In support of hypocrisy (but not really)!

The Victorian age was criticised for its hypocrisy, and Jesus frequently berated the religious leaders of the time for their hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is bad, but there is one good thing about hypocrisy. At least in a time of hypocrisy there is a recognition of what is good, of what should be done. In a hypocritical age people, usually the rich and powerful, know what is good, want to do something which goes against this, but which would seem to give them advantage, typically financial or sexual in nature. They have the power and money to get away with it, or so they think. They are hypocritical, and deserve to be judged, but at least in their hypocrisy there is a recognition of what is right, even if it is only lip service. Unless a society repents of its hypocrisy it then goes on to a much worse stage, the one outlined Isaiah 5:20. In this stage evil is called good, and good is called evil. Those who promote and indulge in evil are called good, and those who oppose evil and seek to live godly lives are called evil. As Isaiah 5:20 says:

Woe to those who call evil good
   and good evil,
who put darkness for light
   and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
   and sweet for bitter (NIV).

This is what is happening in our society today in the West. At the time of writing (25th January, 2019) New York has just passed laws allowing full term abortions, and it was done so to loud cheering and celebration. When the Irish referendum voted in favour of abortion there was great rejoicing. We rejoice at the “right” to kill babies in the womb, and in the case of full term abortions there can be no rational argument that the baby is not a human being, not a person. No argument can be made that it is just a clump of cells (by the way, biological science recognises that the embryo is human from conception). So society thinks this is wonderful. But what does society think of those who protect against abortion? They are accused of being evil, of working against human rights. Pierre Trudeau, the Canadian Premier, seems to consider supporting abortion to be integral with supporting human rights.

Now look at marriage. In the seventies and eighties as divorce rates increased, and living together became more widespread, there were those who argued that marriage is by far the better environment in which to bring up children. And they were accused of being bigoted against single mothers, or being out of touch.  Now if you want to be respected by society, counted as righteous by society, you need to be in favour of gay marriage, you need to believe that a person can choose their gender, that biological realities are of no significance, actually that the well being of other people and society is of very much secondary importance compared to self. And if you argue that marriage is meant to be between one man and one woman, and that calling a baby a boy or a girl is not “assigning a gender” but a recognition of the obvious biological reality, then you are a hateful bigot.

Oh to live in an age of hypocrisy! Woe to a society that calls evil good, and good evil.