Dangers of Hypocrisy

Let me say up front -- we all engage in hypocrisy. Our walk doesn't always coincide with our talk, which is why Jesus warns us about taking care of the log in our own eye before we go to work on the splinter in our neighbor's eye (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-43).

This warning about taking care of yourself before focusing on others has an interesting corollary in the relationship of verbiage by Religious and Political conservatives about matters relating to sex with the spate of scandals emanating from within the Republican Party. Remember Mark Foley and the pages scandal? Then more recently David Vitters, the Louisiana conservative Senator whose name appeared on madame's list of contacts, and now Larry Craig of Idaho. Foley had been a strong opponent of homosexuality in the House, but it appears that he had for some time been living a double life, but took such strong positions as a cover -- in order to remain in good stead with GOP leaders.

Larry Craig is an even more interesting case. Apparently there have been rumors dogging him for years, but he's always denied them and there was no substantive evidence. As I say with Barry Bonds -- no evidence no charge -- and so it has been. This recent incident in which he was arrested and then pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct -- stemming from allegedly lewd behavior -- could simply be something misconstrued. But why plead guilty? He claims he shouldn't have done so, that he should have sought counsel, and that he was simply trying to be expeditious seems a bit odd. At best this suggests a lack of thoughtfulness on the part of one who is voting on major pieces of legislation. Now we all make mistakes, but why plead guilty?

What this case does though is bring out into the open the question of homosexuality. We are in a period of transition, where this issue is being debated. We are as a society becoming much more open and accepting -- but at the same time there is deep resistance and discomfort. We've yet to come to terms with it --either in the church or in the political community. Neither political party has come to terms with it, though the Democrats seem to have a better handle on it.

So, at this point we don't know all the answers, but what it does suggest is that as with Ted Haggard and others, we must ask the question -- is the decibel level of your statements covering up something on the inside? In the case of Ted Haggard and Mark Foley, this was true -- is it the same with Larry Craig? This remains to be seen, but the question is in front of us.