Without actually looking up the meaning of the word "hypocrite" I'm going to talk about what I think it means & how I feel others use it.
My example of a hypocrite: Someone who speaks publicly about how a particular action is wrong, immoral, or just shouldn't be done to make themselves look good, but has recently participated in what they're speaking of (without owning up to it), or knowingly plan to in the near future.
How I feel too many people use the word hypocrite: Someone who speaks against any act that they feel is wrong, immoral, or just shouldn't be done, but has at anytime in their past participated in what they speak of.
Many people do things when they're young, uniformed, and misguided. Does that mean that they should live their whole lives according to the past, that once they realize that what they did was wrong that they have no right to speak of it, or prevent others from the same mistakes.
NO! No matter how small the incident, if it is wrong, it is wrong, and if any of us can possibly save someone from making the same wrong choices it is our MORAL obligation to do so.
I encounter people too often who I feel don't use this word correctly and I find it so frustrating, and I pray for the strength to speak up more when I can.
Am I the only one that feels this way?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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4 comments:
Wow...you do bring up a good point. First, I don't believe I typically use this word all that often, but I am sure that I have used it before and most likely in the wrong context.
Anways, my life has been far from perfect and I have made more then enough mistakes. I talk about these mistakes and what I have learned all the time. I suppose that some could say that I am a "hypocrit" for talking the way that I do, but I only share my experiences because I don't want people to go through the same thing. I believe that our past is our past, but it also makes us who we are today.
Sharing my challenges and the things that I have learned from my mistakes is how I reach other people. Like you said, Molly, it's me wanting to prevent other people from going through the same mistakes I have. It's me caring.
Molly,
You're exactly right. If "hypocrite" could be used against anyone speaking out against behavior they'd enganged in sometime in the past, then St. Paul, St. Peter, St. John, and the other Apostles could all be called "hypocrites".
I'm in complete agreement with you. This word is often misused. I did foolish things when I was younger and my life was far from perfect but I know that I still need to speak up, now. Our voices[or writings] are powerful tools and need to be used.
I also think that today the word hypocrite is considered by some as the worst thing you can be. It doesn't matter to many people what a person does, as long as they are not hiding their bad behavior. Consequently, the word hypocrite is applied to those who know better and fail or have failed in the past, and not to those who do wrong, but will not admit that there is anything wrong in what they do. It seems that many are satisfied to live in a world in which there are few hypocrites because most people just have incredibly low standards.
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