Corruption is greed;
temptation is free.
And I can’t resist it,
it appeals to me.
But I have to say lies,
to cover my sin.
And resort to virtue signalling,
if I care to win.
Publicans can’t resist bribery,
when it’s offered for free!
Am I no better than them,
for wanting something for me?
By: ElRoyPoet © 2023
“The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.” Bible, Matthew 26:11
“One sometimes hears Christians, tired with the news of poverty and exploitation around the world, try to deflect the news by reminding us that Jesus said, ‘The poor will always be with you.’ This is offered as a way to stop the conversation.” Excerpt from Will the Poor Always Be With Us?
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many publicans and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with publicans and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy, who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:10-13
Definition: (in ancient Roman and biblical times) a publican was a government official; a collector of taxes.
“The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” By: Mahatma Gandhi
“Moral grandstanding can be defined as ‘the use and abuse of moral talk to seek status, to promote oneself, or to boost your own brand.’ A moral grandstander is therefore a person who frequently uses public discussion of morality and politics to impress others with their moral qualities. Crucially, these individuals are primarily motivated by the desire to enhance their own status or ranking among their peers.
Let’s face it: Moral grandstanding seems to be everywhere these days. As clinical psychologist Joshua Grubbs notes, “Perhaps, just perhaps, part of the reason so many of us are so awful to each other so much of the time on here is related to a desire to show off to like-minded others. In essence, sometimes we behave poorly in an effort to gain the respect and esteem of folks like us.” Excerpt from: Are You a Moral Grandstander?
“Ask me how much time and money I have devoted, in my adult life, to conscious efforts to be a good person, and I would struggle to quantify it. Of course, I would also struggle to tell you what ‘being good’ means. My ideas seem to change constantly, which means the target shifts. Besides, the world I inhabit does not make goodness easy, for me or anyone else. I put clothes I no longer wear in giveaway bins run by a profoundly inefficient nonprofit; I assiduously recycle despite reports that my plastic is likely ‘headed to landfills, or worse’; I sign up for shifts at a food bank, then cancel because I have to work. If I were giving away more money, or more of my time, my efforts would surely be wobblier or more questionable still.” Excerpt from A Biting Satire About the Idealistic Left
Freeman Poet 