I have a theory to explain these hypocritical family values politicians.

[ginnyinWI]

Or to be precise, why any Christians with power get in trouble with sex scandals. And it's this: Christianity as we practice it in Fundie circles in this country set too high a standard. Naturally most fail to measure up, and feel bad. So they learn to live a double life--one for show, and one that includes all the bad stuff.

Then the Christian family values type of Fundie gets himself some power--either he's the head of a big church, or he's elected to office, or attains some other position of wealth or power. He wants to have fun with that power, so he keeps the public image and does it in private, and since his conscience is seared through years of such hypocritical living, he can do it with relative ease. All he has to do is think up some excuses for his behavior and tell them to himself.

This is in contrast to a non-Christian who still believes in having good moral values and strives to live that way. He has no double life because living that way is his reward. It's the way he's freely chosen to live. He has no feeling that he's a miserable failure because he believes that people are basically good rather than sinful. Instead he has that belief in the goodness of humans to live up to. He is also very uncomfortable with any kind of lying or hypocrisy in his life because he's lived an open and honest life, having no reason to put up a false front. It doesn't matter whether he attains power or not--he's the same guy with the same values. He sees himself as equal to the next guy and doesn't get all arrogant from his success.

Not saying only those on the right get into trouble morally. It's just explains why they do, contrary to all appearances or expectations.

I was a part of the Christian Fundie community once so I know something about this.

[atreides1]

1. All anyone can do, Is the best that they can

If God had wanted perfect, we wouldn't have free will.

[Ian David]

7. Oh, come on. These guys aren't even TRYING.

We're not talking about momentary lapses in judgment or being "weak."

This is their CHOSEN LIFESTYLE and the LOVE IT until they get CAUGHT.

They just god-wash themselves as part of their cover.

[mitchum]

10. I love that phrase "god-wash"

Thanks

[FiveGoodMen]

13. If 'God' wanted free will, he wouldn't have condemned EVERYONE for a single mistake.

[ejpoeta]

2. i think the problem is that they focus too much on trying to tell everyone else what they should and

shouldn't do and pass judgement on others instead of worrying about their own problems.... in some cases it's like they go after everyone else in a kind of compensate for their own feelings or urges and think that trying to fix everyone else will somehow fix themselves.... this is a strategy due to failure.

[Fresh_Start]

3. they are not setting too high a standard

I'd argue that its they set the standard too low

Nice to blame temptation, the devil, worldly ills instead of taking complete and utter responsibility for their vile actions.

[Progressive_In_NC]

4. It's simply gotcha journalism

For every one of these idiots the media reports on; there are countless others out there who love their wives and kids and will go to work 60 hours a week for 30 years. We just never hear about those types, they are too busy making the economy run and putting in time at the church making the soup for the homeless shelter or fixing the roof of a poor widow who can't afford it.

I am one of those guys, not a fundy mind you but very much committed to my beliefs. You are also correct though that there are thousands upon thousands of folks who are not religious who behave the same way i do.

I personally think it's programmed into the person and broken people run and hide in the church. It's going to come to the surface sometime, when is the only question.

[condoleeza]

8. You're right, it's going to come to the surface

problem is that religion sets the broken people up with the promises of forgiveness and the people who are traumatized by others- or have traumatized others - often think that confessing to God, giving it up to God, is going to make it go away. They forget the whole "making it right with those they have harmed" part and they blame themselves when they can't forgive those they have harmed.

Religion certainly attracts the broken, it also gives them an easy out - blame it on the devil, ask God for forgiveness - the serial sinners do this all the time. I've tried to get my family to talk about this, so that the sick cycle our family has been in for nearly 80 years could be broken - it was pointless - most of them prefer to give it to God rather than actually make an attempt to understand how we ended up like this - generations of suicide, addiction, abuse. I've given up.

[ginnyinWI]

15. "broken people run and hide in the church."

I do believe that's true. And if they don't address their problems and dysfunctional behavior but just smooth it all over with ideas of forgiveness and trying to be "good" in the future, they pass it on to their kids. Not a good situation. Everyone trying to act one way on the outside and being a whole different way behind closed doors.

One woman I knew came from a very strict fundamentalist background (small-town Iowa). She married a guy who came to religion later and though he was sincere, he was raised differently and they clashed on a lot of issues like child-raising. "My parents always did it this way..." was what she often said. After about 20 years the marriage cracked up in a very nasty divorce. She refused to take any responsibility for any problems and blamed him for everything. She was right, after all, so why should she apologize or change in any way whatsoever? Rigid and unable to admit to any failure. It's been about 15 years and she's still single.

Why are these people like this? Why must they cling so fiercely to the illusion that they are blameless? From childhood up, they learn to blame other people and other reasons for everything, because they must be, they need to think of themselves as "good". It's the opposite of the example Jesus set for us--to be tolerant and forgive others because we know we are also imperfect and make mistakes.

edited to add: To show how extreme this thinking goes, she even once blamed the cat for getting locked in a shed while they went camping for several days. Poor thing was okay but very hungry and thirsty when they got back. "Well he shouldn't have gone in there!", was all she said, not "oh we should have checked to see where he was before we left." That would have been impossible--to admit even a small mistake.

[condoleeza]

5. You said that beautifully

I was projecting what my theory would be while reading this and you said exactly what I was thinking. My extended Christian Fundie family is a mess of drug abuse, knocked up daughters, affairs and incest. Us younger/atheist kids in the family who rejected religion early have all raised children who have graduated college and are contributing to the world. I could write a book about the rest and their "cost to society".

[kctim]

6. Lust is as much human nature as is greed

and is why do as I say, not as I do, is the prevailing mantra of both.
That is why the perverted fundie is no different than the rich liberal. They are both hypocrites who don't really care about those they preach too.

[mitchum]

9. Religious grifting is as old as religion itself

In fact, it is religion

[FiveGoodMen]

14. Got that right!

:toast:

[Echo In Light]

11. That, and vipers know how to carefully choose their various guises

Bible, flag, and "protecting the children."

[wilt the stilt]

12. I think it is basically selfishness

There are two issues going on in their minds. Deep down they know it's wrong but they put themselves first. they need to satisfy themselves. so when it is all said and done they actually don't know right from wrong. That is why most of them support O'Reilly. A guy who sexually harassed a women.