Don't Let Hypocrisy Abound

There are 2 seemingly unrelated articles that are very related.
Both are from Associated Baptist Press:

http://www.abpnews.com/1843.article tells the story about Former Speaker of the House and possible Republican Presidential candidate, Newt Gingrinch, admitting that while he was trying to bring President Bill Clinton to justice for lying under oath in the issue of Monica Lewisnky, he was being unfaithful to his second wife.

The second article, http://www.abpnews.com/1840.article contains the story of Dr. Richard Land, head of the SBC's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, condemning former New York City mayor and also possible Republican Presidential candidate, Rudy Guiliani of "divorce on steroids" for his marital infidelities.

I find it interesting that Mayor Guiliani, more liberal in his political views, is being condemned, while Speaker Gingrich is being featured on the conservative "Focus on the Family" radio show with Dr. James Dobson.

I find issue with the morality of both men. If Mayor Guiliani was socially more conservative, I imagine that Dr. Land would not have attcked him. I am not finding fault with Dr. Land's statement about the Mayor. He was accurate. I do hope that Dr. Land will publically speak about Speaker Gingrich.

But we tend to have a forgiving spirit towards the immorality of those we agree with politically. It's on both sides of the political fence. If President Clinton had been a Republican, I imagine Speaker Gingrich would have supported him and House and Senate Democrats would have gone on the offensive.

As Pastors and Leaders, we have the responsibility to speak truth to power. We ought to be beacons of righteousness. John the Baptist preached about the immorality of King Herod. I believe that Biblical morality is the vital standard to which we hold candidates. It ought to be about more than just the number of marriages or the issue of abortion. It ought also to be about justice and poverty issues.

But when we call one candidate to task for his marriage infidelities, we must also hold others accountable.