I really dug this post. I was just looking at a very conservative new-release book earlier and my knee-jerk reaction was to dismiss it entirely as zealous nonsense, but a small part of me said it might be insightful to read it and understand.
I guess it’s not a super new release, but our library just got it in recently. It’s called Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion by Allie Beth Stuckey. I’m not familiar with her or any other work she does, but that title just immediately turned me off of it. After reading your post, though, I’m reconsidering that reaction. I’m sure it would at least be insightful, even if I don’t agree with her.
I'm with you on being turned off by the title--seems designed to provoke.
But still, if it struck a chord with you I'd say it's worth digging into, even if (especially if!) you don't like what you find.
I'm pretty opposed to overt politicizations of Christianity--"Render unto Caesar," right?--but we can do a better job of combatting bad ideas if we engage with them long enough to state specifically WHY they are bad beyond simply calling them "stupid," "idiotic," or even, yea, as you say, "zealous nonsense."
If that book is what it seems, your dismissal of it will be all the stronger
Exactly! And anyone calling someone else stupid or nonsensical always automatically shuts down the discussion because once the insult is made, people are unlikely to actually listen to your point of view at all.
I really dug this post. I was just looking at a very conservative new-release book earlier and my knee-jerk reaction was to dismiss it entirely as zealous nonsense, but a small part of me said it might be insightful to read it and understand.
Thank you--just curious, what was the book?
I guess it’s not a super new release, but our library just got it in recently. It’s called Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion by Allie Beth Stuckey. I’m not familiar with her or any other work she does, but that title just immediately turned me off of it. After reading your post, though, I’m reconsidering that reaction. I’m sure it would at least be insightful, even if I don’t agree with her.
I'm with you on being turned off by the title--seems designed to provoke.
But still, if it struck a chord with you I'd say it's worth digging into, even if (especially if!) you don't like what you find.
I'm pretty opposed to overt politicizations of Christianity--"Render unto Caesar," right?--but we can do a better job of combatting bad ideas if we engage with them long enough to state specifically WHY they are bad beyond simply calling them "stupid," "idiotic," or even, yea, as you say, "zealous nonsense."
If that book is what it seems, your dismissal of it will be all the stronger
Exactly! And anyone calling someone else stupid or nonsensical always automatically shuts down the discussion because once the insult is made, people are unlikely to actually listen to your point of view at all.