From: Blunderov (squooker@mweb.co.za)
Date: Thu Nov 13 2003 - 01:09:32 MST
Erik Aronesty
> Sent: 13 November 2003 0208
> Please describe how going against your word is hypocritical.
>
> I say it's only hypocritical if you expect everyone else to honor
their
> word.
[Blunderov]
<q>
Merriam Webster
fr. Greek hypocrites, actor. A person who puts on a false appearance of
virtue or religion. Hypocrisy: a feigning to be what one is not or to
believe what one does not, esp the false assumption of an appearance of
virtue or religion.
</q>
Pondering this reminded me of how often I have been maneuvered in to
performing hypocritical actions especially with regard to religion. I
have been an atheist ever since I can remember and this made my life in
a 'Christian Nationalist' education system invidious.
If, at school, you proclaimed your true convictions too loudly you were
simply victimized by both the pupils and the teachers and so there was
little option but to pretend to sing the hymns and trudge off to church
on Sunday and so on. In this manner I found out a lot more about the
bible than I ever cared to know.
Probably the most memorable, and funny, instance of this sort of thing
was the events attending the christening of my two daughters. I suppose
it might be said that their agnostic (allegedly) mother had decided to
accept Pascal's wager. To me there seemed to be no great harm in once
again trundling off to church and going through with whatever motions
needed to be gone through. 'If this is the price of domestic accord' I
told myself 'then so be it.'
Imagine my surprise and startled amusement when the preacher saw fit to
roast me from the pulpit! Yes, the redoubtable Dr. Jack Deal launched
into a trumpeting paean of condemnation against those who pretended to
consent to perform certain important tasks on behalf of the church and
who had, in fact, no intention whatsoever of doing any such thing. He
didn't name me directly but it seemed to me that every single member of
the congregation was trying not to look at me.
Even now it makes me smile to realize just how much he failed to grasp
the depth of my contempt for everything he stood for. He must have
seriously imagined that he had the power to shame me into behaving like
a Christian!
Apparently his delusions knew no bounds.
Still, to him I must have been the most horrendous hypocrite, and,
sadly, perhaps he was right.
Best Regards
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