Monday, 08 February 2010
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Are All Christians Hypocrites?
For many unbelievers, the term “Christian hypocrite” is a redundancy –- “All Christians are hypocrites.” And they’re right, if by hypocrite they mean one who sometimes fails to live up to the ideals they espouse. Then again, a great many people fall into that category, Christian or not.As long as you stand for nothing, you’ll never be called a hypocrite. You’ll never be called courageous either. The higher your standards, the more difficult it is to live by them, and Jesus set the highest standard imaginable. It’s no wonder we can do nothing apart from His grace and power.
I think Christians get singled out because they are viewed as meddlers, always focused on what others are doing wrong. That’s a good point. Jesus told us how to avoid the accusation of hypocrite: Stop looking at specks when you have a plank of your own. It’s about loving and sharing the good news of God’s love, not criticizing bad behavior.
Having said that, I think the term hypocrite is definitely over-applied to Christians. After all, every time I get out of my car and walk into the church building I’m making a public admission that I need help; I can’t do it alone. I need Jesus and the fellowship of other believes to keep me on track. I don’t go there for my health -- well, sometimes I do! -- I go there to find strength in my weakness.
So yes, like anyone who stands for anything, I am sometimes a hypocrite. The only thing worse than admitting it is denying it, Christian or not.
Does the label “hypocrite” bother you? Do you think there is a difference between a hypocrite and someone who occasionally fails?
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- From: CitizenDon@xanga
- Name: Don
- About Me: Christian
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Comments (31)
I think that a lot of Christians make the mistake of "acting Christian" instead of Christ-like. They get stuck in the Christian sub-culture and completely separate themselves from non-Christians. It's much easier for someone to accuse you of being a hypocrite when they can't relate to you at all. When you're so worried about looking good that you don't even have conversations with non-Christians about how you struggle or how God is helping you, or how you're crying out for help, then of course they are going to see it when you struggle and go-- "Oh, they act so righteous, but look, they're just like me."
I know that I'm a hypocrit a lot. But I know God forgives me and loves me, and all I can do it try harder to live my life for Christ!
I think the term hypocrite means that on Sunday in church, Christians worship, pray, helping others, etc. However going back to weekdays, they becomes indistinguishable to non-Christians, even worse. Sometimes they are also called "Sunday Christians".
A hyprocrite is not someone who says that sin is wrong, but sins anyway. a hyprocrite is someone that says sin is wrong for you, but okay for me. keeping that in mind, all christians are not hypocrits.
I think hypocrisy is only a horrible label if it's used to undermine, deceitfully obtain, or if it's used out of any ill-begotten thought or intention. Like you mentioned, if someone is genuine and honest, hypocrisy is merely a fading attribute that'll be released upon completion or maturity of the individual in that certain aspect of their life.
thank you for posting. "The only thing worse than admitting it is denying it, Christian or not" -- awesome.
i think the reason Christians get singled out so much in this society, well apart from the fact that most ppl here are Christian (or some form thereof) is that Christians have a tendancy to to say " we all sin and we're are all imperfect. but, since i've accepted jesus, i am saved while you haven't so you are not. i go to heaven and you go to hell".
@NotWhereIThought@xanga - I have to slightly disagree. I think the reason is that most people in America claim to be Christian while having no idea what it really means and it having no effect on their life.
i really like this post!
I'm one of those people who tend to call most Christians hypocrites.
That's going off into another rant, sorry. >.<You know why?
It's not because I don't respect their belief, It's not because I don't acknowledge that people fail. Because IF someone fails, It's okay.
I call most that because of my personal experience with them.
The one's I have come in contact with preach to me about "God's love & How you need to worship him and all his wishes"
1. Uhm, I choose not to. Please stop trying to make me.
Anyway, I find most Christians to be a hypocrite because as I said, they preach to me one thing, BUT then they deliberately go and do exactly what they told me not to do.
They want me to have respect for their religion and accept it, yet they don't accept my beliefs?
I find those things to be hypocritical, Wouldn't you?
Christian hypocrisy could easily be taken care of if most Christians would just stop to think before they act or speak. when the most Christ-like people i know have absolutely no religious affiliation whatsoever... well, in the words of the internet, you're doing it wrong.
as someone who turned her life around completely without the help of any faith, i have some bad news for those who think they can't ever live up to their own standards: it's really not hard... and if you think it is, i sincerely don't believe you're putting in much effort. that's perhaps what makes me think of Christian hypocrites the most: those who criticize others (even non-Christians!) for not being good enough... but the second they mess up, all they can say is, "Jesus loves me anyway! I'm forgiven!!" i do believe in moral relativism...... i don't judge others by whether they can live up to my standards, but whether they can live up to their own. and i won't lie, and it's hard for me to have respect for those who can't.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - you always make the best points. seriously.
Some people believe that Jesus coined the term "hypocrite" as it is used in our culture. At the time, it was simply an actor. I don't think everyone is a hypocrite, or else Jesus' use of the term to describe the religious leaders of his day loses a lot of meaning. If it simply means someone who isn't perfect, then of course we're all hypocrites. Yet Jesus directed the term towards a specific group of people. People who intentionally put on a show while secretly had no intention of living up to their ideals. I don't think everyone is a hypocrite - I believe the term should be reserved not for those who fail, but for those who have no intention to live up to what they preach.
@foxes_have_holes@xanga - thanks :) this issue is just something i struggle with constantly.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - I agree with this.
There's a verse in the Bible, and I can't remember where it is if someone wants to jump in and tell me. But basically it says that it's insulting to Jesus if we claim to be free of imperfections, because it was those exact inevitable imperfections that led to his sacrifice.
That being said, I don't find it hypocritical if a Christian notes your sins and tells you to repent, and how you can go about doing so. I know, we're all flawed so we have no right to judge. But there's a difference between judging and pointing out in order to help, and that's when the hypocrisy comes in. I guide people towards Jesus, knowing full well that I need his help just as much as anyone. But I'd never sit around and act like I'm perfect, and if you ever want to be as holy as me, you better accept Jesus.
I agree mostly. However, many Christians pretend like 'just attending mass on sunday' makes them Holier than Thou (pun intended! xD), and that they assume that they can forget about everything else the Bible teaches right after they walk out the Church doors.
The above definition that a hypocrite is one who fails to live up to their own standards means that ALL humans (except Christ) are hypocrites. Even a human that "has no standard". At some time, he or she will set a standard and then becomes a hypocrite.
There is a difference between failing and being a hypocrite but I'm glad that I posted a comment on another blog just a moment ago because I can just copy/paste it in answer to this post.
"I see people looking for this or that passage in the Bible to justify their beliefs which basically makes the Bible useless. Look at the Catholic church for example. It wasn't until the 1980s that the Vatican officially admitted and accepted that the world is not flat. Only a few months ago the Vatican stated that its followers should be open to the possibility of extraterrestrial life and also be more accepting of other faiths. I'm using the Vatican as an example but it's nice to see the Vatican trying to get out of the dark ages into reality but look at all the damage the catholic church has done to individuals and society over the centuries? People know a person is nuts if he says 1+1=173.5 but when it comes to religion that doesn't make sense it's "ooooh...can't say anything. freedom of religion and all of that crap". I'm sorry but the world was round millions of years before the Vatican accepted that simple fact."
Believing the Earth is the center of the Universe and everything else revolves around our planet is ignorance. Preaching it as God's word is hypocrisy.
Take the issue of Wall Street banking. Several months ago the CEO of Goldman Sachs, one of the companies that used fraud and deception for the self interests of it's top brass, proclaimed "We're doing God's work." That's especially funny because if you work for a Wall Street firm you're not allowed to express religious beliefs in the workplace. If those hypocrisies aren't obvious enough, look at all the people who find Biblical passages to justify killing and war as opposed to those who use Biblical passages to justify pacifism. Same Bible. Opposite beliefs. History is stained with the blood of soldiers who kill and are killed, all thinking God is on their side.
@deepestrecesses - i'm not saying non-Christians have it perfectly. but failing to live up to your standards should never be acceptable. it should always be something you push yourself toward. and i find that some Christians use their faith as an excuse to no longer try.
Excellent post
Everyone has excellent points GOD IS GOOD to forgive us ALL
@TheSutraDude@xanga - Not all Christians are Catholic. You can't look at something the Vatican may or may not have said, and say that this is what all Christians believe. Personally, I'm not Catholic, and could care less what the smallest country in the world has to say about anything...
@FirstxChairxOrchxDork@xanga - I agree and I know all Christians are not Catholic. The Vatican is the smallest country in the world but btw also, last I checked, the wealthiest. I doubt it donated anything to bailout the economy though.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - I agree; do you think saying "Christians are hypocrites" is going to be in any way beneficial to the problem?
@deepestrecesses - if it snaps a Christian out of it, sure. but i figure that those who'd go on the defensive about it are the types who wouldn't change for anything less than Jesus himself appearing to them in a dream or something. some people just don't like change, and they don't like to be called out about asking others to make changes that they themselves don't even try. unlike God, i give an A+ for effort.
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - Well that is true, its not popular to call people out on things. I guess I've usually considered it more successful to address things like the individuals persons 'faith' and acceptance of the gospel rather than generalizing a group of people as hypocrites.