Empathy

[worthlessness1979]

As I was browsing the internet, I came across the story of a 13 year old boy who was severely beaten and tortured because he was accused of stealing a bike, which turned out to not be true. He was beaten by four men, while another man video taped it and placed it on social media. This was in Bangladesh. There was a video of him getting beaten and tortured. I did not watch the video and I won't watch the video. But I could see his face, and he was in so much pain.

This just breaks my heart. I know it is very girly for a grown man to say that this breaks my heart. But I don't care. It does. I cannot get the images out of my head.

It hurts so much to think of what that boy went through. I keep to imagining that I am that little boy getting beaten like that. I also Imagine that I was that boy's parents. I don't think I could survive knowing that somebody cause so much pain to someone that I loved. It hurts so much and I didn't even know that kid. This happens to me all the time and I hate having so much empathy towards people. I cried for hours and hours when I think of the people suffering like this. Well, that's an over-exaggeration I don't cry for hours but I cry a lot. I can't get the images out of my head

The face of pain and the face of suffering. The boy crying out. That boy probably cried out to his mother and she was not there. Imagine being that mother and knowing or thinking that your son is crying out for you while he is suffering and you were not there. Well, in my case of course, imagine being a father who was not there for his son.

I hate having so much empathy towards people, it is a curse

And sometimes it is very hard to talk to other Christians about these things, because then they go off on you and say well you are just as evil as they are. I know that scripture says that if we break one commandment we break them all. But that doesn't mean that I cannot be upset about this. That doesn't mean that I can't feel for that little kid. It doesn't mean that I can't pray for justice for that kid. And it also doesn't mean that I can't hurt for the family. It wasn't just that kid that suffered, it was his parents I'm sure.

But Justice was served. Those men got the death penalty. But I am still saddened and hurt by this.

How do I have less empathy towards people? How can I not let it destroy me?

Edit: I forgot to add that the boy died of his injuries. He died of a brain hemorrhage as a result of his beatings.

[chosenone]

Maybe you need to be careful what you watch and hear. So don't watch the news or read news papers, and be careful what you read on line. We are not meant to have to see and hear so much misery and pain, and its only recently that we have been exposed to so much of what is happening in the world.
Its good to have empathy and compassion, but to you it seems to be almost disabling and that's not good. 

[bbyrd009]

yes. The Bible terms that "peering in," and we can observe the rise of "empaths" who do not wish to face their Codependence, very prevalent in developed countries https://www.wikihow.com/Understand-Codependency

[Christs Princess]

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things and the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8)