form lasting civilizations.
A cooperative strategy, which requires trust (kindness and compassion) in the sense that I believe you care about my well-being as much as you care about your own; that’s a big part of the strategy I recommend for America’s future.
America has always been a paradox. We pride ourselves on rugged individualism, yet our greatest achievements—from the Moon landing to the civil rights movement—have been the result of cooperation. We celebrate competition, yet we know that when we pull together, we thrive.
Hierarchical societies are ones where power struggles define social order. This model has shaped much of American history—our economic system rewards dominance, our political culture thrives on conflict, and our foreign policy often relies on displays of force.
Where does this dominance approach lead us?
Political Gridlock – Our government has become an arms race of obstruction. Politicians act like rival chimp factions, prioritizing dominance over progress. The result? Stalemates on issues that matter: healthcare, education, and economic stability.
Economic Inequality – America’s wealth gap mirrors a primate hierarchy, where a few alpha leaders control most resources while the majority struggle to get ahead. This fuels resentment, social unrest, and declining trust in institutions.
Workplace Burnout & Stress – The American workplace is often a battlefield, where competition is relentless, and success is defined by outperforming others. This leads to high stress, declining mental health, and a workforce on the brink of collapse.
Foreign Policy Conflicts – When America operates on a dominance-based strategy, treating other nations as rivals rather than partners, we create cycles of military interventions, trade wars, and diplomatic failures.
Allow me to throw in a little game theory here. Are you familiar with the game called Prisoner’s Dilemma?
In the Prisoner’s Dilemma, two players must decide whether to cooperate or betray each other. If both betray (compete), they both lose. If one betrays while the other cooperates, the betrayer wins short-term, but at the cost of long-term trust. Only mutual cooperation leads to the best possible outcome. It has been played out hundreds of times with the same outcome.
America must not get stuck in a cycle of mutual betrayal—where no one wins. And the counter to this violence is cooperation, collaboration, trust, kindness, compassion.
It’s a model that fosters long-term stability and well-being.
What Would a Cooperative, Kind and Compassionate America Look Like?
1. A Government That Works Together
America needs bipartisanship, not tribalism.
A political system that would prioritize compromise, collaboration, and long-term problem-solving rather than short-term victories.
2. An Economy That Lifts Everyone
A strong middle class is key to long-term economic success.
Programs that reduce extreme inequality.
3. A Work Culture That Values Health and Well-Being
Instead of rewarding overwork and burnout, we could adopt work-life balance policies that make employees more productive, creative, and engaged.
Studies show that companies prioritizing mental health and work-life balance outperform those that push extreme competition.
4. A Foreign Policy of Strength Through Diplomacy
Instead of viewing other nations as threats, we should build strategic alliances that ensure security through cooperation. Like NATO, the Paris Climate Agreement, and pandemic response efforts have all shown that diplomacy makes the world safer and more prosperous.
America has already shown flashes of this approach. When we work together, we accomplish incredible things. For example:
The Apollo Program:
It was a massive cooperative effort between scientists, engineers, and world leaders. It wasn’t a lone wolf effort; it was a shared human achievement. Today, NASA collaborates with international partners—like the ISS—showing that science and technology thrive when nations work together, not compete.
The Civil Rights Movement:
Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders didn’t succeed through dominance—they succeeded through coalition-building, nonviolent resistance, and moral leadership.
The result? Transformative social change that made America more just, without civil war or violent upheaval.
America’s Response to WWII:
During World War II, Americans united for the common good—factories shifted to wartime production, communities rationed supplies, and bipartisan leadership helped defeat those who would harm us.
The lesson? When America collaborates instead of competes internally, we achieve greatness and goodness for all.
The challenges of the 21st century—climate change, pandemics, AI disruption—are not problems that can be solved through competition alone. They require global and national cooperation for us to live the Good Life together.
This is how I think we can make sure we head toward a Good Life for all of us:
✔ Elect Leaders Who Prioritize Unity Over Division (Please, someone come forward)
✔ Support Policies That Strengthen the Middle Class
✔ Encourage Workplaces That Promote Collaboration Over Cutthroat Competition ✔ Build Diplomatic Alliances, Not Just Military Power
✔ Teach Our Kids Emotional Intelligence and Conflict Resolution including empathy and compassion in schools, in churches (please let our religions get on track!), in families… and model them!
The future is uncertain, but one thing is clear to me: Nations that collaborate, innovate, and thrive. Nations that fight, collapse and die. We need to understand each other, to care about each other. (That’s part of the reason I am dedicated to bridging our differences and working with grassroots organizations like Braver Angels which I have written about before).
If America wants to lead the 21st century, we don’t need to be the strongest in dominance—we need to be the strongest in unity and mutuality.
How might we move up to the Good Life together by caring about others as much as we care about ourselves, collaborating and working together; living by the golden rule?
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