Should you not give yourself a particular label until you are ready to live up to it 100%?
Do you think there are hypocrites in all arenas of life, or is it reserved for the religious?
2007-10-24 07:10:21 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When you know better you do better, and everyone keeps learning until the day they die. Our journey in life keeps us in a constant state of flux, and you are not the person you were even a year ago. Our life experiences keep changing who we are and how we think about things and challenges past beliefs. We all make mistakes and in many religions it is believed that no person is perfect. I do not think it is hypocritical to admit you failed to live up to your chosen faith's tenets. All persons of faith strive to live better each day, and should not be expelled for infractions most other people make in life. I think it is hypercritical to expect more from others then you can do yourself though. That applies to all areas of life, whether one is spiritual or not.
2007-10-24 07:24:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, let's look at hypocrisy from Websters:
1: a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion
2: an act or instance of hypocrisy
I think it's hard to not be hypocritical sometimes. It may not be hypocritical to tell your kid not to smoke when you are a smoker, because you probably believe it's not good to smoke....but most people don't believe in the tooth fairy, or Santa Clause, etc., but will live that lie for their kids to a certain age. That fits the idea of hypocrisy.
There are hypocrites everywhere in life. Some are more visible or obvious than others. In the past few years, for example, we have found a number of political and religious leaders that profess one lifestyle, yet live another in their private lives. That's the kind of hypocrisy that comes to mind when i think of it.
They are out there, though...from the person that talks about saving the environment while they eat out of a styrofoam box in their Suburban, to the guy who runs the water conservation plan for the city, but waters his lawn every day. People that say "mind your own business" and then are the biggest gossip in the office; people that warn about drinking and driving, and then get a DUI. It's all over. Not just for religions. It's probably just more visible, because most of the time, when they fall down, it's for the thing they were most adamently opposed to, and perhaps even vehemently hateful of.
2007-10-24 07:31:23 · answer #2 · answered by Night Owl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A hypocrite is defined as a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives (wordnet.princeton.edu). Many people now define it as saying one thing and doing another and then place the label of hypocrite on the religious that stuggle to follow all of the tenets of their faith. If you truly believe that stealing is a lie, does it make you a hypocrite if you walk off with the bank tellers pen, realize it three hours later, but don't take it back? No. You aren't saying that you believe stealing is a lie in order to get away with stealing. If you are using a religion that you don't believe in for your own personal gain, then you are a hypocrite. If you are a sinner struggling to grow in Christ's image and failing along the way, you are not a hypocrite, you are human.
2007-10-24 07:21:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a Christian but I am not perfect and I sin.
I would only be a hypocrite if I were to say I am a Christian and I am perfect or I don't make mistakes.
Hypocrites are people who claim one thing but do the opposite. Like if I were to say I never lie and then I go on and tell a lie. Sure there is hypocrites that are non-religious. I call them Used Car Salesmen.
2007-10-24 07:16:42 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Everyone is a hypocrite one time or another. Most people accept this as part of life. It's when a person repeatedly lives as a hypocrite. And that fine line is crossed when one is no longer honest with themselves or others about who and what they are.
2007-10-24 07:16:02 · answer #5 · answered by River 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh, there are definitely hypocrites in all walks of life.
And I think we all have ideals that we fall short of - that's not the same as hypocrisy, which is basically saying one thing and doing another.
My criticism of Christianity is that it insists on an ideal that's really an outrage to human nature, a denial of one's personal sovereignty, an abdication of one's personal responsibility - so it's bound to make hypocrites or at least neurotics of its adherents.
2007-10-24 07:15:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hypocrisy exists in all aspects of life. I don't consider people hypocrites who tell me they are of a particular religion. Whatever you call yourself is what you think you are, and who am I to say, "oh no, you're really a _______"? That would be inane. If you say you're a Christian I accept that. I say I'm a Pagan. Others can call me what they want, but I know who I am.
2007-10-24 07:17:14 · answer #7 · answered by Cheryl E 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That fine line is effort. Hypocrisy is rife, but it is hardly limited to religion. I immediately think of a teen driver's parent who yaks on the cell phone while driving 10 miles over the speed limit while expecting their teen to respect the speed limit and avoid distractions while driving... that does not decrease the validity of warnings against identical behavior for their teen.
2007-10-24 07:26:05 · answer #8 · answered by detailgirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-11-09 09:15:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
best not to get to excited about a label-at best its a generality-as for hypocrites just look at congress or the senate or anyone put in authority over you-or or or to many to list------smile and enjoy the day
2007-10-24 07:15:57 · answer #10 · answered by lazaruslong138 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋