Hypocrisy

In order to make space for other thoughts, let me go back to my regular blog-postings with topics other than Mahabharatha. I will get back to the gems from Mahabharatha soon.

On October 19, 1983, I wrote some of my thoughts on hypocrisy. That was stimulated by conversations that go on at dinner parties!  This is what I wrote.

Smiling, when you are angry

Saying “I need it” when you don’t, and

“How wonderful” when you do not care

Saying “I love you” when you don’t

Going through motions, mind and words not in “synch”

Can honesty go with harmony?  If not,

Hypocrisy will!

After almost 30 years since I wrote that piece, I found a better description of Hypocrisy. This was written several centuries back by “Poggio” (Poggio Bracciolini 1380-1459), who was a secretary to the Pope at that time. He is better known for his discovery of the forgotten works of Lucretius. He wrote about hypocrisy based on what he observed in the Church hierarchy.

 “Poggio” described a hypocrite (of his days) as follows:  “displays excessive purity of life, walks barefoot with dirty face and shabby robes, shows in public a disdain for money, always has the name of Jesus on his lips, wants to be called without actually doing anything particularly good, attracts women to him to satisfy his wishes, runs here and there outside his monastery, seeking fame and honors, makes a show of fasting and other ascetic practices, induces others to get things for him and refuses to acknowledge or return what is given to him in trust”.

 Needless to say that "Poggio" was not a favorite within the establishment.