Interesting read. Scary, but...interesting.
If these things didn’t matter, why would hypocrisy matter either? It would be like hypocrisy in your taste for pie, arguing for chocolate while secretly preferring vanilla custard. The whole liberal laugh and point “argument” collapses upon itself.
Oh, and any government this side of glory is going to be composed of, by very definition, sinners. If we specially despise Sanford, can it partly be because he is a mirror of us, in our thoughts if not our acts? The biblical story of Solomon is an extreme cautionary tale. He asked God for great wisdom to govern the people, but apparently forgot to ask God for wisdom to govern himself. The result, the smartest Old Testament government that Israel ever had, but also a consummate womanizer who even stooped to pagan idol sacrifices to please his paramours.
I still like Sanford. The Dems have their rascals and we have ours. Sanford is 100x better than a Democrat governor
His final lines wrap it up. It's a good article.
I would not call our politicians our "high priests", but I get his point. Our leaders are betraying us by their behavior.
Conservatives do advocate faith, family, independence, morality, etc. Yet, as Christians, we know that human nature is inherently sinful. We know these men will fall. Without abusing grace, the hope of Christianity is that even sin in Christians can be forgiven. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
As Christians the danger is twofold: one can promote the legal and to forget the reality of sinful flesh, or one can wax long on God's mercy to sinners and forget God's standards. On the one hand, we'll end up with a hypocritical, legalistic position. On the other hand, we'll end up with a hypocritical, licentious position. One loses in either case.
Christians recognize that the Holy Spirit empowers perseverence. They recognize that the point is not to take advantage of God's grace, but to hope in it as they set about in God's power to pursue the high calling of God, not as if they were already perfect, but humbly and with admission of God's help and forgiveness.
That is possible in the Church, but it is not possible with the political world. Leaders in the political world in an age of mass media must admit that their public image is a real thing that will either help them or hurt them. When they enter that arena, they are to be -- at least during the time of their tenure -- above reproach. That is what they agree to when they seek higher office.
Given human nature, it is best for any aspirant to be brutally honest about his/her past and strength for the future. If there is weakness, then they should not seek a first term in office or ensuing terms if human nature begins to rear its ugly head in the midst of someone's term.
Sanford can certainly be forgiven, but his political career is over. Had he been honest and wise, he would have stepped aside before his most recent campaign for office. He knew then that his human nature had begun causing difficulty.
In the long run it's probably best that we have conservative leaders who are not lifetime politicians, and who serve only for a period of time. I don't think the Founders envisioned the nation run by a class of professional politicians.
This guy completely nailed it. What a well written article.
I don’t always think that cheating on a spouse necessarily ends a political career. It is a personal failing that in many, many cases is forgiven by the one who was cheated on. In this case, however, the behavior was just plain bizarre. He went out of his way to embarrass himself and his wife.
Corrupt conservatives; Sanctimonious hypocrites on the right dishonor faith, family and freedom
The difference is that with the republican people at least, they accept the fact that allhuman are sinners and we get rid of the hypocrites and move on. While on the ohter side,the democrats seem to promote w=fromwithin based on the largest number of sins committed.
Wouldn’t it be kind of interesting if we were to find out Sanford’s mistress was paid to seduce him?
George Washington should remain the standard for our presidency. Competence and moral judgment are not mutually exclusive.
Democrats seek power over moral character. Look at their politicians and see where that leads.
Without a doubt our downfall is not an exclusive result or condition of the Democrats. Communism perhaps but not of just the Democrats. If we have any hope or chance of coming out of this we must get rid of the R/D dynamic, the MSM dictating and Marxism them permeates almost all aspects of our society. Our churches included.
Is the conservative movement rotten to its core?
Why would one think other wise? And may-be this is one of the reasons the pubis can’t fight the demis because of their on guilt ????
Great. A right-leaning newspaper savaging a leading conservative. Gee, when’s the last time the leftist media savaged a Democrat? And some of us continue to wonder why a nation that’s 40% conservative is being savaged by a 20% minority of leftist freaks.
What did Reagan say about publicly criticizing one of our own?
Corrupt Liberals: John Edwards (d) has "love child"
Charlie Rangel (d) caught in fraud scheme
William Jefferson (d) caught with cash in freezer
Millons of campaign donations for Hussein (d) possibly came from China
I could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on, but have other things to do today.
Can’t get enough of the Sanford crap fest....jeez, FR/TMZ, where are the 24 & 7 sleaz stories about the friggn’ Rat slimes?
Mark Sanford is done, as it should be, he will answer to his constituents. That is the stark difference between a conservative voter and a liberal voter, as they will not knowingly continue to re-elect liars, thieves, cheaters, and murderers. Democrat voters make excuses for, overlook and admire their lowlifes. Barney Frank and Teddy Kennedy are long term prime examples.
Just because we know what’s right doesn’t mean that we always do what’s right. That’s called sin.
Just because we sin doesn’t mean that we’re relieved of our obligation to defend what is right. Rather, our continued obligations to defend what is right should help bring us to repentance.
Mr. Sanford did what was wrong, and he knew it. His sins didn’t relieve him of his obligation to distinguish between right and wrong, and to defend the right. Rather, his continued responsibilities should weigh on him to impel him to seek forgiveness and firm purpose of amendment in his life.