It’s in Our DNA

When the topic of hypocrisy is broached, everyone’s favorite targets are politicians. Maybe the, say one thing but do the opposite breed is much maligned because they accurately reflect, “We the people,” and our true nature.  I’m sure by now many of you are thinking, “That’s not right, or he doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” so let me offer a few examples.

Occasionally while boarding a plane to return home from a job I’ll spot a man dressed all in black and sporting what’s known as a Roman collar sitting in the First-Class cabin sipping his glass of wine or maybe a mixed drink. In my mind, I want to reach over and hand him my ticket which is for a middle seat in row 27. When he looks up at me befuddled, I explain, “I didn’t take a vow of poverty but I know you did since you are a Roman Catholic Priest, so I believe you’re in my seat.”  Of course, that doesn’t happen and I trundle off to the rear of the economy class and settle into my middle seat, making us both hypocrites’.

In an attempt to keep things balanced, Protestants are equally hypocritical. Lakewood Church in Houston occupies a building that can house over 16,000 people. During the 2017 flood “Mattress Mike” a Houston businessman opened his furniture stores to give shelter to the displaced residents. Several days after the flooding began to subside, and under constant criticism from the press, Pastor Joel Olsteen unlocked the church’s doors. Today Olsteen continues to preach the gospel and collect millions of dollars from his over 45,000 parishioners. My question is, who’s the biggest hypocrite, Olsteen for not practicing what he preaches or the congregation for continuing to pour money into his coffers?

Okay, if we take religion and politics off the table because no one can agree on them, what else shall we discuss; how about causes? One perennial topic is the Right to Life or Pro-life movement. Many protests are organized and laws are passed in an attempt to circumvent the Roe V Wade ruling and some people are intensely passionate about the issue. My question is, why does the passion evaporate after the child is born? We now have a child born to parents that, for a myriad of reasons, don’t want or are unable to care for it. A grandparent, great grandparent, or some other relative is forced to step up and raise the child. If this doesn’t happen the infant is enrolled in the system and sent to an institution or placed into foster care. To me, Pro-life should be advocating for facilities that will provide more than a roof and three meals a day. Why are the activists not marching for the whole package instead of one small portion? Unfortunately, the answer is people are only interested in short term goals, not long-term solutions. The next time you’re looking at a picture of a Pro-life rally see if you can find a sign that proclaims, Build Better Orphanages!

Too polarizing an issue for this discussion, then let’s pick something we can all agree on, help for recovering addicts and the mentally ill. Everyone agrees these people need treatment and a facility to help them transition back into society, a halfway house for lack of a better phrase. As most of us can agree on the need, then I have a way to help. I propose that when we take over the sales center it gets converted to a transition home for those in need, or maybe use the golf club, it’s larger and can house more individuals. Oh, what’s that your saying, such a place should exist just not in my back yard, NIMBY for short.

Like I said in the beginning, we’re all hypocrites’, it’s in our DNA.