Eternally Deadly Sympathy--For Catholics Inverse Morality Endangers Multitudes of Souls

In the 1866 novel Crime and Punishment, Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky brilliantly relays this author’s conviction that salvation is only possible through confession and atonement for crimes against humanity.  The gripping novel leads readers through the excruciating internal mental anguish of the central character, Rodion Raskolnikov,  an impoverished former student who had rationalized that evil, including murder, was acceptable for a “higher good.”  Ultimately Raskolnikov redeems himself, but not before suffering a thousand “deaths” worse than not having killed in the first place.  Fast forward to 2026, and one wonders if the same cannot be said about the gross manipulation of morality in our chaotic world and where justice is increasingly thwarted in our legal system in numerous locales.  Multitudes of Raskolnikov’s are being excused for even more hideous criminal behavior.  There is no “punishment” meted out even following evidence and arrest!.  How can their personal consciences arrive at that which Raskolnikov realized, and, in the absence of grace, will they die in mortal sin to everlasting eternal punishment in a void of perfect love that excuses accountability?

 
We do have some sane voices today, in and outside the Church. Gad Saad is surprisingly one though he has been described as a self avowed culturally Jewish atheist. His. Suicidal Empathy:  Dying to Be Kind proposes that our contemporary culture suffers from misappropriated sympathy leading to dismissal of even horrific crimes and freeing criminals without due repentance or restitution.  More unjust, others are condemned, based only on light skin color, religion,  or ethnicity.  Even when prosecution may be warranted against wealthy fraudsters, revenge is rationalized and rewarded.  The case of murder of Brian Thompson,  United Healthcare CEO, is one prime example.

The moral fabric of our society, once so noble in at least pursuing virtue, is quickly devolving into inverse morality, to coin Saad, that celebrates the worse crimes against God and neighbor.  For Catholic Christians, the more critical consideration should be “What is ultimately the eternal good for souls of persons who without regret transgress the law?”  They most certainly risk eternal damnation— forever separation from God and Love.  (I have touched on this exhortation in other articles.). First, though, the current state of our nation’s flirtation with Hell must be thoroughly examined and admitted.

 
To the aforementioned work.  Gad Saad has brilliantly examined and exposed the fatal flaws in our justice system, along with its deadly roots. While secular pragmatists, like Saad,  may accurately pinpoint the effects of political correctness on our worldly civilization, it is the duty of every God fearing person, from home to pew to Archdiocese’s to the Vatican, to make a concerted effort to proclaim bona fide Mercy which is never apart from true Justice.  Though we cannot know God’s final judgment for any individual person, through our catechetical formation, we must acknowledge that God has been most explicitly clear on the reality of “paying back every penny” (Matthew 5:26) for every sin.  No sorrow (contrition), no eradication of debt.  

 
Note that this infernal destiny looms in spite of realistic anguish over the difficult state of our temporal world.  “Good” intentions borne of sympathy deceive for hell is full of such, as expressed in Proverbs 14:12.  Even victim forgiveness cannot eradicate another’s failure to obey God’s Law.  Any of us may forgive those who “trespass against us,” and we should, but that is not directly related to consequences, especially at final judgment which will be weighed by our submission to God’s Will, not unlawful human remedies.   

 
That there are subpopulations that have suffered through generational discrimination cannot be denied.  However, even admitting the horrible circumstances of tyrannical atrocities whether slavery, torture, or extermination of whole groups, chances are that the vast majority of human beings have endured diabolical situations throughout history.

 
Try to pinpoint one nation or culture that has not been attacked, captured, or reduced to brutal servitude.  The notion that “white supremacy” has lorded itself over those of color still does not excuse the verifiable fact that the majority of even light skinned persons have undergone terrible trials by conquerers of one sort or another.  There will always be the poor among us, as well.  (Matthew 26:11), but no one is above (or excused from) the Law, regardless of circumstances.  (Galatians 6:15).   When examined and contemplated thorough Faith, only the Cross should frame our most sanctified response.   St. Francis de Sales best summed up this when he wrote:  “Our Lord dedicated His divine life to instruct us how to be saved and how to be acceptable to Him.  Not only did he suffer for us even unto death on the cross, but He also sustained countless persecutions from those very people for whom He suffered.  He wants us to imitate Him in this:  by carrying our cross, by suffering for one another, even by giving our life for those who want to take ours.  (Sermons 59; O.X. pp 275-276)

 
Almost inexplicable but true, from such self denial do we then reap the fruits of the Holy Spirit:  love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  (Galatians 5:22-23).  In a right ordered world, we would teach  “Love your neighbor as yourself” for this is the entire law.  (Galatians 5:14).  

 
Such love is often “tough love,” though, and it may be toughest on ourselves when the weight of our cross seems too much to bear.  At that point, let us teach our children that it was Jesus Christ who showed us the way.  He, the most innocent of anyone in all human history, was put to an ignominious death.  His perfect compassion shows us how to “suffer with” under the most vicious treatment.  Then follows the resurrection and our ascent into Heaven.  Let us explicitly instruct others that God’s mercy is dependent on admitting our faults (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1846) and encourage our brothers and sisters in a life of virtue.  For temporal trials are a mere flash of pain compared to infinitely eternity with an all loving God..