June 28, 2009:

Ponderings of a Pilgrim PASTOR

“Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina”

            What exquisite irony!  After going AWOL for seven days, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford admitted this past Wednesday that he had flown off to Argentina to visit a woman with whom he had been having a long-term affair.  Wiping away tears at the (by-now) obligatory press conference, Sanford acknowledged that “I’ve been unfaithful to my wife,” and ruminated aloud on God’s law, moral absolutes and following one’s heart.  He said he had spent the last five days “crying in Argentina,” though exactly for what wasn’t clear.  As is all-too-common in political marriages, his wife has decided to take him back.

            Lest I be accused of “schadenfreude,” the German word for taking pleasure in someone else’s pain, let me remind you that this is the same man who voted in favor of three of four articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton, citing the need for “moral legitimacy.”  Governor Sanford seems unlikely to resign.  Can you spell “hypocrisy?”

            Let’s be clear:  we have a right to expect moral and ethical behavior from our political (and other) leaders.  We have a right to judge what Dr. King called “the content of (their) character.”  But to judge fairly is not judgmentalism.  The judgmental hypocrite points the finger of blame at others while conveniently overlooking his or her own moral and ethical lapses.  All such criticism  —  justified or not  —  directed toward other people should be done in a spirit of loving concern both for them and the organizations they serve.

            Of all the sins we human beings are guilty, Jesus was hardest on hypocrisy.  As he taught, the hypocrite is doing the same or similar things that he or she is railing against and that undercuts any claims to moral perfection.  And, by the way, any political party searching for perfect moral people to be its candidates is in for a big disappointment.

Love,

Pastor Dave