The Mirror: The Way of all Flesh

You've probably heard the expression 'gone the way of all flesh' meaning that someone has died. However, you may not know that this expression comes from the Old Testament. Check out Joshua 22:14 and 1 Kings 2:2 which say, depending on the translation, 'go the way of all the earth' or 'go the way of all flesh.' I did not know this until I researched it for this post, but I'm not surprised, as many common sayings are either bible quotes or bastardizations of them.

The title of Samuel Butler's classic semi autobiographical novel, The Way of all Flesh, is then a most appropriate title because the protagonist is a clergyman. Written by Butler between 1873 and 1884, the novel is an attack on Victorian era hypocrisy.

Classic novels may not be your thing, and I suspect it's probably because of the writing style. Being lexically dense, with old fashioned words and extremely long and complex sentences doesn't always facilitate easy reading, but I love this stuff. The themes explored by Butler in The Way of all Flesh: hypocrisy, religion, faith, atheism, nature versus nurture and family dynamics may well be oft explored ideas, but the classics have a precision and depth in their language use which is, although not rare in modern novels, certainly different. We should remember classical writers were not competing with nor were they influenced by film and television. In any case, the skill of the writer in dealing with universal themes to which everyone can relate, is to challenge the view of the reader; to make them think.

I've been posting quotes from The Way of all Flesh regularly on Facebook, since I began reading it. When I read something and I have stop, and re read it, and contemplate it, allowing it to filter through my worldview, I know I am reading quality and inspired writing. The quote I want to share in this post is one I found particularly pertinent as I am currently facilitating the journey of another group of men through the Valiant Man sexual discipleship program. This quote contains information about the main character which may be considered a 'spoiler'.

"Although in the healthy atmosphere of such a school as Roughborough you can have come across contaminating influences; you were probably, I may say certainly, impressed at school with the heinousness of any attempt to depart from the strictest chastity until such time as you had entered into a state of matrimony. At Cambridge you were shielded from impurity by every obstacle which virtuous and vigilant authorities could devise, and even had the obstacles been fewer, your parents probably took care that your means should not admit of your throwing money away upon abandoned characters. At night proctors patrolled the street and dogged your steps if you tried to go into any haunt where the presence of vice was suspected. By day the females who were admitted within the college walls were selected mainly on the score of age and ugliness. It is hard to see what more can be done for any young man than this. 

For the last four or five months you have been a clergyman, and if a single impure thought had still remained within your mind, ordination should have removed it: nevertheless, not only does it appear that your mind is as impure as though none of the influences to which I have referred had been brought to bear upon it, but it seems as though their only result had been this-that you have not even the common sense to be able to distinguish between a respectable girl and a prostitute."

What I like about this quote is that it very accurately displays the ignorance and arrogance of men regarding sexuality. Good men get into trouble when they forget they are men. Most men are good at being providers for and defenders of their loved ones, but we are also good at ignoring danger and pandering to our weaknesses and addictions. It never ends well for the man who cannot control his sex drive.

The Mirror: Folau Folly

Israel Folau has been sacked because he is anti gay...not because he is anti adultery (adultery is okay, right?), nor anti liars (because lying is acceptable as well) or because he is anti drunkenness (never mind the stats on alcohol related violence because abusing alcohol is also sweet). I can't hear anyone complaining about him condemning liars to Hell, or fornicators. The headlines don't say Israel Folau's career is in tatters after he posted anti thief comments. There is no mention in the stories, or any of the soundbites of concerned and outraged people, about Folau damning adulterers. Where's the outcry from those who are having sex with other people's husbands and wives?

Most people, even those who practice these things, accept that they are at wrong. The Bible does say that those who have sex outside of marriage ie fornicate, together with those who lie and steal will not inherit the Kingdom of God. When Folau says that his words are from the Bible, he's telling the truth. 

There is a list which includes generally agreed upon bad behaviours and homosexual practice is one of them. Call it what you want: homophobic opinion, puritanism, fundamentalism, or just call it offensive BS. The fact is Folau is simply stating what he believes to be true. The focus is on homosexuality/homophobia because he is likening homosexuality to all those other things* which are more or less acceptable depending on whatever you believe, or whatever suits your circumstances. He's saying that there is something wrong with homosexuality. That's what's wrong. I see. That must be the reason he's been sacked.

Not exactly. Regular people can have divergent, even offensive opinions. Having such opinions and voicing them indiscriminately either results in calcification of prejudice among the bigot's peers, or their ostracization by people who are intolerant towards intolerance. On the other hand, people in positions of influence, people with a public profile like sport stars, can have divergent, even offensive opinions but they had better keep them to themselves or else they will be publicly criticized and perhaps lose their jobs. They can't state their opinion about anything unless it falls in line with what opinion those who pay them expect to them to have.This is essentially why Folau's outspokenness has landed him in hot water.

The sad truth is we facing some pretty serious threats against freedom of speech, religion and association. The hysteria about Israel Folau's tweet demonstrates the distinction between public speech and private sentiment is becoming a chasm of hypocrisy and melodrama.

I'm personally pretty disappointed that no one has stepped up to defend those who worship idols, idolaters in other words, from Israel Folau's cruel judgements. What? Nobody worships idols anymore? Really? That's a relief.

*I wanted to use the word "sin" but I didn't because that word offends some people.

Prevent Cruelty to Australian Families

60% of Australia's live cattle exports go to Indonesia where, we have learned this week, they are being inhumanely treated on slaughterhouse floors: stabbed multiple times, garroted with blunt blades, and tormented, before dying to feed the voracious appetite of our large northern neighbor.

Now that many Australians have seen what goes on in Indonesian abbatoirs, courtesy of the Four Corners report, the cry of outrage is shaking the walls of parliament. What do the people want? A ban on live animal export trade. But should we turn our back on a $351 million dollar trade arrangement to prevent the suffering of the innocent bovines? Should we sacrifice Australian jobs for the sake of the poor cows? How far should we go to protect these loveable four legged factories?

Actually, the answer is simple. Blame the backward, cruel Muslims, and wail about how evil they are, and then start a war against some terrorist organisation in Afghanistan, and tell everyone we are fighting for the cows in Indonesia.

I do believe that animals should be killed humanely. Cruelty is ungodly, but I'm a bit tired of the excessive moral outrage people express when animals suffer, compared with the relative silence when people do. By the way, if you think that some cows aren't mistreated right here in our backyard, then think again, and, may I suggest you re-examine your priorities. Did I hear someone say hypocrisy?

This post is rated MA

As I listened to radio talkback callers this afternoon on the subject of Joel Monaghan, one word erupted continually in mind like a psychological Mt Merapi: hypocrisy.

Why is is that the outrage is greatest when some variation of sex is involved? In the Monaghan case, for those who don't know, he was photographed simulating intercourse with a dog. His friends, family and rational compassionate strangers, say he is a good person who made a stupid mistake. His enemies and a vociferous minority of puritans say he is the Devil incarnate. Some people are even more worried that the dog may have been mistreated than they are about Monaghan and his family.

Hypocrisy.

Most adults have sex and apparently most of those people do it their bedrooms with their husbands or wives. Every other variation on the theme gets dismissed with the slightly ridiculous statement that people can do whatever their like behind closed doors in private. Unless of course they are footballers, movie stars or politicians then they can still do whatever they like, but the public has to know about it and has to moralize about them and their disgusting behaviour, and they'll have to stop doing it.

Hypocrisy.

My friends and family presumably think I'm a good bloke. But if I gather them all together and confess that I watched a video of a gang rape and found it arousing, what would they think then? What about if said I have sex with prostitutes, and sometimes dogs if I can't afford a decent hooker? Or, suppose I casually mentioned that I was a proud paedophile? Maybe, I just lust after every woman I see, and have been actively plotting to seduce a married woman? Felatio on horses or group sex anyone? Even if I had ever participated in any of the aforementioned variations on a sexual theme, there's zero chance I would tell anyone, and if the reason isn't obvious, then may I suggest you have a brain scan?

Most people's private lives are exactly that: private, but sex has become so twisted and depraved in the way it is portrayed in the media and in movies, including pornography, and the way it is used to sell us all the things we need, that incidents like Joel Monagahan's appalling attempt at humour spark explosions of moral outrage. And before all you God haters start patting yourselves on the back and saying, "I'm so proud that I'm not a hypocrite like all those Christians", I should warn you that hypocrisy is a human disease of pandemic proportions which afflicts the righteous and the unrighteous alike.

The old prophet Isaiah was right on the money when he denounced the hypocrites of his day, as having outer shells of virtue with inner wickedness. We are no different.

Throwing Stones

Everyone is talking about David Campbell: former Minister for Roads and Transport in New South Wales, and former heterosexual family man. Channel seven aired footage of Mr Campbell attending something called a "gay sauna" in Kensington, and as result of the publicity, the minister resigned. There was talk at the time that his crime was not that he visited such a place and thereby inadvertently outed himself as a homosexual, but that he drove himself there in his taxpayer funded ministerial car.

This story is embarrassing for a number of reasons.The private lives of public figures has always been a talking point, a thing of interest apparently. Quintillions of copies of women's gossip magazines are sold because people are interested in other people's private lives. That is an embarrassment to society. So much pleasure gained from the knowledge of the problems of complete strangers. It is also an embarrassment for David Campbell to be called a hypocrite and excluded from being able to fit under the family man umbrella because he is homosexual. That people think "homosexual" and "family" are mutually exclusive words is an embarrassment to those narrow minds. The journalist who broke the story should be embarrassed for an unforgivable intrusion into Campbell's private life, and further ashamed to have used the pathetic excuse that it was in the public interest for him to be outed.

I'm embarrassed that people much such a big deal about homosexuality. Furthermore, I'm embarrassed that people obsess about sexuality in general. I think it's an absolute tragedy that sex has been so debased and distorted by men and women over the years that it has lost much of its beauty and simplicity. I do believe that homosexuality is a symptom of that distortion but I don't believe in ridiculing people and destroying families for personal gain or pleasure. I don't think it's right that homosexuals are treated differently, in some cases cruelly, by homophobic people.I don't think what has happened to David Campbell is interesting at all or even remotely titillating. I think it's very sad and embarrassing.

I can't help but think of the famous woman caught in adultery who was brought before Jesus by self righteous, heartless hypocrites who demanded she be punished. They said the law demanded that she be stoned. Imagine that! Imagine if people threw rocks at adulterers today. Would we be able to find enough rocks? Anyway, Jesus' words to those men and to us today were words of grace and compassion for the woman and condemnation for the would be stone throwers. He said, "let him among you who is without sin, be the first to cast a stone."

Those with the ability to be honest with themselves are laying down those rocks right now. I can hear them falling to the ground. Mercy triumphs over judgement!