A definition of hypocrisy

[Vehl]

While reading the Hindu epic the Mahabharata I came across a definition of hypocrisy which I liked a lot.It's part of a series of questions a protagonist of the epic is asked by a mythical being, to test his knowledge. (according to the epic, the being is none other than "Dharma"..which according to Dharmic religions like Hinduism and Buddhism refers to the "eternal law/way of life"....poetic license has been taken in the epic; as Dharma is not an entity )


Dharma: what is hypocrisy?
Yudhishthira: The setting up of a religious standard is hypocrisy.*

~ The Mahabharata, Book 3, Section CCCXI


*
(Another translation of the Mahabharata has a slightly different version, "The setting up of religious standards for others is hypocrisy".)


I find this definition of hypocrisy (at least 2500 years old) to be very accurate, and relevant.


The entire set of questions and answers can be found here. (The text formatting definitely needs improvement)
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03311.htm

[Tikki]

1. Do churches, temples, meeting halls, whatever.. ever have a sermon on...

Hypocrisy?

I asked a religious person and he said that hypocrisy was not a major sin or
something...it's wrapped in with another sin so no sermon necessary.

Tikki

[struggle4progress]

2. “Why look at the bit of sawdust in your brother’s eye while ignoring the plank in your own eye? How

can you say , ‘Brother, let me take that speck from your eye,’ when you yourself cannot even see the plank in your own? You hypocrite, get that plank out of your own eye first, so you can see clearly enough to remove specks from your brother’s eye"

Luke 6:41-42

[cleanhippie]

3. Too bad so many that read that verse simply do not think they HAVE a plank in their eye at all.

[struggle4progress]

4. It's just the human condition: none of us want to think we have a plank in our own eye

[cleanhippie]

5. True, but considering it is one of the main points jesus was trying to make...

one would think that believers would be better at it, or at least aware of their own hypocrisy.

[struggle4progress]

6. "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick" -- Mark 2:17

"For I do not do the good I intend: but the evil I do not intend I keep doing" -- Ropmans 7:19

[cleanhippie]

7. Guess I am missing your point.

[Vehl]

8. The hypocrisy stems from their claim to the "one truth"

For all the sermonizing , those who set religious standards for others have one thing in common. They all believe that their version of "truth" is the only one out there and everything else that contradicts it is wrong/evil. How can they recognize hypocrisy when they are not even willing to accept that others/other paths might be equally valid/true as theirs?

This idea that they hold the "monopoly" on "truth" naturally leads to their hypocritical worldview. Sadly they are unable to recognize it because of their belief that their way is the only correct way.