By Noeticos

            I’ve noticed an interesting (yet disturbing) trend lately that I think merits our attention.  I was having a discussion with a friend who was expressing frustrations about parental nagging.  The primary issue was that my friend’s parents have consistently pointed out that a certain behavior is objectionable and they have demanded that this particular sinful activity cease.  I think this is an experience that all of us who have involved (and perhaps a bit controlling) parents have experienced at one time or another.  The contention that arouse surrounded the discovery (on my friend’s part) that the parents had been guilty of the same sinful behavior when they were “my age”.  This discovery led to the accusation of hypocrisy.  I was then asked if indeed the parents in this situation were hypocrites who should mind their own business and allow my friend to make one’s own mistakes in life and learn from experience. 

This is no small accusation.  Of all the harsh condemnations given by our Lord few were as harsh as the denunciation of hypocrisy (see Mt. 23: 13&ff).  According to the Catholic Encyclopedia the definition of Hypocrisy is: The pretension to qualities which one does not possess, or, more cognately to the scope of this article, the putting forward of a false appearance of virtue or religion.  Upon reflecting on this matter, I came across several modern denunciations of Hypocrisy.  While these modern commentators seem to agree with the traditional view that a hypocrite is one who feigns virtue that is not possessed, I was rather disturbed at the difference in the conclusions.  The traditional correction of hypocrisy was the instruction to correct one own behavior so that one’s internal virtue would accurately reflect one external self-presentation(see Mt. 7:1-5).   Any such correction of one’s own behavior ought to come before one corrects the behavior of others.  The modern popular correction seems to be an instruction to embrace one’s own sinfulness in deed and presentation.  While both these notions agree that a gulf between one’s own behavior and one’s judgment of the behavior of others is immoral, the traditional view advocates raising the bar for one own behavior, the modern view is to lower the standard for all.  I can not give approval to this modern concept and I believe that this attitude has contributed to the modern decline in moral values.  As followers of Christ we are called to Holiness not honest consistency in sinfulness. 

            I would point out that the definition of hypocrisy refers to feigned virtue in the present tense.  So I have to disagree with my friend.  If the parents were criticizing a sin that they were presently guilty of committing then their actions would be hypocritical.  However, the view that all behavior is somehow conditionally modified by age group (they did this at 15 so they should not be able to criticize my doing likewise at 15) is not consistent.  If this were the case we would be unable to help others learn from our mistakes.  Let us reflect upon our own behavior in relation to how we judge others, but let us not look to the past sins of others to justify our current vices.  God Bless you.