In the wake of the AME massacre in Charleston, S.C., I’m beginning to wonder if sympathy is a sin. Everywhere I turn I hear sympathy: “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families” or “Lord, have mercy!”
This kind of sympathy is certainly appropriate, and I’m not suggesting non-sympathy as more appropriate. But here’s the rub — too often, sympathy does not translate into action.
Sympathy leaves the systems of this world intact, doing little to change the status quo. Sympathy is dangerous precisely because in six months from now, after we’ve all forgotten about this awful tragedy and 24 hour news stations have moved on to covering the next tragedy (and it seems there’s always a “next” tragedy) nothing will have changed.
Companies that own this country (and our politicians) will have lobbied to ensure that gun control laws remain more lax than any other developed country.
White people will go on pretending that racism isn’t problematic in the United States, especially in the South.
Mental health care will continue to receive small amounts of attention on the periphery of our lives as we continue stigmatizing people who are “different,” and underfunding research.
The Confederate flag will still fly at full mast on a padlocked pole (yes padlocked) by decree of the South Carolina state legislature — because, “southern heritage” and all.
I’m even willing to bet the victim’s families (at least some of them) agree to be paraded around at events like the State of the Union Address for politicians to score political points in a system that’s perpetually gridlocked by hard-headed idealism and culture wars from the last century. Not to mention the companies that have already bought them off. Did I mention that?
Mark my words, if mere sympathy is our response to the AME massacre, this tragedy will be made even more senseless by the fact that we did little to nothing to prevent it from happening again.
According to the FBI, there have been over 200 mass killings in the United States since 2006. That comes out roughly to one mass killing every two weeks for the last nine years. How’s that sympathy working for you?
Sympathy? No thanks. You can keep your sympathy. Sympathy without action, ultimately, is an insult to the victims and their families.
I want justice. I want outrage. I want a clarion call to holiness and repentance. I want mourning backed up by action. I want change.
My hunch is, that’s what the families of victims would like, too, even with their gracious and amazing act of forgiveness taken into account. Isn’t that the only way to bring sense and meaning out of such senseless tragedy?
In one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture, the Lord speaks in Amos saying:
I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
I will not look upon.
Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Worship without justice is meaningless to God. Think about that in terms of sympathy.
Today God might say something like:
I hate, I despise your sympathy,
And I take no delight in your prayer vigils.
Even though you offer me tithes, and offerings on Sundays,
I will not accept them;
And the holidays you observe in my name
I will not look upon them.
Take away from me the noise of your bands;
I will not listen to your commercialized Christian entertainment.
But let justice roll down like waters,
And righteousness like an ever flowing stream.
I’m pretty sure the last two lines would be the same.
How long, America? How long, Church? How long will we wait idly by, spewing one sympathy after the next, all while allowing the madness to continue? The faithful should lead here. Not pundits. Not politicians.
Yes, we live in an evil world gripped by sin and, yes, bad things will happen, but how is it that we knowingly could make significant positive changes, and yet so often lack the will and courage required?
It’s infuriating. It’s almost enough to make young people lose faith in the institutions of our society, especially the Church and the government. Oh, wait ….