Does hypocrisy mean that a person’s claims about what is right is wrong?  Too many people believe that, if a person says something is morally right, then they are caught doing the opposite, that means they were wrong about their claim.  For example: if a person says it is wrong to cheat on your spouse, then that same person is caught cheating on their spouse, many people will assume that it is not wrong to cheat on your spouse.  But we know better than that, don’t we?

Well, the first thing we should do is look at the definition of ‘hypocrisy’ — so we all know what the word actually means:

Full Definition of hypocrisy

plural hypocrisies

Now we need to understand that hypocrisy does not mean that the thing(s) a person claims is true is actually false (or a thing claimed to be false is actually true).  A ‘fallacy‘ is a mistake in logic/thinking.  There are many fallacies, and the most common have special names to help us remember them.  The idea that hypocrisy means a claim is wrong is one of those special fallacies.  It is called:

Tu Quoque

The Fallacy of Tu Quoque occurs in our reasoning if we conclude that someone’s argument not to perform some act must be faulty because the arguer himself or herself has performed it. Similarly, when we point out that the arguer doesn’t practice what he or she preaches, and then suppose that there must be an error in the preaching for only this reason, then we are reasoning fallaciously and creating a Tu Quoque. This is a kind of Ad Hominem Circumstantial Fallacy.

Example:

Look who’s talking. You say I shouldn’t become an alcoholic because it will hurt me and my family, yet you yourself are an alcoholic, so your argument can’t be worth listening to.

Discovering that a speaker is a hypocrite is a reason to be suspicious of the speaker’s reasoning, but it is not a sufficient reason to discount it.

Therefore, being a hypocrite does not mean the things a person says are wrong.  So what does hypocrisy teach us if it doesn’t tell us that a person is wrong?  Simple: since hypocrisy is acting in a way different from what you claim to believe, hypocrisy is a good indication that a person doesn’t actually believe the things they say.  But that can also be a problem.  When you catch someone acting hypocritically, you have to find out if it is accidental, or intentional.

If a person claims that slavery is wrong, but they advocate the virtues of socialism, they are being a hypocrite.  This is because socialism is based on the use of government force to take from one and give to another.  By definition, this is theft.  But the person who says theft is wrong may not understand socialism is theft.  If you explain it to them and they acknowledge socialism is theft and they reverse their position and start to oppose socialism, then that person is showing they actually believe theft is wrong.  However, if you explain that socialism is theft and the person refuses to acknowledge this and reverse their position on socialism, then that means they do not really believe theft is wrong.  If this is the case, you have more questions you need to answer.

First, you have to make sure this person is not confused.  Such a person may be rationalizing their defense of socialism, or they may be re-defining theft to suit their own purposes (another fallacy).  If so, this is cognitive dissonance: the holding of two opposing or contradicting views and believing both to be true at the same time.  If this is the case, you have to find out if this is due to ignorance, mental defect or agenda.  If you try to explain how and why they are wrong and they do not understand, then they may not have the mental faculties to understand.  This could be due to mental or emotional defect or a conscious choice to disconnect from objective reality.  You’ll have to make that determination yourself.  However, if you explain the faulty reasoning and they do not change their position(s), then this is a strong indication that you are most likely dealing with someone who has a secret agenda.  In other words, they are lying to you for their own purposes.  Once again, you’ll have to make your own determination, but if you decide a person is lying to you, do not ignore the implications — because this person’s actions are admitting the deception is intentional.

[OTHER EXAMPLES: the people who claim to be opposing racism by advocating ‘affirmative action’ are acting hypocritically.  The same for those who push ‘Black Lives Matter’ while opposing ‘ALL Live Matter.’  Those who disapprove when a baker or pizza shop owner do not want to serve people with whom they disagree on religious grounds, yet they applaud when performers cancel their concerts over a law passed by the people of a given State: those people are acting hypocritically.  In all such cases, these people either do not understand how and why they are wrong or, especially in case of the leadership behind these movements, they are acting on a secret agenda.]

This is why hypocrisy is part of Natural Law: it acts as an indicator that someone may not understand or believe what they are saying.  In other words, it is a special form of contradiction; and contradiction is an inherent part of logic (which is definitely part of Natural Law).  When you encounter hypocrisy, you have to decide whether the person is ignorant, mentally incapable of understanding or advancing a secret agenda — then act accordingly.  But whatever you do, you should not ignore the indicator.  When people ignore such indicators, it opens the door to those hidden agendas.  Depending on what level they reside, that can lead to personal or national or even global catastrophe.  It is why Natural Law gives warnings: so we can recognize what is happening and act to avoid and/or prevent the consequences (to read my companion post on the Spiritual aspects of this subject, please click here).

[NOTE: I no longer think of my voice as anything special.  There was a time when I believed I had something important to say, but not so much these days.  I write now because I feel driven to do so.  Something inside me will not let me rest until I post the pages you just read.  I’d just as soon not bother anymore.  It all seems like no one is listening and I do more harm than good.  So I have come to trust that whatever it is driving me has all this under control.  Personally, I believe it is God, but others may not.  All I ask is that, if anything I write helps you, or you think it might help others in any way, please, share this page.  Re-blog it, share it on FB or send the link to your friends.  So long as you feel it will do more good than harm, then please, use this page however you wish.  Thank you.]

I stumbled across this meme on Face Book and found myself wondering: “How many people realize that there is one violation of Natural Law represented here, and both sides are equally guilty?”

To me, the implication is that the we are suppose to have less sympathy for the people at the top of the meme than for those at the bottom.  This may be the politically correct way of looking at this issue, but it goes against the principles of Natural Law.

Under Natural Law, all persons are supposed to be treated equally under the law.  Therefore, when the law is perverted for the personal gain of another, it represents a violation of the Social Contract.  It does not matter what form the perversion may take: perversion is still perversion.  Therefore, whether it is a businessman corrupting the law for his gain, or a group voting to have a law passed that benefits them over others, the law is perverted because it no longer treats all citizens equally.  In effect, what this meme represents is the creation of ‘special’ classes of citizen, both of which are using the government to forcibly take from others and give to themselves.  When you boil it all down, it means everyone in this meme is using the government o commit theft, and that is a blatant violation of Natural Law.

And to those who may think they are excused because of ‘entitlements,’ such as Social Security: under Natural Law, there is no such thing as an ‘entitlement.’  Anything the government gives must be taken — by force — from another.  Not only is this theft, it also places the government in a position of war with the person who is having his property taken.  Even Social Security is built upon the backs of others.  It is a Ponzi scheme and cannot be supported unless people pay in more than they will ever receive.  This is the only way people who never pay in can receive money, or people can receive more than they pay in to the system.  In all cases, this is theft and a violation of Natural Law.

So, while it may appeal to those who are benefiting from the corruption, everyone in this meme is guilty of violating the Social Contract, and that undermines the fabric of society — the very thing the Social Contract exists to guard against. (You can find a parallel post dealing with this same subject from the position of Scripture here.)

[NOTE: I no longer think of my voice as anything special.  There was a time when I believed I had something important to say, but not so much these days.  I write now because I feel driven to do so.  Something inside me will not let me rest until I post the pages you just read.  I’d just as soon not bother anymore.  It all seems like no one is listening and I do more harm than good.  So I have come to trust that whatever it is driving me has all this under control.  Personally, I believe it is God, but others may not.  All I ask is that, if anything I write helps you, or you think it might help others in any way, please, share this page.  Re-blog it, share it on FB or send the link to your friends.  So long as you feel it will do more good than harm, then please, use this page however you wish.  Thank you.]

If you follow this blog, you may have noticed I’ve not had much to say the past several weeks, and when I did write, my posts were getting off the stated purpose of this blog.  I apologize for this.  The truth is, I have been struggling, and I started to use the blog to vent.  Well, the Lord has made it clear to me that this is not acceptable.  This is His blog: I am just the scribe (but no, I do not think I am a prophet — just a scribe and nothing more).  I have been watching what is happening in this world and turning more and more to Scripture for my refuge.  As I study God’s Word, I find peace, but I also find I feel less like writing.  This comes from a sense of true, sincere humility.  As I realize how flawed I am, I think: “Who am I to tell others how to think or act?”  But the Lord has hold of me.  When I need encouragement, He sends someone to tell me my words have meaning for them and their life.  When this happens, I think: “If He has deemed me worthy of delivering His message to others, who am I to question Him?”  When I resist and rebel, He consumes me like a fire from within until I obey and write what He commands.  At times like this, I know what it was like for Jonah.  So, either way, I am compelled to continue writing.  But more than this, the Lord has let me know that I must write more — only I must stay away from my personal thoughts about narrow issues and focus on sharing what He has taught me about the bigger picture.  My job is to share my insights into principles and ideals and leave the rest to Him.  As I said, He is teaching me, and this includes teaching me to trust.

Therefore, in an attempt to be obedient, I have purged a number of my recent posts.  Anything that struck me as strictly political has been purged.  Going forward, I will be more active on this blog, but I will also try to be more focused.  My goal is to focus only on sharing what I have been shown concerning the principles and ideals underlying the central purpose of this page.  If I do this, I am confident that whatever message I am supposed to deliver will be received by whomever it is intended to be read.  I pray this is you, and that — somehow — my obedience will bless you and your family.