Good title, though one can be empathetic and allow suffering. I can't help feel this author would consider God an unempathetic SOB for allowing free will to have its consequences.

What confuses me about this kind of "empathy" argument is its ignorance to the relationship between empathy, freedom and the use of force. You either "get it" or you're not ready yet, but think about it... What personifies empathy more? To allow another to do as he will or to force another to do as you will? Now, what if Mr. A has some advantage over Mr. B... Perhaps Mr. A was born wealthier or stronger, or perhaps Mr. A just worked harder or smarter... Whatever the case, is it empathetic to force Mr. A to surrender his advantage to Mr. B in the name of "equality"? Is it empathetic to forcibly deny Mr. A the fruit of his labor and blessings? Is it empathetic to reward Mr. B for his apparent shortcomings? Does empathy simpy amount to enforcement of "equality"? If you really think so, you have both my empathy AND my pity.

Empathy is a function of bearing witness. It is a healing power which "speaks for itself". It doesn't need government to enforce its superficial appearances in its name with threat of confiscation, violence and imprisonment. In fact, empathy frees its practitioners despite such threats and karma. And so, yes... an empathy crisis, indeed!

Ron Paul vs Big Brother 2012!

In Texas, a rhetorical political question was asked” If an injured 30 yr old American had no insurance, what should the medical system do for him? The unequivocal resounding response from present Republican Tea Party members hollered “LET HIM DIE” !

Congressman Alan Grayson was personally interviewed on the Ed Schultz show found on MSNBC.

ED SCHULTZ: Welcome back to The Ed Show.

At last night`s Republican debate, the Tea Party debate, there was a defining moment for the Tea Party and just who they are. It was when Congressman Ron Paul was asked who should pay health care coverage for an uninsured 30-year-old after a serious accident?

(Video Clip, with the audience shouting “let him die.”)

ED SCHULTZ: “Yes!” was the response from several audience members about whether society should let the man die. Not a single candidate -- it should be pointed out -- not a single candidate on the stage stepped forward to say it would be morally wrong to let another American die, by withholding medical care. And no one in the audience voiced any disapproval. Keep in mind this audience had no problem booing opposing viewpoints throughout the entire debate. It makes me think of something said on the House floor, nearly two years ago, by a Democratic congressman from Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAYSON: If you get sick in America, this is what the Republicans want you to do. If you get sick, America, the Republican health care plan is this: Die quickly. That`s right. The Republicans want you to die quickly if you get sick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ED SCHULTZ: Congressman Alan Grayson was criticized by Republicans for those comments, but since then, the GOP still has not proposed any alternative health care plan. They just want to rip apart what they call “Obamacare.” And since Republicans continue to pander to the Tea Party base, they don`t have to. They just need to “let them die.”

The former congressman from Florida, who is running for that congressional seat again, Alan Grayson, joins us tonight here on The Ed Show. Congressman, good to have you with us tonight. A couple of things -- first of all, what was your feeling when you were watching that debate last night? You saw the question. You saw the response. And you got the response from the crowd. What were you thinking?

GRAYSON: I thought their true colors were shining through. That`s what I thought. And you know, I`m often proven right, but usually not so vividly.

I have to say that this encapsulates exactly what people fear about the Tea Party, the so-called Tea Party, that they just love the taste of blood in their mouths. That`s what this seems to come down to. You know, they call themselves pro-life. But if you listened to them last night, it seemed like they were pro-death. I think it`s sad.

These are the facts. We have a country with 50 million people who can`t see a doctor when they`re sick. The Republicans, and the Tea Party people, seem to want to blame you if you have liver cancer, like it`s your fault. I think we can show a basic human decency toward other people without losing our own. I wonder about these way over conservative politicized people who seem to have lost their own.

You know, we`re 50th in the world now in life expectancy. Canadians live about two years longer. Japanese live about four years longer. And yet, we pay 30 percent more for capitalized health care than any other country in the entire world. Are you telling me we can`t do better than this?

ED SCHULTZ: Well, I was thinking last night that this may be the same line of thinking when the audience responded to the Texas execution question that was put to Governor Rick Perry last week. Is there a parallel between the reaction to that question and answer as the one we saw last night on health care?

GRAYSON: Yes. What the parallel is sadism. That what the parallel is: a total lack of empathy. You know, if you ever saw the movie "Blade Runner," the only way to tell the difference between the robots and human beings -- the only way, because technology was so advanced -- was that the robots had no empathy. It seems to me that`s a good description lately of what I hear from the Republican Tea Party. No empathy. They just don`t care.

ED SCHULTZ: Well, first of all, I`m surprised none of those candidates stepped up and took that answer last night because I thought it would have been an opportunity for them to distance themselves from the radicals. Does this mean that they`re all radical?

GRAYSON: Oh, absolutely. You know, they`re catering to the basest instinct in every one of us. And whatever you may say about President Obama, good or bad, he has never done that. Never once have I heard the President try to fear monger or push the panic button, which is such an easy thing to do when you`re an elected official. Never once have I heard him appeal to hatred or to fear. And these Republican Tea Party’s do that incessantly on the other side, nonstop. And they’ve got an audience for it, judging from what I heard.

ED SCHULTZ: 49,900,000 people in this country don`t have health insurance. And a doctor was on that stage last night pushing for “the free market.” I think we are a better country than that.

Congressman Alan Grayson, good to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your joining us.

GRAYSON: Thank you, Ed.

Lack of empathy is being manifested by bullying in all it's forms. It is plentiful in the "comments" sections of articles, where name calling, threats and despicable statements completely lacking in respect or courtesy are displayed. This seems to be the new playing field. Newcomers, different opinions or real facts are immediately targets of being verbally stoned. And it is not reserved just for the "common" man. Nothing is off-bounds when referring to our president, our Congress or our gods. New bullying rules of the road are also evident, as SUV's, expensive trucks and faster cars are entitled to take your spot, with or without physical gestures, horn blowing or near-swipes. There seems to be an inability to tell the difference between real life and computer life. And while the computer itself is not necessarily to blame totally, it feeds susceptible minds with false and anonymous empowerment. It is hard to be empathetic when on a power grab.

This is really excellent. Can you expand on it here and elsewhere? Explain why it's happened? We just need to hear it more. (My guess is concerted effort from some who are using evangelical protestants, to hijack Christians. It's a really sick game and I don't think in the end God will find it in the least funny...) Thanks!