@skinnylatte @mdmrn Cult dynamics are the key to understanding this, I think. The in-group vs out-group division is important, but so too is the unchallengeable authority that lies at the heart of these cults, whether those are personalities or ideals. Empathy tempts the believer to look at the suffering of those in the out-group and ask “Isn’t this excessive? Shouldn’t we be doing *something* for them?” But that undermines the authority that drew the r lines separating the elect from the unsaved, so empathy becomes a sin.

All of this is anchored by emotional needs that bring people into cults and keep them there…though I understand that operates more on an individual level and tends to fall apart across generations

Edit: adding link to YT channel about cults: https://youtu.be/8iiVfpPrFAY