It's already old news that South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has publicly admitted to having an affair with a woman in Argentina and it seems the public has already shrugged this off as yet another conservative proponent of the family values agenda who has failed to live up to the standards he so passionately demanded of the American public.
Why is it that this kind of hypocritical behavior is so common among conservatives that when a news story like this pops up the only surprise expressed is that he was having an affair with a woman and not a man, and yet the conservative 'family values' platform still holds some considerable clout in the political ring?
Conservatives (I should point out that by conservatives I mean religious conservatives. This to me seems redundant but as there are a few non-religious conservatives out there and those few would undoubtedly find this blog were I not to make this distinction.) love to establish reputations of being pious and moral. This conservative morality is meant to be viewed as a superior kind of morality because it has the will of a creator god behind it - as if to insinuate that a moral atheist by definition cannot be "as moral" as a christian. When one of their flock is exposed as being just as human and just as prone to behavior that most would consider immoral it seems the attitude shifts quickly to one of shame and guilt. The paramount of morality becomes the picture of a repentant sinner and the person in question remains just as useful, simply painted in a different light.
No doubt the reaction from the christian community will be one that completely disregards the glaring hypocrisy and irresponsibility of Sanford's actions and will instead focus on the regretful man himself. Prepare for a barrage of 'Love the sinner, hate the sin.' and a soon to be announced 're-affirmation and strengthening of belief' coming from Sanford.
Posts
