Do you fight hypocrisy within yourself when getting involved in politics?

[Lady Bug]

I must admit -

I can't say that hypocrisy isn't totally out of my system.

I just hate it when one side attacks another side (in general) but doesn't look to their own selves and realize that they do the same thing sometimes

There are times where conservatives (politician-wise) may demonstrate that they don't hold up to what they stand for, and a part of me wants to, in response, to point out the wrong in what the liberal camp does too, without realizing the need to castigate what my side might do wrong. OK I do realize, but I don't know why I feel this way.

anyone struggle with this, a little? that is, a little hypocrisy?

 

[JimfromOhio]

Many of us are not theologians and even though we are conservative theologically which may lead us to lead conservative politically. All of us are blinded by ignorance on specific issues. Hypocrites we are when we don't fully understand theologically when we are debating politically. A humbled Christian is a Christian with flaws which humbles them that is more useful to God than hypocrite action that puffs them up. Many Christians are lazy and hypocrites. A Christian life in this world should be different from the world, being in the world but not of the world. God holds us accountable for what we believe as well as how we think about the truth He has revealed to us. We all give "lip-service" to the importance of morality and frown upon morality discussions.

Doctrinal preaching certainly bores the hypocrites; but it is only doctrinal preaching that will save Christ's sheep. J.I. Packer

 

[JimfromOhio]

I must admit -

I can't say that hypocrisy isn't totally out of my system.

I just hate it when one side attacks another side (in general) but doesn't look to their own selves and realize that they do the same thing sometimes

There are times where conservatives (politician-wise) may demonstrate that they don't hold up to what they stand for, and a part of me wants to, in response, to point out the wrong in what the liberal camp does too, without realizing the need to castigate what my side might do wrong. OK I do realize, but I don't know why I feel this way.

anyone struggle with this, a little? that is, a little hypocrisy?

Oh yes. I do and that is why I have struggled this issue with other conservatives who thinks they know it all. I have flaws and I am a hypocrite sometimes. I have to remember that I am still a sinner, a forgiven sinner who is humbled by God's holiness and I know that I have flaws that I will never measure up to His holiness.

Which is why I have Christ in me. I am perfect spiritually. Physically, I am decaying and imperfect until my body dies.

 

[MrJim]

<snip>

Which is why I have Christ in me. I am perfect spiritually. Physically, I am decaying and imperfect until my body dies.

ya wanna expand on that one a bit?

 

[JustAsIam77]

ya wanna expand on that one a bit?

"I am perfect spiritually"

As are you and I MrJim. Washed clean as snow from sin vis Christ's atonement. That's how I understood it anyway.

 

[MrJim]

"I am perfect spiritually"

As are you and I MrJim. Washed clean as snow from sin vis Christ's atonement. That's how I understood it anyway.

...must be my angle, but still don't see perfection here...we must have different definitions of what "spiritually" means maybe?

 

[JustAsIam77]

...must be my angle, but still don't see perfection here...we must have different definitions of what "spiritually" means maybe?

Yeah, maybe you're right. My reply was off the cuff.

 

[heymikey80]

I'm not so much sure that it's hypocrisy when I get into politics. More that I must realize my concepts for dealing with reality aren't good enough to cover everything. We are all wrong.

Every minute of every day I have to remind myself that I'm wrong. It goes double for politics, because of the sausage-making atmosphere of forming political opinion. But the problem is actually that unless both sides have the presence of mind that we are both wrong, then the battle is disingenuous from the side that's sure it's right.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

It's a logical fallacy, called the Tu Quoque, which literally means "you did it too". Somehow we think it will be better if we can point out that while so-and-so is getting all ruffled up about what this senator did, this other senator on the other side was doing the same thing, that it will shut the other person up.

Basically, we know that two wrongs do not make a right. We shouldn't try to excuse mistakes by pointing out someone else's mistakes.

We also shouldn't judge others so harshly, either, as we will be judged by the same measuring stick. We are all human, and we are all sinners, and we are all bound to fall down. I would rather have someone come help me up than sit there and snicker at me while someone else points to the other person who fell down.

KWIM?

 

[JimfromOhio]

The perfection I am talking about is the righteousness we have by our justification is not our own, but eternal perfect righteousness of our Mediator, Jesus Christ. Our justification is a finished and complete work, and we are perfectly justified the moment we believe. Sanctification is an imperfect work, comparatively, and will never be perfected until we reach heaven. As long as we live in our bodies, we will never be perfect.

 

[JimfromOhio]

I'm not so much sure that it's hypocrisy when I get into politics. More that I must realize my concepts for dealing with reality aren't good enough to cover everything. We are all wrong.

Every minute of every day I have to remind myself that I'm wrong. It goes double for politics, because of the sausage-making atmosphere of forming political opinion. But the problem is actually that unless both sides have the presence of mind that we are both wrong, then the battle is disingenuous from the side that's sure it's right.

I agree and this is what I do when I debate.

Often I ask myself this question:
What are my intentions in having knowledge of God when I am discuss this topic (politically, theologically, or whatever)?

The truth of Scripture is something precious that must be carefully handled and closely guarded (1 Timothy 6:20). There are some truths revealed in the Scriptures that place a great strain upon our minds and Divine revelation assures us that certain things are true which imagination will simply not grasp. We Christians living in a sinful body, being imperfect, can never quite know perfection in anything, least of all in our relation to the incomprehensible God. Not one of us has authority to divide the truth and teach only a part of it because if we do, we weaken the truth to self-centered knowledge. We cannot know God by thinking the way we want to believe, and we can never know Him very well without accepting all aspects of God's Character.

The paradoxical character of the Christian is revealed through life and seen by many. Every Christian is a citizen of heaven and to that sacred citizenship even though each Christian lives in a sinful world. Christians have a duel citizenship however earth is a sinful place while Heaven is beautiful and sinless that we are to remember that we are citizens of heaven even though we live in a foreign world. We CAN'T live here on earth as we will in Heaven. we are in Christ His position is our position, His privilege is our privilege, His possessions are our possessions, and His practice our practice. We are significant not because of who we are, but because of who we are in Christ.

 

[JimfromOhio]

It's a logical fallacy, called the Tu Quoque, which literally means "you did it too". Somehow we think it will be better if we can point out that while so-and-so is getting all ruffled up about what this senator did, this other senator on the other side was doing the same thing, that it will shut the other person up.

Basically, we know that two wrongs do not make a right. We shouldn't try to excuse mistakes by pointing out someone else's mistakes.

We also shouldn't judge others so harshly, either, as we will be judged by the same measuring stick. We are all human, and we are all sinners, and we are all bound to fall down. I would rather have someone come help me up than sit there and snicker at me while someone else points to the other person who fell down.

KWIM?

I agree. We should all take a long hard look at what things we consider to be important from God's perspective rather than man's perspective.

I like this quote:
Many people think that the mark of an authentic Christian is doctrinal purity; if a person's beliefs are biblical and doctrinally orthodox, then he is a Christian. People who equate orthodoxy with authenticity find it hard to even consider the possibility that, despite the correctness of all their doctrinal positions, they may have missed the deepest reality of the authentic Christian life. But we must never forget that true Christianity is more than teaching - it is a way of life. In fact, it is life itself. "He who has the Son has life," remember? When we talk about life, we are talking about something that is far more than mere morality, far more than doctrinal accuracy. Ray C. Stedman

 

[MrJim]

The perfection I am talking about is the righteousness we have by our justification is not our own, but eternal perfect righteousness of our Mediator, Jesus Christ. Our justification is a finished and complete work, and we are perfectly justified the moment we believe. Sanctification is an imperfect work, comparatively, and will never be perfected until we reach heaven. As long as we live in our bodies, we will never be perfect.

Subject of another thread~but I don't think it's perfected until the job is complete~~as a Lutheran you know they have a teaching about apostacy, and you know where us anabaptists stand on such..

 

[JimfromOhio]

Subject of another thread~but I don't think it's perfected until the job is complete~~as a Lutheran you know they have a teaching about apostacy, and you know where us anabaptists stand on such..

I am not a perfect Christian but I am a forgiven Christian who is still learning. I need to remind myself that God wants me to have free and responsive hearts, "Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God." In Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Sometimes I just feel a complete hypocrite in my Christian life. God uses thorns to perfect His "power is perfected in weakness". Through GRACE, "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:4). Grace of heart is a gift from God and this has nothing to do with the thorns because God change our circumstances by changing us internally, by allowing Him to lift us above our present thorn and He will lead us into His will. James says count it all joy when you fall into various trials cause trials have a perfecting work. Peter says after you've suffered a while the Lord will make you perfect. In the Bible, God uses people with the right life experiences by putting them through the right spiritual directions and teaching them the right spiritual lessons. Knowledge of the mystery is having the reality of an experience of knowing God personally and consciously.

If we read Philippians 3:12-16, one of Paul's athletic analogies is that of a runner, running a race. The runner to him is the picture of the Christian, the race is the Christian life. The Jewish teachers who were plaguing the Philippian church, were telling the Philippians that spiritual perfection was available if they would be circumcized and keep the law. This is a reminder that many of us as are positionally perfect, that is we have been made perfect in Christ positionally (spiritually), not practically (temporal) yet which is why we are to be like a runner. It takes trials. First Peter 5:10, "After you have suffered a while, the Lord make you perfect." James 1, "Trials have their perfect work."

I will never be perfect as long as I live in my body which is why God's grace is more than sufficient.

This is my anabaptist/reformed/Lutheran view. If those come from a Methodist background or a Wesleyan background or a Nazarene background or Word of Faith background or even Pentacostal background, they perhaps remember them teaching perfectionism, or as it was called total sanctification, or complete sanctification. That is that a believer in this life on this earth before death can reach a place of spiritual moral perfection. They teach that. They do not teach that that is a result of progress, they teach that as a result of a momentary instantaneous second work of grace, like salvation, you are momentarily instantaneously made sinless.

Anabaptist, Reformed and Lutheran teaches the opposite of Methodist, Wesleyan and others I have mentioned.

 

[JustAsIam77]

I will never be perfect as long as I live in my body which is why God's grace is more than sufficient.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

anyone struggle with this, a little? that is, a little hypocrisy?

I don't think I do, at least not in the context of politics. I struggle sometimes with what are acceptable compromises to make, politics being the art of the possible, but I don't think I have any internal contradictions between my political and my religious values.

But then I'm a odd duck, as this goes: conservative theologically and politically libertarian. I believe God wants us to be free. He also wants us to be good, but not to be coerced to be good, but to freely choose it.

 

[NIF]

I must admit -

I can't say that hypocrisy isn't totally out of my system.

I just hate it when one side attacks another side (in general) but doesn't look to their own selves and realize that they do the same thing sometimes

There are times where conservatives (politician-wise) may demonstrate that they don't hold up to what they stand for, and a part of me wants to, in response, to point out the wrong in what the liberal camp does too, without realizing the need to castigate what my side might do wrong. OK I do realize, but I don't know why I feel this way.

anyone struggle with this, a little? that is, a little hypocrisy?

I struggle with hypocrisy all the time. Don't forget that politics can be a trap that causes nasty and sometimes unnecessary divisions.

My view of politics is that every system is imperfect, but we can still work for the greater good to improve the lot of mankind. I also think that people, particularly the disadvantaged, should have a voice.

 

[CADude12]

Someone, a long time ago now, told me that to ask "what must I do to be saved" is itself selfish, and by implication sinful. I was taken in by that. Now I see it differently, but I was a bit immature then.

Hypocrisy was the sin of the Pharisees - self-righteousness. Not recognizing I am a sinner, calling others to task for their sins - no matter how obvious or blatant - is the sign of hypocrisy to me. But latitudinarianism and a lack of morals is far worse than hypocrisy. Often, it's used as a way of dismissing Christianity... just another way to dismiss the truth.

 

[freeport]

I must admit -

I can't say that hypocrisy isn't totally out of my system.

I just hate it when one side attacks another side (in general) but doesn't look to their own selves and realize that they do the same thing sometimes

There are times where conservatives (politician-wise) may demonstrate that they don't hold up to what they stand for, and a part of me wants to, in response, to point out the wrong in what the liberal camp does too, without realizing the need to castigate what my side might do wrong. OK I do realize, but I don't know why I feel this way.

anyone struggle with this, a little? that is, a little hypocrisy?

What is the hypocrisy?

I condemned the tactics the left used during Bush's presidency and I condemn those same tactics if anyone else uses them, even if I agree with their political stance.

What are those tactics, what is condemned? It is important to put one's fingers on what is right and what is wrong in political debate. This is a Democracy.


I believe in presenting evidence for my views, not in leveling personal attacks, nor in anyway engaging in slander. I believe in trying to honestly deal with opposition's evidence. There is no other way to disprove it.

I view it like a court case. Each side should reasonably present their evidence for their arguments even if only one side is really right, or has the weightier argument.


As a Christian I idealize truth and the weight of it over lies. How could I applaud behavior which goes against that.


So, I personally, am not a hypocrite, but I do see a lot of conservatives being hypocrites: however I well remember arguing against the left just for their tactics during the Bush presidency.

I would be a hypocrite if I turned around and did what I heartily condemned year in and year out. I do not, so I am not a hypocrite.


Each person stands behind their own behavior. There is no shield for that.

 

[Albion]

This is a tough issue because it's often said that you're being hypocritical if you defend or support either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party when the finger-pointing is aimed at individuals. Individual politicians and individual policies can be wrong without the whole party being wrong or currupt. But it's a fine line to walk if the party alibis for that particular person or policy when it IS wrong.

I always did try to work at not being hypocritical myself, which one can fall into almost without knowing it. However, when I became a Libertarian, all that fell away from me and I felt clean and principled again. That showed me that there probably had been some hypocrisy that I'd been trying to rationalize away before.