Not reciprocal...What do you mean by this? Do you mean that you think nothing except empathy, discovery, and humanity would be given to you in return if you gave them first? Why wouldn't you always want to give empathy and kindness to others? Why not give empathy and kindness to other people fully knowing you may not even be acknowledged or thanked for it? How much more love and kindness would there be if we simply gave it to others [i]in spite[/i] of them and their potentially hostile reactions? If we gave love to people who don't deserve it? Do you think this is just some vain way of thinking that shouldn't be followed? And how do you define this "human situation"? And why is the concept of sin dehumanizing? Because if I think there is a single characteristic that describes all of mankind, it is sin: we are all imperfect people, we all have been or are mean and hateful to others in various ways, and this is true even if you don't believe in the Lord.