It's a long 'un!

[calypsomyst]

Okay, I have now deleted the beginings of the original journal that I wanted to post here. Let's just say that I was upset, and that it was whiney and full of self pity. Also livid anger. But, as I usually try to do, I am making the attempt not to say things I don't mean in a non-rant post. More about my rants later

Comments

[msmarvel1]

When you blatently admit that you don't like large groups of people because of your own personal beliefs about those groups, and when you voice such hate against people within them, you are no longer a compassionate, empathetic person.

Well, not necessarily. For example, I'm pro-choice and I have a lot of problems with the pro-life movement (i.e. killing doctors, posting huge pictures of aborted babies on street corners, etc.). I've gone into rants about them before. Yet despite my problems with their behavior (or rather, the loudest among them's behavior) I do understand where they're coming from. After all, if you believe abortion is murder, and murder is wrong, then you're necessarily going to want to prevent it from happening and save the innocent babies and all that stuff. I respect that. A good friend of mine is an abortion protester actually (although thankfully she doesn't kill doctors and puts pictures of living, healthy and cute babies on her sandwich boards). Yet I still don't agree with them despite the fact that I understand their position.

Strong oppinions are cool, I have my own set in stone, but to be empathetic you have to be able to say "I don't really understand, and I may not think it's healthy or good, but I'm going to respect that person's decision".

No offense, but that sounds more like blind acceptance than empathy. If you don't think that something is good or healthy, you're not going to accept it, particuarly if it's causing harm to themselves or other people.