Thursday, June 25, 2009

Zealots and Hypocrites

Over the past week, two high profile,"Christian-Conservative, pro-family" politicians have been caught in extramarital affairs. Such a disconnect, between expressed beliefs and concealed behavior, has been going on throughout recorded history and, likely, since the dawn of man.

Profoundly devout individuals are often masking "sinful action" (real or imagined) in their own lives. Anti-gay politicians and religious leaders frequently turn out to be homosexual themselves or are appeasing their homophobic emotions. War hawks, usually politicians or media pundits, have often never been in battle; they engage the enemy from the safety of their office or studio. Politicians who want government out of our lives often shower their constituents with federal handouts and conservatives who oppose Washington's meddling in our finances favor federal laws that govern our personal behavior.

Humans are often outwardly bombastic while personally insecure. We enjoy the admiration of others while knowing, deep down, that we don't deserve it. We tend to hide our own inadequacies (real or imagined) by demonstrating a strong devotion to their cure and, the more we have to hide, the more zealous we become. What society needs is more tolerance and less hypocrisy.