I haven't written in this blog in so long and it honestly took me forever to come up with a topic I wanted to write about. So, I thought about the things that have been previously placed in my mind or life situations, and I came up with hypocrisy.
I think a lot of people over look this topic just because it's so common, we just don't notice. Including myself, obviously I'm going to say that. It's the falseness of someone's opinion, standards and beliefs by the way they pretend to do and be something they just can't be. A lot of us don't realize when we even do it because it's just so normal. We want to do the right thing and have the best influences by coming off a certain way, but then when we can't live up to the person we laid out for ourselves to be it shows what hypocrites we are in the process.
I don't talk about this much, but that's one of the reasons I can't stand religion like Christianity most of all. I know it's represented almost everywhere in my home and family because of the life Dad chose for us, but that does not mean we all have to stick to the same thing, so I chose not to. When I look at Christian's, I see people that act like God is their best friend and walk around like they've got hand made friendship bracelets from the guy and we don't. We're "learning" and they are here to help us "grow close to the Lord". That's so frustrating and obnoxious because it's fake. I'm sure their intentions are excellent but hello? They can't live up to it. No one can. It's one thing if you try, but another to gloat about it and act like you're this wonderful, selfless person who wants to save the world. They are hypocrites and some may not even notice.
I'm not saying all Christians are like this, same with people in general. But the last thing I want is to be looked down on by someone to is just there to put on a show. Hypocrites can be seen through like a glass wall most of the time and it irritates me to be surrounded by those kinds of people.
When it comes to myself, I know I can be the exact same way. Not by shoving God up someone's ass, but within my own personality and daily life. I hate getting in arguments with people because I know I'll most likely end up getting mad at them for something I do all the time or have done once before. Then, since we're arguing, of course they will throw that in my face! It just becomes a pattern that is only going to lead to more and more past issues that get brought up which makes a person want to correct them more and more for things that everyone has done before. Sometimes there is just no way to avoid hypocrisy? This also frustrates me. How do you ever avoid it?
No one is perfect, right? So the question is, how do we figure out how to get rid of hypocrisy? Can people change, learn a different way to handle arguments, or just realize they aren't perfect?
Maybe it takes a hypocrite to figure that out.
This is just another place besides my Journal for me to open up, and share things I wouldn't say most often.
3 comments:
Sarah,
I'm with you... hypocrisy runs rampant in Christianity... but as you pointed out, it runs rampant outside of Christianity, too.
So why do Christians get pegged so much for it? I don't think it's because they are doing MORE of it than anybody else... I think it may because Western culture is tired of the dominant religion (whether we like it or not, Christianity still has more influence on our politics, finances, and culture than any other belief system) claiming divine inspiration WHILE acting like everybody else.... and "everybody else" is tired of being dogmatically looked down upon while those in power continue to profess a greater life.
How do you stop it? You live in TRUE humility, fully aware of your shortcomings, and constantly grateful for the experience of growth and learning.
Yeah, I know... I don't know how to do that either.
Cheers,
Justin
Sarah,
I found this blog by "binging" about "Hypocrisy" and what you are saying is so frustrating to me. My whole life I have been on the edge of becoming a christian, in better terms to be said, realize God, is God. And now I just sit on the fence and look at this girl who is talking and saying that christianity is full of hypocrisy.
So I want to say to you, aren't christians just people who TRY to live by truth and just? Don't christians make mistakes too? Aren't they all just people? So by saying things like they are close with God and act that way, who are you to say that they aren't close with God? And maybe they shouldn't act that way, but they are people, and people are full of flaws and mistakes. Are you just angry that you aren't? And if they are hypocrites, then thats something they need to work on just like ALL people.
So saying you are against christianity is something that appears to be unfair. Christianity, it seems, is something that YOU make it, and when you think about it, its all about LOVE anyways. If you just talk to me, it means NOTHING, but when you love me, and show me you care, it means everything. It is only a title, and titles don't make you who you are, they are only given and can be changed.
So, you say christianity as though it is false and fake, and I say it is as how you make it. When you come to know God, the true God, you are a christian. That doesn't mean that you are now perfect. But is things like you say that they are "hypocrites" makes them be so. When you bash them for a fault, they try to cover it up, saying they have it all together, just as all humans do. We all try and cover our insecurities. They are just people that fail, just like non-christians. So who do I turn to?
I leave this now, lost and finding pointless truth to your statements.
But I tell you now, it is people like you who make me fearful to know God. If I say I know God, will you then tare me down for my mistakes? And if I make mistakes will you then tare me down because I am suppose to be the one who knows God?
I would rather find truth and LIVE truth and possibly be a hypocrite sometimes, then to be at a lost.
If christian are expected to be perfect, then fine bash them for being a hypocrite. But if they are truly just people full of hurt and sorrows and faults, then think about your statements in the origin of their meaning. Pointless and at a loss.
So now I do not know weather to realize God is God, but if you do not have a relationship with him, it makes me believe that I need to, so that I see truth that you are missing.
Sophia,
I know you are responding to Sarah's post, but if I'm permitted, I'd like to respond to your comments.
I am also "on the fence" with Christianity (as I understand its Western practice, anyway), though possibly for different reasons. I really appreciated your response... you make a really crucial point: Christians are just people TRYING to do better...not necessarily ACTUALLY doing better...and perhaps should not be held to any different standard than those, like me, who do not identify themselves as Christians.
I wonder if the reason why is, as I referred to in my comment, Christians have, for a long time, held predominating power in our culture, and have, for just as long, applied the specific moral standards of the religion (behavior-based standards about stuff like drinking, sexuality, cursing, etc.) to the public at large... and then criticized those who didn't keep up.
Again, for me, what makes religious hypocrisy work (in ANY religion) isn't the DOING side of the equation (e.g. - not behaving perfectly), it's the CLAIMING OTHERWISE side. I agree... it's sort of ridiculous to imagine that Christians are going to be more perfect than anybody else; but the experience of hypocrisy rears its ugly head when they claim differently.
..and that's true for anybody... we just notice it more in Christianity because Christians have, largely, written the rules about what's right and what's wrong in our culture.
That's all. I hope you post again; I liked reading your post.
Cheers,
Justin
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