The Irony of Sin

One of the greatest ironies of sin is how easy it is to point the finger at a group or an individual and tell them that they are errant. It's amazing how easy it is for us, as humans and sinners, to make accusations. I have been guilty of this in my own life, and I have been the victim of it, as well. The most frustrating thing is when those who hold earthly power use that influence to broadcast those accusations. Amazingly, those same power-wielding individuals are never held to the same standards they claim to defend.

I found this article a bit ironic, given that Hollywood often accuses Christian's, or the Church at large, of being the primary hypocrites (a.k.a. humans) on the planet. If you are unfamiliar with Javier Bardem or Penelope Cruz, you'll just have to take my word for it, but several of their "R"-rated cinematic offerings (No Country for Old Men, The Counselor, etc.) are classified as "Restricted" due to the extremely violent nature of such movies. Now, follow me on this one: Knowing the hyper-violent nature of several of Bardem's and Cruz's films, do you find it easy or difficult to swallow their pleas for peace?

I think our society is undoubtedly fighting a paradox of ethics, or at the very least our culture is a bit misguided. Could it be that the entire human race is guilty of the sin of hypocrisy, perhaps? Time to rise above this one and focus on the forgiveness of Christ, rather than finger-pointing which of us are actually guilty of sin and which of us aren't ... that might prove a fruitless endeavor, I believe.
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Javier Bardem clarifies position on Israel and Gaza with 'plea for peace'

After his wife Penélope Cruz restated her own thoughts about the Gaza conflict, following their strident open letter in the Spanish press, Javier Bardem has also called for peace

• Ben Beaumont-Thomas
• theguardian.com, Friday 1 August 2014 03.24 EDT

Javier Bardem, who has called for peace in Gaza. Photograph: Pål Hansen for the Guardian

The Spanish actor Javier Bardem has released a statement clarifying his position on the current Gaza conflict, after he co-signed an open letter in the Spanish press condemning Israel's actions, which called on the EU to "condemn the bombing by land, sea and air against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip."

He also wrote his own thoughts in the newspaper El Diario, saying: "I cannot understand this barbarism, even more brutal and incomprehensible considering all of the horrible things the Jewish people have gone through in the past."

In his new statement, headlined 'Plea for Peace', Bardem writes:

My signature was solely meant as a plea for peace. Destruction and hatred only generate more hatred and destruction.

While I was critical of the Israeli military response, I have great respect for the people of Israel and deep compassion for their losses. I am now being labeled by some as anti-Semitic, as is my wife [Penélope Cruz] - which is the antithesis of who we are as human beings. We detest anti-Semitism as much as we detest the horrible and painful consequences of war.

I was raised to be against any act of violence, and the consequent suffering of humanity for it, regardless of religions, ethnicities and borders. Too many innocent Palestinian mothers have lost their children to this conflict. Too many innocent Israeli mothers share the same grief. There should not be any political reason that can justify such enormous pain on both sides. It's my hope that leaders involved in this complicated struggle will heed the call of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 'In the name of humanity, the violence must stop.'

Palestinians and Israelis in the region deserve to have their safety and human rights recognized and respected so in the near future they may find peace and co-existence, for themselves and their innocent children. So generations to come could bring hope, forgiveness and compassion for each other. This is the most basic and necessary way to peace for all of us.

It follows a statement by Bardem's wife Penélope Cruz, who also restated her feelings about Israel' actions. "I wish for unity, and peace," she wrote. "I believe in a civilization that can be capable of bringing the courage to have a world where humans can live side by side."