Does Hypocracy make one wrong?

[maude]

Nice posts Maude.

Thanks!

 

[maude]

I was speaking in general. And I was speaking from the perspective of someone who looks up to this person, which I don't. If I'm one that really looks up to this person and idolize this person and he's preaching one thing and then does the other and gets away with it. Then I may be inclined to believe "well it was good enough for him." It doesn't change the truth but it changes the strength of the statement. Just like in your preacher example. If someone in his congregation is confronted with the situation where they are tempted to kill, they may be inclined to think "well Father so and so did it and he's a man of the cloth, maybe just this once." It gives a small grain of justification, especially to those who really look up to the person.
I'm not saying this is right, but it's human nature.

Alright, I understand where you're coming from. I suppose it's just difficult for me to understand anyone suddenly thinking that something as obviously wrong as murder or drug abuse would be okay "just this once", because the person they had admired did it. I think one would have to be outrageously simple-minded to use that sort of logic. Anyway, thanks for the further explanation.

 

[maude]

Is Rush hypocritical? Yes. Do I think his blanket statements about drugs are correct? No. And yes, I CAN honestly and logically argue that they're not.

First of all, I want to say I'm not familiar with all of Rush Limbaugh's opinions on drugs and drug abuse. I'm not a fan of Rush and don't really listen to his program. That being said, all my replies in this thread are based on the first two quotes from Dreadsox's original post. It would help me in understanding your perspective if you could point out which comments from the quotes you think are not correct.

 

[womanfish]

When Jerry Garcia died, Rush's words about him were this: "He's just another dead doper." So any lack of compassion that people feel for him is deserved IMO.

 

[verte76]

When Jerry Garcia died, Rush's words about him were this: "He's just another dead doper." So any lack of compassion that people feel for him is deserved IMO.

Damn. That wasn't nice. I was a Grateful Dead fan.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

When Jerry Garcia died, Rush's words about him were this: "He's just another dead doper."

How charming. .

Angela

 

[bonoman]

No, you evidently don't.

Let's take a look at a simplistic example.

A preacher tells his congregation that murder is wrong.
This same preacher then goes and kills his wife. Is he a hypocrite? Yes. Does that negate the truthfullness of his statement that murder is wrong? Certaintly not.

Rush made statments that more or less said that drug abuse is a very bad thing. We now find that Rush has been abusing drugs. Is he a hypocrite? Yes. Does that negate the truthfullness of his statement that drug abuse is a very bad thing? Can you honestly and logically say that it does?

No, see he is a hypocrite for the simple fact that he preached about drugs then was caught doing himself. I dont care what Rush has to say about drugs. He doesnt even come to mind when thinking about people that would know the real problems with drugs. He is a super rich white american, how does he compare to a a person in the slums living on the streets deathly addicted.

What he has to say doesnt intresest me, because he is in a different realm as other people. What he said isnt right. If you'd like to argue that point then i'd love to.

 

[maude]

No, see he is a hypocrite for the simple fact that he preached about drugs then was caught doing himself. I dont care what Rush has to say about drugs. He doesnt even come to mind when thinking about people that would know the real problems with drugs. He is a super rich white american, how does he compare to a a person in the slums living on the streets deathly addicted.

What he has to say doesnt intresest me, because he is in a different realm as other people. What he said isnt right. If you'd like to argue that point then i'd love to.

Bonoman,
Did you even read what I wrote? This thread is not about whether or not he's a hypocrite. That point was established in the very first post. It's not even the issue here. He preached against drug abuse, and now we find he's been abusing drugs himself. He's a hypocrite, at least with this issue. Why this is still being argued about it is beyond me.

This thread was about whether or not one's hypocritical actions negates the truthfullness of one's words and Dreadsox used Rush Limbaugh as an example. Remarkably few individuals that have posted in this thread have even addressed the question at hand, prefering to declare their strong distaste for Rush Limbaugh.

As I've said before, I'm not a fan of Rush, and don't even listen to his program. Yes, apparantly he has said some horrible things, and I agree that what he said about Jerry Garcia's death was a terribly offensive and thoughtless remark to make.

I get the feeling that some here seem to think I'm defending Rush, so allow me to attempt to make this perfectly clear. In my remarks I'm not defending all of Rush Limbaugh's actions, ideas, and remarks, only the first two quoted in Dreadsox's post. I am defending the idea that one's hypocritical actions does not change the truthfullness of one's words. Yes, I do agree with the first two quotes and I have a feeling that if they had come from someone else's mouth, oh let's say Bono for instance, most other people here would too. Now, by my claiming to agree with those quotes does not mean I agree with everything Rush has ever said or done.

Some here have claimed to not agree with these first two quotes. That's fine. Please point out to me exactly what it is you do not agree with. Perhaps there is something I am misinterpreting or not understanding. Help me to understand your point of view.

 

[bonoman]

As I've said before, I'm not a fan of Rush, and don't even listen to his program. Yes, apparantly he has said some horrible things, and I agree that what he said about Jerry Garcia's death was a terribly offensive and thoughtless remark to make.

I get the feeling that some here seem to think I'm defending Rush, so allow me to attempt to make this perfectly clear. In my remarks I'm not defending all of Rush Limbaugh's actions, ideas, and remarks, only the first two quoted in Dreadsox's post. I am defending the idea that one's hypocritical actions does not change the truthfullness of one's words. Yes, I do agree with the first two quotes and I have a feeling that if they had come from someone else's mouth, oh let's say Bono for instance, most other people here would too. Now, by my claiming to agree with those quotes does not mean I agree with everything Rush has ever said or done.

Ya you've mentioned that you dont defend him or like him many times already i think everyone got that.

All i am saying is that when someone speaks to something that they have no real experience to then they usually are underqualified. I think Rush is hypocrticial in his actions and his words, i think that him saying what he is saying is wrong as he doesnt know the inner workings of poverty and drug use in poverty.

 

[maude]

Ya you've mentioned that you dont defend him or like him many times already i think everyone got that.

Well, good. I'm glad I was able to make at least one thing clear, although I wouldn't call 3 times "many times".

All i am saying is that when someone speaks to something that they have no real experience to then they usually are underqualified. I think Rush is hypocrticial in his actions and his words, i think that him saying what he is saying is wrong as he doesnt know the inner workings of poverty and drug use in poverty.

I don't believe one necessarily needs to experience something first-hand to be able to form accurate beliefs about it. I don't need to experience drug abuse to know that it can ruin my life and is a bad thing for society.

Again, this thread was not about whether or not Rush Limbaugh was hypocritical in his actions. That was already established in the first thread.

You said that you think what he is saying is wrong. I have asked twice now and have received no answer so I'll ask the question once more. Please tell me what Rush said in the first two quotes that you believe is wrong.

 

[Dreadsox]

I agree...what is wrong with the first two quotes?