by Edward Moses

Created on: March 27, 2010   Last Updated: March 29, 2010

LIFE WITH HYPOCRISY

“On December 11, 2009, Tiger Woods announced he would take an indefinite leave from professional golf to focus on his marriage after he admitted infidelity. His multiple infidelities were revealed by over a dozen mistresses through many worldwide media sources”.

This statement reported by CNBC exposed one of the greatest hypocrites of modern times. Woods, who for years projected by word, deed and action the image of a clean, committed and dedicated family man, was in fact leading a life that was a gross abomination to the sanctity and honor of his marriage.

The description of the hypocrite is one who pretends to have “good” intentions while having antagonistic intentions or convictions. It is pretending to be someone you really are not or pretending to be better than someone else. Hypocrisy in one form or another, takes place everyday and everywhere, in our schools, workplaces, government and our churches. It occurs so  frequently around us that we have become quite immune to its presence and except for a blatant transgression like Woods’ action, we generally accept it without much comment. In truth, there is no denying that often we are, when it suits us, as guilty of hypocrisy as anyone else.

Throughout the ages, hypocrisy has always been the foundation upon which nations have justified their actions in the conquering and domination of their citizens, and other nations. Leaders have been able to reach and survive at the top by successful hypocritical manipulation of their subordinates, and politicians, to a very large extent, have generally survived and prospered by their effective use of hypocrisy.

No institution has been more effective and more successful in the use of hypocrisy as the Religions. History abounds with examples of hypocrisy among all the great religions whose leaders have had no hesitation to use it to further their own causes. Consider the “Inquisitions” conducted by the Roman Catholic Church during the middle ages, when thousands were tortured and burnt at the stakes in the name of stamping out “heretics”. No better, were the Crusaders who in the name of Christianity and the saving of Jerusalem, carried out a ruthless program of rape and destruction of the Muslim countries they conquered.

The Holy Bible contains more references to hypocrisy than almost any other topic. The most famous reference of this is recorded in Matthew 23:24, when Jesus admonished the clerics

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>