THE HYPOCRISY OF AL SHARPTON 

One of the biggest news stories this past week centered around the comments made by radio shock-jock Don Imus concerning the Rutgers women’s basketball team, whom he referred to as “nappy-headed hoes.” I heard the audio taped replay of Imus’ comments on the news, which seemed (to me) to be his rather crude and unfortunate way of describing how tough these young women are. Realizing that he had screwed up big-time, he went on national TV to offer a public apology, and found himself face to face with one of the more outspoken leaders of the African-American community, the Reverend Al Sharpton. So what was the good reverend’s response to Mr. Imus?  

“Why should I forgive you?” 

Now does this remind anyone at all of another little story? It does me:  

Also [Jesus] spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14) 

It must have taken a lot of courage and a great deal of humility for this radio jock to admit in front of the entire nation that he had messed up (not to mention the fact that he was undoubtedly motivated by another factor: to try and salvage his career). But instead of forgiving this man in the Spirit of Christ, the Reverend Al Sharpton instead took the opportunity afforded him, in front of the nation’s media, to belittle him.  

So why do I take the time to write about this incident on my website? Because there is a valuable lesson to be learned from this.  

“Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.” – Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990); British writer, social critic 

If you will recall, Jesus Himself had some pretty choice words for the religious leaders of His day for these very same types of attitudes. And His words are still applicable (Luke 21:33) to the religious leaders of our day:  

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:27,28) 

“Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)  

Shakespeare said that to err is human, but to forgive is divine. So why should you forgive this man, Mr. Reverend? Perhaps it is because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the one in whom you claim to believe, COMMANDS IT:  

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14,15) 

“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” (Romans 2:1) 

Perhaps the good reverend will indeed forgive this man. And maybe he already has. I certainly hope so. Because it is precisely these types of unrepentant, self-righteous attitudes that will keep us out of Christ’s coming kingdom on earth.  

“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20) 

Let us examine ourselves this day, to see if we are really in the faith:  

“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the LORD, that we may not be condemned with the world.” (I Corinthians 11:31,32) 

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (I John 4:8)