Eliot Spitzer and Barak Obama: Profiles in Hypocrisy

The recent revelations about the private life of ex-governor Eliot Spitzer and the recent revelations about the convictions of Barak Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright, have a common denominator: hypocrisy.

The whole Eliot Spitzer affair (no pun intended) is disappointing on several fronts. First, his professional reputation was made, among other things, by aggressively going after those involved in prostitution. To find out that he himself was involved in prostitution at that very time, is the height of hypocrisy. The public has a reasonable expectation that law enforcement officials who hold others to the law are doing so themselves. Spitzer has helped create the illusion that strong “law and order” type prosecutors are actually living outside the law themselves. A similar thing happens when some pastor who preaches strongly about sexual morality is himself a closet homosexual or serial adulterer. These kinds of events create the impression that no one really lives a moral life. It is an unusual application of the old rabbinic hermeneutical rubric that reasons from the harder case to the easier: “if it is not so in this case (and it should be), how much more is it not so in this case (where the expectation is not so high).” If even a prominent prosecutor, who more than the average person should be living a law abiding, moral life, does not, then how much more so should we expect that the average person does not live a law abiding, moral life.

Second, the Spitzer affair is painful on the personal front. Think of the shame that he has brought down upon his precious wife, a kind-hearted, Baptist, North Carolinian who has spent significant resources contributing to charity and teaching her daughters the importance of thinking of others. Did his wife really not know about his sexual escapades? If she didn’t know, she looks naïve and gullible; if she did know, she is a willing participant in the charade. What a sad situation to put one’s loved one in. Think of the shame he has brought upon his daughters, who will now forever be known as the daughter of a disgraced governor. Think of his wider family, his friends, his associates who believed in him and in what he was trying to do. These are all casualties of flawed moral decisions.

Finally, the Spitzer affair is saddening when you consider the individual, the man Eliot Spitzer. What was he thinking? What drives a man to engage in such reckless, self-destructive behavior? Sex? I suspect it was that, but also much more. There is something deep within, something deeply wrong, that drives a person to risk so much for so little. A bright future – possibly the first Jewish president, I heard one commentator say – has vanished amid the jokes of late night talk show hosts.

The whole Spitzer affair can be summarized in one word: hypocrisy.

How does all this bring us to the Obama / Wright issue? Because, at its core, the problem is the same: hypocrisy.

Obama has cast himself as a person who transcends race. Being half-white/half-black himself, he certainly appears to be uniquely positioned to give expression to the best hopes and dreams of our nation, that people of all racial groups can settle and live here together and lead productive, prosperous lives. Barak has tapped into that dream, that hope, the deeply held conviction that our country is profoundly good. Here we do not find a Jesse Jackson like candidate, who is angry, and so race conscious. Here we find someone who appeals to both black and white people of all socio-economic and political perspectives. Barak portrays an America we like.

The recent revelations about the theology, the racial perspective, and the political convictions of Barak’s pastor have destroyed all those hopes and dreams. Some have attempted to pass this off as something inconsequential, that Barak doesn’t really hold to every conviction of his pastor. I can understand that, and at first I was inclined to believe it. However, much more has come to light since the story broke. I didn’t know that Barak had attended this particular church for 20 years; I didn’t know that Wright did Barak and Michelle’s wedding; I didn’t know that Wright baptized the Obama’s daughters; I didn’t know that the title of one of Barak’s books came from a Wright sermon; I didn’t know that Barak considers Wright a mentor. When all this information came out, I was deeply discouraged. Barak’s association with Wright is clearly neither distant nor minimal. When we heard the excerpts from Wright’s sermons, we began to realize that our picture of Obama was untrue. Barak is an angry man. His wife is angry. His pastor is angry. The racial reconciliation that we thought Obama embodied was a charade. Just as with Eliot Spitzer, we can ask this: if genuine racial reconciliation has not taken place in this case (and we thought it had), how much more should we not expect it in other cases. Obama is a hypocrite.

A Liberal Converts to Conservatism

Read the article here, at, of all places, "The Village Voice." Playwrite David Mamet: I think he's in for a rude awakening, when he finds out how hateful people can be.

Bernard Lewis Interview

What we are facing now is the third major threat to the world. The first was Nazism, the second Bolshevism and now this. There are parallels. Germany is a great nation, and German patriotism is a perfectly legitimate expression of the pride and loyalty Germans have for their country. But Nazism was a monstrous perversion of that and a curse to the Germans, as well as a threat to the rest of the world.

The aspiration for social betterment and social justice is very noble. But Bolshevism was a monstrous perversion of that, as well as a curse to Russia and a threat to the rest of the world.

Now we have a third similar situation. Islam is one of the great religions that sponsored one of the greatest civilizations in human history. But it has fallen into the hands of a group of people who are the equivalent of the Nazis and the Bolsheviks. They are a curse to their own people, as well as a threat to the rest of the world.

Here's the link.

British-born Bernard Lewis, renowned Arabist (and Jew!), was professor at Princeton. An interesting interview.

Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem

A terrible terrorist attack occured today in West Jerusalem, in the area of Kiryat Moshe. Here are some important links to the story.

The seminary itself.

The wikipedia entry.

Blog coverage.

More blog coverage.

A Jerusalem Post article.

The BBC article.

FOXNews coverage.

UPDATE:

More BBC reporting here.

An article in Int'l Herald Trib.

Response from Hamas.

Graphic photos.

Take the Hermeneutics Quiz!

I'm a "conservative" (surprise!). How do my former students score? Here's the link. (Hit the "take assessment" button.)

More News about Barak H. Obama

Evangelicals for Barak H. Obama? See more discussion about the Democrat "wunderkind," BHO. See the post by Justin Taylor. He has some good discussion of Evangelicals and BHO.

The Real Barak H. Obama

Here's a helpful column which tells us a little more about the likely Democratic candidate for President of the United States. We don't know much, that is for sure, but this column helps elucidate a few things about his voting record.

Anglican Realignment Videos

Here is a great set of YouTube videos explaining the current situation facing the world-wide Anglican communion, and specifically the Diocese of New Westminster (the Vancouver, BC. area). Here's a handy collection of links to the videos. The videos are in 10 parts: parts 1-5 and 10 are an interview with Rev David Short, Rector of St. John's Shaughnessy, a congregation which recently voted to separate from the local Diocese and to align itself with an alternative pastoral oversight; parts 6-9 are an interview with Dr. J.I. Packer, famous evangelical theologian. I found the discussions with Rev Short to be very informative concerning the current situation, especially from an historical and political perspective, whereas the discussions with Dr. Packer are more basic and theological. If you attend an Anglican/Episcopal church, or have any interest in global Christianity, this is an important issue, and I recommend that you watch all these videos.

Ben Stein's Movie

Check out the trailer of a new movie involving Ben Stein. Here's the link. It is called "Expelled," and it has to do with Intelligent Design. I love the scene of Stein writing on the blackboard, "Do not question authority; Do not question Darwinism." Naughty boy!

Good News from Iraq

The never-ending narrative of defeat in Iraq from the Democrats is impervious to reality. Read the recent column from Charles Krauthammer.

Here's how the column ends, with a telling question:

Imagine the transformative effects in the region, and indeed in the entire
Muslim world, of achieving a secure and stable Iraq, friendly to the United
States and victorious over al-Qaeda. Are the Democrats so intent on denying George Bush retroactive vindication for a war they insist is his
that they would deny their own country a now-achievable victory?

This is why a Democrat in the WH is so depressing. They care more about hating GWB than about their own country winning. That is sad.

Obama-Mania!

So, you thought I was a bit out of control in my comments about BO? Read the most recent column from that source of calm sagacity, Charles Krauthammer. Here's the link.

UPDATE:

Now Drudge reports that BO's campaign is suffering from fainting fits! See here.

Which American President are You Like?

Ha! I answered 78% like Theodore Roosevelt (Ronald Reagan was a close second at 72%). I was LEAST like Harry Truman, Thomas Jefferson, and FDR.

Take the quiz here.

Political Comments as of Mid-February

Well, I am surprised by several things. First, I am amazed that Huckabee has lasted as long as he has. I would have listed him as one of the first to go, but he has stayed the course. I am surprised at the level of support he enjoys, despite being a former clergyman. Perhaps this is an indication of how weak the choices are. For so many Repubs to give him their support, they must be trying to say something.

Second, I'm surprised at how tough a time Hillary is having. I thought she would be a shoe-in among the Dems, and in fact, would prefer her to BO (see below). Maybe it was just a matter of time until people wisened up about her.

Third, I am surprised that McCain is our man. I really thought Romney was the best qualified and that he would win the nomination. I am quite lukewarm about Mac; he has stuck his finger in the eye of the Republican party so many times that I am not eager to reward him with a national nomination. He is a departure from the legacy of Reagan, and will take the party to the left, no question.

Fourth, I am surprised at, and a bit concerned about, the level of support for BO. He certainly seems like a nice man, but many of his policies are simply non-starters. His radical pro-abortion position is unthinkable, but his policy to withdraw US troops immediately from Iraq is insane. It would be like Harry Truman deciding the war in Europe "isn't worth American lives" and starting to pull "our boys" out of Europe in the summer of 1945. BO seems to me naive about the conflict in the Middle East. Even if he wins the presidency, I suspect those who know better than he does will have a serious sit-down heart-to-heart with him and he will begin to "see the light." "We can end a war" is perhaps the most naive thing I've heard a politician say in years. I also suspect many will be voting for him BECAUSE he's AfAm, not because they agree with, or even know, his policies.

I'm concerned about the level of hysteria in his supporters. The pictures of his rallies are filled with glassy-eyed, almost mesmerized, young people. I am worried about that, for several reasons: first, people who follow like this are easily manipulated; second, I'm afraid they will be deeply disappointed when he gets into office (and I suspect he will), and they discover he's human, can't deliver on all his promises, and the world continues to be filled with evil.

I suspect anyone who attempts to criticise him will be labeled as a racist, which is sad. This will inhibit any serious discussion of his views. This is not going to be a pleasant election cycle.

I wonder: if it is wrong to vote AGAINST someone because of their race/skin color (and it is, in my opinion), is it OK to vote FOR someone because of their race/skin color?

Evangelical Monastics?

Here's how an article starts in the Boston Globe about the rise of monasticism among evangelicals:

S.G. PRESTON IS a Knight of Prayer. Each morning at his Vancouver, Wash., home, he wakes up and prays one of the 50-odd psalms he has committed to memory, sometimes donning a Kelly green monk's habit. In Durham, N.C., Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and fellow members of Rutba House gather for common meals as well as morning and evening prayer based on the Benedictine divine office. Zach Roberts, founder of the Dogwood Abbey in Winston-Salem, meets regularly with a Trappist monk to talk about how to contemplate God. Roman Catholic monastic traditions loom large in their daily routines - yet all three men are evangelical Protestants.

Read the rest here.

I have to confess, I resonate with some of this. I, too, am sick of the consumer, pop-culture, me-centered religion of so many evangelical protestants. Hence my recent interest in the Book of Common Prayer. I think it is a mistake to downplay the theological differences that will forever separate Evangelicals from Catholics (like papal authority, prayers to, or 'veneration' of, saints, transubstantiation, purgatory, the contents of the Biblical canon, the role of 'good works,' to name just a few); however, there is much that we (Evangelicals) can learn from the passionate devotion to Christ (not Mary!) of Catholic mystics. Most evangelical protestants would do well to learn something about a life of devotion to someone/ something other than their own thinly disguised, middle-class materialism.

I plan to visit a local Trappist monastery in (of all places!) Moncks Corner, SC, in the next few weeks, now that I'm on my sabbatical. (I'll be sure to report on that here at HOTI.) I have no problem admitting that we have much to learn from other branches of Christianity, but we should not lose sight of the fact that, by God's grace, we also have much to teach others.

BO Most Liberal Senator?

National Journal has ranked the most liberal senator: Barak Obama. Read about it here.

"Culture Warrior"

Here's the link to a great blog posting by Dr. J.P. Moreland on political leftists. It explains so much about how those on the political left think about themselves and the world. I encourage you to read it.
It starts:

On September 9, 2004 I was reading the Seattle Times before boarding my flight back to California. The lead editorial caught my eye: “A Nation Divided” by Joel Kotkin claimed that America is more divided than any time since the Civil War. And, while the division is not primarily political, it becomes fiercely evident when national elections role around as they did in the fall of 2004.

Philly Cheese Steak Thickburger

Here is a comparison between a new "Philly Cheese Steak Thickburger," the advertised on TV and the reality; my son and I each bought one the other evening while we watched football. Which would you rather eat? Hmmmm.
















Yup, just like the picture on TV, isn't it? Actually, it tasted pretty good, which tells me it is a good concept, but quite poor on the delivery. I could barely find the "Philly Cheese Steak" part of the burger. All in all, disappointing.

Blogging is Hard!

I am discovering that it is very hard to write consistently in a blog if there are in the same house three teenagers who use the computer constantly. Yeah, very difficult.

Barack Obama and Abortion

How pro-choice (pro-abortion) is Barack Obama? Read it here.

Republican Debate in Myrtle Beach

What is it like to attend a presidential debate?

I had opportunity to attend the Republican presidential debates last night. What was it like? I'm glad you asked.

We left Columbia at about 3:00pm and arrived in Myrtle Beach at about 5:30pm. We found some great parking near the convention center and because someone in our group had made some arrangements with a representative of the Huckabee campaign, we got our tickets quickly.

The Huckabee supporters outside were pretty enthusiastic, wearing "Fair Tax" t-shirts. The Romney supporters were pretty vocal as well. The "Ron Paul" blimp circled overhead. Yeah - the guy's got a blimp! I heard one person yelling "Rudy! Rudy!" A lone voice in the wilderness. I confess, the atmosphere was exciting.

We grabbed a bite to eat at Fuddrucker's and were in the building by about 7:00pm. We sat in the upper section, to the left, with a great view, about 50-70 yards away from the candidates.

There were no cell phones, cameras, food/drink, or bags allowed in the convention hall, and we had to go through a metal detector upon entering the center. I was struck by how many young people there were there!

At about 8:00pm, Brian Wilson of FOXNews came out on stage and got our attention. He started working the crowd, talking about how much fun it has been in SC. This jazzed up the home-team and really lightened the atmosphere. I was impressed by Wilson's persona; very warm and jovial but still professional. He instructed us about the evening: no cell phones! and if anyone accidentally has one, TURN IT OFF! He told us that during commercial breaks, no one is to approach the stage (and he alluded to the burly men stationed nearby), and during the debate itself, we are not to express our opinion. "We want you to have opinions; we just want you to keep them to yourselves." He came out again at 8:20pm.

At 8:45pm, Wilson again marched out on stage. He introduced Carl Cameron, the "Energizer Bunny of Campaign Coverage," Wendell Goler, Chris Wallace, and Brit Hume. These guys are like Rock stars. The applause increased each time, with Brit getting the big one. The atmosphere was almost carnival-like. When Brit Hume got his ovation, Carl Cameron started doing that bowing gesture and people laughed. Carl was clearly having fun. Chris and Brit struck me as a bit more "business only."

At about 8:55pm, Sean Hannity appeared about 20 yards away from us to our left. He had a gym bag over his shoulder, and he quietly greeted people as he looked over the venue.

Before the televised portion began, Wilson introduced the candidates themselves. As each name was called, their supporters burst into thunderous applause. In my opinion, Guiliani, Huckabee and McCain got the biggest, though we were sitting very near a large group of college age Rudy supporters, so maybe my perception of that applause was not accurate.

McCain - the shortest - Guiliani, and Paul are all quite short. Huckabee is average. I always thought Romney was tall, but Thompson was clearly the tallest of the lot.

At about this time, the media camera people were released into the event, and, my goodness, they looked like a bunch of lemmings. They all ran down the aisle, took photographs like crazy, then suddenly left. It's a good thing: they really clogged the aisles.

When the televised coverage began, things got serious. FOXNews had put up two big jumbo-trons in the auditorium, so we could actually see what "the viewers at home" were seeing as well. This was nice, but it was on only for about 2/3 of the time.

For the most part, I'll skip extensive comment on the actual debate. My faithful readers can consult blogs and news sites for summaries of all that. But I'll make a few comments:

Romney went first. He seemed nervous and talked very fast, dumping loads of information and detail in his first answer. All in all, I thought he did fine. By process of elimination, he is my "frontrunner," so I think I was expecting more from him. His answers were always smooth and competent, almost to the point that I don't remember them.

McCain championed his reputation for being a maverick. He said, "I won't win Miss Congeniality." His answers on economic issues seemed confused. He was strongest on national security. He seemed uncomfortable before a camera. He was not an option for me, but my opinion of him improved in the debate. I would make him my third choice.

Huckabee is likeable, LIKEABLE, much more than I had expected. In my mind, he made up the most ground for me personally. He has a way of making his well-rehearsed answers sound very off-the-cuff and spontaneous. Most of the candidates tried to label him a liberal, which he was not always good at refuting.

Guiliani is a non-factor. For a whole host of reasons, he is not an option for me. His emphases were "I am strong on national security and I am a hard-core economic conservative." He did not mention social issues at all.

Ron Paul is ...well, weird, and I mean WEIRD. He made a few good points - and his supporters are almost rabid in their devotion - but I never knew what was going to come out of his mouth. He said some pretty crazy things, making much of the auditorium laugh. Sometimes when Paul was answering a question, FOXNews would split screen and show the facial expressions of the other candidates, and those expressions ranged from amusement to puzzlement to disgust. If Paul's rumored racism isn't enough, this debate eliminated him as a candidate for me. His function in this race is as an unelectable candidate who raises other issues and forces the others to address those issues. I actually began to feel bad for the guy. Carl Cameron's question, "Do you have any electability, sir?" seemed almost disrespectful, and elicited awkward chuckling from the audience. When he was answering questions, I heard in my mind the old Sesame Street song, "One of these things is not like the others; one of these things is not the same."

In my opinion, Thompson came across as old, angry, and tired. Like a chicken on a junebug, he went after Huckabee, big time. That was as feisty as it got, I think, except for the gang-tackling of Ron Paul, whenever he got the ball. I noticed that Fred looked very tired, almost like he was enduring the debate. He seemed to be reading most of his comments; he drank a lot of water; and he shifted from one foot to another, even lifting up his legs, like a person does when they are tired of standing. He seemed to want to take a break. Many are saying he had a good night; I don't see it that way. He still acts like someone who just doesn't really want the job.

During commercial breaks, people would get up, walk around, and stretch; the candidates disappeared into the crown down in front, maybe to sit down. I don't think Guiliani ever sat down, though; that guy's got energy. Shortly before we went back on the air, an announcer would say, "Candidates, please return to your podiums!" Sometimes one of them would barely make it, and have to run up the stage to their mic. Rudy seemed especially prone to this.

All in all, there were a few good moments in the debate, but nothing earth-shattering. I went into the event a reluctant Romney supporter. I arrive there by process of elimination. Thompson is a tired, old crank who doesn't want the job anyway; Guiliani is simply not an option; Paul is weird. These guys were never in the running. McCain has some strong points, but he is old, not very appealing publically, and has done so much to hurt the Republican agenda in the past that I would be reluctant to support him. Huckabee certainly shares my values and he's a very likeable guy, but he is liberal on many economic issues, and I think his pastoral ministry experience is a liability. If he gets the nomination, I think he will galvanize the opposition from the left. Their hatred for evangelicals is very deep, and they would demonize him in ways we haven't even thought of yet. I think even moderates would be frightened away from voting for him. We're left with Romney. He did nothing to hurt himself last night, but he didn't help himself either. I guess I'm still a reluctant Romney supporter.

After the debate was over, I hurried up front to try to meet some of the candidates. I saw Carl Cameron chatting with people, but most of the candidates had left. I came within about 15 feet of Fred Thompson and about 10 feet of Mike Huckabee, who stayed the longest, chatting with people, and signing lots of event programs. He looked "pastoral," not "presidential." There's a difference. As we walked out of the center, we heard one lady say that Huckabee was "too churchy" for her. I think that says it well. As we walked back to the car, I saw a guy holding a sign that read, "Mormons NOT for Romney!" I had to laugh at that.

We left the convention center at about 11:30pm and arrived back in Columbia at about 2:00am. All in all, I enjoyed the event and it was fun to see such a thing from the "inside."

Ron Paul Unleashed?

Drudge has linked to some disturbing news about Ron Paul. Many Conservatives - especially Christians - have jumped on the Ron Paul bandwagon. See the incriminating quotes here and here. As for me, I never really liked him; despite the fact that he has some good positions on certain issues, he just seemed to me to be a little too much over the top. If all this is true, it is better that it comes out now than in the General Election.