The well worn observation the pot calling the kettle, black is an introduction into the world of make believe, where the indignant observer believes that their elevated view of life is beyond reproach. Or, so their mirror image would have them believe.
“We do not place especial value on the possession of a virtue until we notice its total absence in our opponent.”― Friedrich Nietzsche
Self correction begins with each of us, not with any thought that we can easily discover fault in our neighbour, knowing well that our mirror image is nothing more than a mask that we present to the world to impress, even delude the actor behind that mask.
At eleven years of age I discovered George Orwell's, "Animal Farm" inviting me to understand that ideological warfare is not confined to one political agenda, or another in the pursuit of persuading the gullible observer that their ideological struggle is purer than that offered by those pursuing another bill of fare.
The puritanical mindset was on display when Jesus was visiting the home of Matthew the tax collector, where Jesus reminded His detractors that religious puritanical preconceptions can delude the practitioner into believing that they are more equal, than others.
Jesus ate in Matthew’s house. Many men who gathered taxes and many who were sinners came to Matthew’s house and sat down with Jesus and His followers. 11 The proud religious law-keepers saw this. They said to the followers of Jesus, “Why does your Teacher eat with men who gather taxes and with sinners?” 12 Jesus heard them and said, “People who are well do not need a doctor. ~ Matthew 9:10-12
Who among us does not need saving from our belief that we are removed from those who are sinners? Here, but for the grace of God, go I.
“No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.”
― John Chrysostom
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