They Love It That Way!
Convicted felon reelected
Sex scandals
Indicted official reelected
OH, THEY may not admit it. And if asked they might vehemently deny it. But their actions betray them.
Consider, for example, a recent U.S. election. With the infamous “Watergate” scandal still fresh on the minds of voters, one would have expected a demand for moral integrity on the part of elected officials. But a scant four years after “Watergate,” lurid scandals again erupted in Washington. Voters now could strike a blow for clean government! But did they?
Charles Diggs, convicted on “29 counts of mail fraud and misappropriation of Government funds,” was reelected to Congress with 80 percent of the vote!
Daniel Flood, a Pennsylvania congressman, indicted for taking more than $60,000 in bribes, was reelected with 54 percent of the vote.
Frederick Richmond, a Brooklyn congressman, confessed to offering money to a 16-year-old male to have sex with him. He was also reelected, in spite of his running against three other candidates.
The election of such men seems to confirm the old adage that ‘people usually get the kind of government they deserve.’ Decrying the evils of government corruption and lamenting the prevalence of dishonesty and loose morals, the people perpetuate vice by their choice of leaders.
They love it that way!
And such moral malaise is not confined either to the United States or to the 20th century. One need only read about the Genghis Khans, the Adolf Hitlers and the Napoleons of history to realize that men have often willingly submitted to exploitation. Tyrants rule and can rule only with the support of people. As King Solomon said: “In the multitude of people there is an adornment of a king, but in the lack of population is the ruin of a high official.” (Proverbs 14:28) Yes, it takes support—both active and passive—for any ruler to have authority.
The Bible’s account of the appointment of King Saul illustrates just how willingly people submit. Israel had enjoyed considerable freedom under the rule of God-appointed judges. (Judges 21:25) But in time the nation clamored for a king. Judge Samuel warned what having a king would mean for the nation: servitude, exploitation and taxation. Yet the nation cried, “A king is what will come to be over us!” thus plunging the nation into a tragic and disastrous course.—1 Samuel 8:19.
Of course, not all today actively support crooked politicians. Some are angered, even outraged, at the behavior of such men. Still, they continue to support the very systems that place such men in authority. And there are those that passively support political establishments by paying lip service to them.
The Bible, however, implores us: “O you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad.” (Psalm 97:10) What, then, is your view of wickedness? To help us sort out how we really feel in this regard, let us look at another area in which tolerance of wrongdoing runs high.
‘Dig Deep Into Your Pocketbook’
Corruption is not the private property of politics. The news media are filled with reports of religious corruption. Take, for example, the issue of homosexuality. The Bible’s position is quite clear: “Make no mistake: . . . none who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion . . . will possess the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, The New English Bible) But what are some clergymen saying these days?
A Methodist bishop, Melvin E. Wheatley, Jr., favors the appointment of “an avowed homosexual minister.”
An embarrassed Vatican had to move “to silence” an outspoken Roman Catholic priest (himself an avowed homosexual) who “allegedly condones homosexual activity by priests.”
The UCC (United Church of Christ) announced its plans to ordain a lesbian to the ministry. Said one newspaper article: “More than a score of UCC clergy will cluster around her as she kneels . . . and, laying their hands on her head, proclaim her a minister of Jesus Christ.”
Blatant violations of the Bible standards? Obviously. Yet people are hardly stampeding from their churches or demanding reform. How do you feel, though, about such moral degradation?
The news also tells of embarrassing financial scandals:
“Scandal at the Pope’s Bank” was the title of an article appearing in the July 26, 1982, issue of Time magazine. “A billion-dollar Italian bank fraud has reached into the heart of one of the world’s most respected institutions, the Vatican,” said the article. “So far, two people involved in the affair have died . . . At the very center of the scandal is Archbishop Paul C. Marcinkus, the American-born president of the Institute for Religious Works.”
What of Protestant churches? Reportedly they are feeling a financial bite. Evangelist Oral Roberts resorts to intimidation to fill the drained coffers of his church. He had a “personalized” letter sent to over 1,000,000 people, which starts off: “Something terrible is about to happen and I must talk to you personally about it.” After bemoaning the dire financial straits of his church, he says: “God is about to use you to be a part of a miracle. If you and some more of my special partners will sacrifice $100 as a seed, this miracle can happen.”
This is difficult to reconcile, however, with the report in the Denver Post. Oral Roberts, who “has claimed for years he owns no personal property and earns very little income,” reportedly “owns a home worth between $500,000 and $1 million . . . owns an interest in an inactive gold mine . . . and has reported annual income during each of the last five years ranging from $70,000 to $178,000.”
TV Evangelist Rex Humbard also plays on the emotions of his followers in a four-page plea for money. He says, “I believe God is ready to pour out on you a hundredfold or even a thousandfold blessing.” That is, of course, if they send him money.
Religion editor for the Toronto Star sums matters up nicely: “Anyone familiar with the appeals of T.V. religious personalities . . . soon learns to know that when the evangelist starts talking about ‘deep down inside’ or ‘deep in my heart’ he is about to try to put his hand even deeper into your pocketbook or purse.”
True, the ire of some is aroused. But such criticism seems a pale whimper compared with the shout of support such religious leaders continue to receive. Their coffers continue to be filled, their churches continue to be packed, their questionable conduct is shrugged away by their adherents.
Their people love it that way.
But is this too harsh a judgment? Can we really say that active and passive supporters love the vice-ridden religion and politics?
Willing Victims
The Bible tells us about God’s prophesied destruction of the wicked society of Sodom and Gomorrah. After Abraham’s intercession, God was willing to spare the city if just 10 righteous ones could be found. (Genesis 18:32) But conditions had degenerated to the point where not one truth-loving soul could be found outside Lot’s immediate family.
The people loved it that way.
Then, there was the prophet Jeremiah who lived in times similar to ours. Morals had sunk so low that it was said: “Go roving about in the streets of Jerusalem and see . . . whether you can find a man, whether there exists anyone doing justice, anyone seeking faithfulness, and I shall forgive her.”—Jeremiah 5:1.
“Surely they are of low class,” concluded Jeremiah. He thought it was only the “low class”—the uneducated, the ignorant—that were drowning in moral filth. But the wanton behavior of the populace merely mirrored the debased thinking of governmental and religious leaders! (Jeremiah 5:4, 6; see also 6:13, 14; 23:14.) Sexual immorality, freedom from moral restraints, became a way of life among the Israelites! “To the house of a prostitute woman they go in troops,” declared Jeremiah. Like “horses seized with sexual heat,” they gave no thought to the consequences of their actions.—Jeremiah 5:7, 8.
It was therefore no surprise that the corrupt nation of Israel tolerated—even supported—corrupt leaders. “Do not listen to the words of the prophets,” warned Jeremiah! (Jeremiah 23:16; see also 5:26-28, 31.) And what was their response to this warning? A hue and cry? A demand for reform? Sadly, Jeremiah confessed: “And my own people have loved it that way.”—Jeremiah 5:31.
Oh, they may have chafed a bit as oppressive rulers caused them some personal hardships. But by and large the people wanted no real change. They were willing victims. For the moral squalor of their rulers allowed them to enjoy a little squalor of their own.
They loved it that way.
Do You ‘Love It This Way’?
Most people today likewise do not really want change. And the few that sincerely push for reform are merely ‘putting new wine in old wine skins,’ that is, making superficial changes so as to perpetuate the system a little longer.—Matthew 9:17.
However, we hope that you are different. That you are “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done” in this wicked system of things. (Ezekiel 9:4) That your love of righteousness is not a thin veneer. That you want real change—not the kind that comes through political reform, but the kind only God can bring. If such is your desire, Jehovah’s Witnesses will be pleased to help you learn how God intends to rid the earth of wickedness and establish a pure and clean government!—Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 11:1-9.
Most people, however, ignore such glorious prospects. In a hypocritical dirge they decry police corruption but want to break driving laws with impunity. They raise their eyebrows in shock at the profligacy of politicians but hungrily devour TV shows and movies that reek of immorality. They talk of good government but vote for scoundrels. They condemn extortion but help fill the coffers of greedy clergymen. They talk of truth but really prefer “to have their ears tickled.” (2 Timothy 4:3) And as for moral reform, who needs it? They’re happy to put up with and, in their subtle way, support oppression, dishonesty and greed as long as they can live their lives the way they want to live them.
They love it that way.
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“ . . . when the evangelist starts talking about ‘deep down inside’ or ‘deep in my heart’ he is about to try to put his hand even deeper into your pocketbook or purse.”—Religion Editor of the Toronto Star