Brooke, our 6 year old, has a habit of coming into our room at about 5:30 – 6:00 a.m. every morning. She wakes us up, crawls in bed with us, and falls immediately asleep, at which point I’m wide awake.
So my morning routine is often to read the Bible for 15 minutes, and then brush up on the latest news at Fox News Mobile. There are two opinion columnists I particularly like. John Lott, a professor at the University of Maryland, writes on politics, and Stephen Milloy, a “junk science” expert, often writes on environmentalism, global warming, energy, etc. Today, both articles dealt with hypocrisy. (Fun fact – Hypocrite simply meant “actor” in its original Greek usage. We, of course, use it to mean someone who acts like something they’re not.)
In today’s article, Lott pointed out that Barack Obama has been less than forthcoming about his relationships with people of questionable principles, such as domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and racist preacher Jeremiah Wright. Senator Obama claims to know nothing about Ayers radical views, even though he served with Ayers on two different committees and, as many have noted, launched his political career in Ayers’ home.
Such “acting” by politicians makes me realize I’d never be cut out to run for government office. You really do have to become someone you’re not. Obama does it, McCain does it, everyone who runs for office seems to do it, so that you appear to be whatever the majority of Americans wants you to be. At the end of the day, I wonder if our presidential candidates can look past the actor in the mirror and remember who they really are.
Milloy’s article noted that the World Wildlife Fund (WWF, not to be confused with World Wrestling Federation) is offering an excursion to about 80 of its biggest donors. For just $65,000 (give or take a few hundred), you can go on a 25 day, 36,000 mile journey aboard the WWF’s chartered jet to view endangered wildlife in its natural habitat. The “carbon footprint (an individuals impact on the environment)” left behind by the 100,000 gallons of jet fuel consumed will be roughly equivalent to 1500 SUVs on the road for the same period of time, yet the WWF’s website urges all of us to feel an obligation to reduce our own carbon footprint by using compact fluorescent bulbs and alternative, “green” sources of energy, among other things. Meanwhile, each person on board that jet will use up 75% of their carbon footprint allotment for the year in one 3 ½ week trip (and that’s not counting ground transportation and other energy consuming activities). In order to raise funds, I guess the WWF’s true colors come out, while acting the part for the rest of us - demanding that we hold ourselves to a different, green standard.
Brooke’s snuffly breathing (she has a bit of a cold) focused my attention back on her again. I thought how important it is for her not to see an actor in me - that who I am at home and who I portray myself to be by what I write and say and teach are the same thing. If they’re not, she’ll see a hypocrite in her dad, and she might not want to have anything to do with what I stand for and believe in, which would have catastrophic results for her eternal welfare.
If someone sees hypocrisy in a politician or environmental organization, that’s unfortunate, but not life changing. But if someone sees hypocrisy in a Christian, the reputation of Christ is damaged and so is (or can be) faith. God calls us to a higher standard of consistency, because there’s so much more at stake.
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