The Offense of Religious Hypocrisy

In the Gospels our Lord makes repeated reference to the call of disciples to be a light to the world (Mt 5:14-16). He speaks of salt which, when it loses its saltiness, is not even worthy of the dunghill (Mt 5:13). Those in the world who are not believers may be blind, but they are not dumb, and Jesus affords them this merit, "for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light" (Lk 16:8). He calls followers of the Way to perfection (Mt 5:48).

People hate what they do not know. The world hates the Faith not because it is false, but because there is a latent suspicion that it is, in fact, true. But for those in the world who suspect and can admit that it may, in fact, be true, the Faith is also despised when it does not live up to what it claims to be. This is the essence of religious hypocrisy, which deserves the scorn it earns for itself in the eyes of believers and non-believers alike. Why?

The Pharisees of Jesus' day exemplified this religious hypocrisy in that they sit on the chair of Moses but "they say and do not do" (Mt 23:3). Jesus' entire life was one of spiritual integrity, as he was not compromised by sin, which scandalizes the Church, as well as believer and non-believers alike. "Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh" (Mt 18:7)

What does it mean for a believer to live with integrity? They stand behind their word; their yes means yes, and their no means no (Mt 5:37). For those who believe, they act as if they believe. It is the challenge to "be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect."

And yet the tension exists that we are in fact not perfect. Religious hypocrisy is made manifest when Christians claim to be good but do not in fact live up the standard they profess. Spiritual integrity, on the other hand "delights in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties" because it is in this that God's glory is made known (2 Cor 12:9). Those who claim to be perfect and sinless are liars and make the Lord a liar (1 Jn 1:10). But those who know their weakness and yet strive for perfection against the bonds of concupiscence at least have integrity in the admission of faults. The solution to religious hypocrisy is humility, the cornerstone of all virtues, and integrity of word and deed.

You can tell someone has integrity when you look them in the eye. When a believer stands on conviction, they are not a "man of two minds, who doubts" (Ja 1:8), but one who is willing to go his death unwavering, even when challenged. He is steadfast and firm, speaking the truth in love, regardless of the cost. Even among non-believers, this can earn respect.

Religious hypocrisy, on the other hand, deserves no respect. It is inconsistent, inauthentic, hollow. It permits figures like Ghandi to be able to proclaim, "I like your Christ, but not your Christianity." 

When Christians claim to serve a God of love but do not love others themselves, they fuel the animus and provide evidence to the prosecutors that Christianity, in fact, cannot be true. When they claim moral superiority in sexual ethics and fail to live up to them themselves, they fill those who view their actions (and who are sometimes victims themselves at their hand) with disgust and revulsion. When we get drunk on Saturday night and sit with hands folded in the pew on Sunday morning, what does that say to those outside the church looking in who we ourselves are judging? When Jesus calls us to love and serve the poor and we live high on the hog ourselves, we fail to do as he commands and cause non-believers to doubt our motives. 

Religious hypocrisy and lukewarmness are bedfellows. And what does the scripture say of the lukewarm, those neither hot nor cold? "He vomits them from his mouth" (Rev 3:16). He would rather us be one or the other! (Rev 3:15). 

As the abortion debate ramps up, Christians will have the opportunity to speak the truth in charity, and suffer for it. They will have the opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. The worst thing he can do in those instances is be mealy-mouthed or tepid. But he must also rise above the animus of the world, the demonic vitriol which coats his face with the flecks of bloodthirstiness, and take his beating as Christ did at the pillar and in the shadow of the judgement before the Sanhedrin. Do not give ammunition to the ungodly. He must not be intimidated, but give witness. 

Can you blame the world for not being converted when we ourselves fail so often to live out our calling? "When he comes, he will convict the world of its sin" (Jn 16:8). No one escapes this terrible judgement except those who repent, cast themselves on the mercy of God, and amend their lives, producing for the divine court the evidence of their scars which the world will inflict upon them for the sake of the Truth.