Empathy is just the beginning
As I gratefully and thankfully enter into my third year, I am approaching everything with the mindset, “Todd, you have more to learn than you realize. Therefore, intentionally look for what you do not know and what you do not see.” As I read The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by Martin Bunton, I thought about what I knew about Israel and what it was based upon. Here is what I thought I knew:
- The Israelites are God’s chosen people. I based this upon what I was taught in bible college, Christian magazines, sermons, and Scriptures such as:
Deuteronomy 14:2
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.1
Deuteronomy 7:6-7
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples.2
Romans 9:1-5
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.3
- I have heard many things over the years about Israel, which I have believed. I have believed Israel will never lose a war because they are God’s chosen people. I have believed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the longest in history because it dates back to the book of Genesis – with Sarah giving birth to Isaac and Hagar giving birth to Ishmael. I have believed Isaac represents Israel and Ishmael represents Palestine and just like Isaac and Ishmael struggled to get along, the conflict still continues today in the middle east. I also believed part of the problem was over the land, but I had no idea which land.
Reading Bunton’s book has helped me to understand a few things. One important thing it helped me to understand was, “the constant but evolving challenge of sharing a relatively small but geographically varied strip of land sitting between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.”4
I had no idea that was the issue that was causing so much conflict. Another thing the book helped me understand was the intense hatred between the Palestinians and Israelites that brought on so many wars. I also had no idea there was a “civil war”5 in 1975. But I would say the biggest take away for me was “the fact that this hundred (or so) years’ conflict is neither rooted in ancient and religious animosities.”6 For decades I connected Genesis and the conflict between Sarah and Hagar and Issac and Ishmael to the modern middle east conflict. I never questioned my belief until I read the book.
I was also oblivious to the British influence and how it “ruled over Palestine for three decades”7
The British government supported the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, leading to increased Jewish immigration. For a long time, I wanted to know why the Jewish people immigrated to Palestine and now I know it was because of the British government.
This book helped me to understand why the Palestinians feel like second class citizens and the conflict is a long standing and multifaceted dispute centered around territorial claims that in my understanding make the Palestinians seem like the bad guys most of the time.
In the past, I have navigated the Israel-Middle east conflict by always agreeing with whatever Israel has done. I have believed Israel has always done what’s best for their nation and the world. But the truth is no nation can always do what’s best for their nation or the world. I have put Israel on a peddle stool simply because of believing they have always been and are God’s chosen people.
Now, I am navigating the Israel- Middle East conflict with a more open mind. First of all, there is no reason to think all the Palestinians are bad people and wrong. I even struggled to write “Palestinian-Israeli” conflict because I felt it was wrong to write Israel second, which shows my bias toward Israel. For me to have an open mind, I am starting with:
- Empathy/Compassion – Having compassion and empathy for someone’s anger, fear, viewpoint, and pain surrounding the conflict is a priority. Even if someone believes this is all Sarah and Hagar’s fault, it will be important for me to show and give compassion.
- Delicate Words – It’s easy to come at this with a “right vs wrong” or “us vs them” mentality. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict does not fit into a binary framework. There is over 100 years of history behind this conflict. Delicate caring words after listening will be helpful for me to navigate this discussion.
- “I was wrong” – Sharing with others about the areas I was wrong about and how I came to this conclusion may be helpful in navigating a discussion.
- Not resolution but understanding – This conflict has never been solved and just quoting Scripture and saying this or that is what needs to be done, most likely won’t solve the issue. Therefore, I will navigate this issue by seeking to understand those I am talking with in order to learn.
- Cite reputable sources – One thing I can do is read reputable articles, blogs and books and listen to knowledgeable podcasts and videos. I will do this with a critical mind.
Reading Bunton’s book has been like being in this program. It has really changed my understanding on so much including myself. This book has helped me to realize how uncritical my thinking has been in regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. And it has encouraged me to never stop being a critical thinker.
- Deuteronomy 41:2 – English Standard Version
- Deuteronomy 7:6-7 – English Standard Version
- Romans 9:1-5 – English Standard Version
- The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction. xii.
- 83.
- 2.
- 15.
About the Author
Todd E Henley
Todd is an avid cyclist who loves watching NASCAR, photography, and playing Madden football. He is addicted to reading, eating fruits and vegetables, and drinking H2O. His passion is talking about trauma, epigenetics, chromosomes, and the brain. He has been blessed with a sensationally sweet wife and four fun creative children (one of which resides in heaven). In his free time he teaches at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and is the Founder/Executive Director of Restore Counseling Center.9 responses to “Empathy is just the beginning”
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Hi Todd,
I am so in touch with your posting. Somethings that have occurred since the book was written.
1. 2014 Gaza War: Also known as Operation Protective Edge, this conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian factions in Gaza began in July 2014. The war resulted in substantial casualties, with over 2,000 Palestinians and 70 Israelis killed, and widespread destruction in Gaza.
2. 2017 Jerusalem Recognition: In December 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and announced plans to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This decision was met with widespread international criticism and sparked protests and clashes in the Palestinian territories.
3. 2018 Gaza Border Protests: Beginning in March 2018, a series of protests known as the “Great March of Return” took place along the Gaza-Israel border. The protests, which called for the right of return for Palestinian refugees and an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, often turned violent, leading to significant casualties.
4. 2021 Escalation: In May 2021, heightened tensions in East Jerusalem, particularly around the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, led to an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas. The violence included rocket attacks on Israeli cities and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in over 250 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths.
5. 2023 Hamas Attack: On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups launched a large-scale attack from Gaza into southern Israel, involving rocket fire, incursions, and the taking of hostages. This marked the first invasion of Israeli territory since 1948 and led to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The attack resulted in over 1,000 Israeli and 2,000 Palestinian deaths and intensified the conflict further.
This morning I read, The IDF has said it has killed more than 1,000 terror operatives in Rafah amid the ongoing offensive, and that many gunmen fled with the Palestinian population as the operation began.
So much pain and blood has occurred. I do not see a way towards peace. Rage, I think, dominates the Israeli response. Today I read, IDF: Hamas’s Rafah Brigade has collapsed, 80% of border tunnels neutralized, Story by Emanuel Fabian (Times of Israel).
Flashing forward to our next book about political theology, I wonder how we are called to respond to the crisis in the middle east.
Rather flippantly I wrote in my blogpost.
How do you navigate the Israel-Middle east conflict?
There will be no peace in the Middle East. It is the pot that when it boils over, will be called the “End of Times.” At best humanitarian efforts can ease pain, but the story of the end, began at the beginning, when the Jews failed to eliminate the tribes that plague them today.
Sigh….Cathy Glei writes…PRAYER. I am in agreement with her. Heavenly Father, I do lift up the people in both Palestine and Israel. I ask that there be compassion and forgiveness. Father, we know that it only through Your intervention that we will see peace. In Jesus name we pray. Amen,”
Shalom….
My dear brother Russ. I love how you educate everyone when you respond to their posts and you definitely educated me on what has happened since the book was written. The fact that you agree that there is no answer to this conflict encourages me because you really have your pulse on this conflict and I also agree there is no answer to this problem. Thanks for educating me!
Thanks for that very thoughtful and reflective post Todd! Good to be back, I forgot how much I enjoy reading through all of us processing new data and ideas! I was oblivious to a lot of myself with this conflict, especially Britain’s influence in the mix, not to villainize this country either, but of course, it’s always more complicated than it first appears. I loved what you listed at the bottom, this is what this program and education is all about: embracing complexity, seeing the other side, rethinking long-held beliefs, and growing in compassion and humility. Thanks for sharing your processing. Looking forward to chatting in DC!
Hey my brother. You’re right about embracing complexity and rethinking long-held beliefs. Man, that can be so hard some time and even shocking to my system. But I’m looking forward to questioning what I have been holding on to for so long. Looking forward to sitting with you in D.C.
Todd,
You are one of my favorite people to read! You bring compassion, humility and integrity to all you do! I appreciate your list at the bottom, and the orientation you have towards this education. Thank you for always being open to how God is working and how we continue to learn and evolve as humans and believers.
Do you have the opportunity to interact with any muslims or Jews in your counseling practice or is it completely Christian focused in clientele? i can’t remember. Just curious.
Hey Jana! Thank you so much for your kind and gracious words. You are so encouraging and a blessing to me.
Yes, we counsel all types of people. Simply because we deal with such severe trauma that reorients the brain, nervous system, and body. When this happens people tend to want anyone who has knowledge and understanding in these areas. We even have clients who oppose Christianity but like what we are doing in how we approach trauma.
Thank you, Todd, for your thoughtful post. Based on your career at a counseling center and recognizing this issue as a political hot button, how can leaders build more empathy to be able to have a basic dialogue about this conflict?
Hello Jennifer. For leaders to build more empathy to dialogue about this conflict, it might be good for leaders to admit one to two times they have failed or struggled to help end a conflict between others in their ministry context. Second, because of their failure and struggle to admit how difficult conflict can be, especially when we don’t know the whole story.
Next, just listening to someone else with the purpose of learning their viewpoint without trying to correct them on give their own viewpoint. In other words, listen to understand and feel where another person is coming from.
After this, consider if it is even necessary to speak your own viewpoint. Maybe just listen to learn and feel and later research the others point of view, not to refute it but to empathize even more.
When Judas Iscariot spoke against the prostitute about “spilling” the oil on Jesus, he knew exactly what Judas was doing but he allowed him to speak his mind with out arguing with him. He allowed Judas to be heard without telling him about his wrong motive.
Jennifer, this is just one of the many ways this can be handled. 😊
Hello Dr. Henley.
I really appreciate and like your point about how we must get away from our biased thinking about who is wrong. By doing so, we as leaders will be better able to think critically, be neutral, and bring about the good of both parties.
Empathy, too, is a great way to help all parties stop killing each other and start taking action to bring about peace.