Actions Speak Louder than Words

“Often those that criticize others reveals what he lacks himself.” -Shannon L. Alder

Everyone seeks the truth but no one wants to be honest. Truth has many interpretations and the definition varies according to each individual. It can mean to overcome human sophistries, to refrain from immoral behavior, or to others, to exercise integral behavior. Many claim to desire to hear the facts of reality but are too afraid to acknowledge the blemishes of society and have their own flaws pointed out. In a utopian society the world would be in the absence of lying, cheating, and manipulation, but we live in an imperfect, “real” world where individuals withhold sincerity for personal benefit. No mortal will ever be able to explain truth, no matter how enlightened he declares to be because this principle has a unique significance for every being. Writers from every culture have attempted to elucidate this creed; nevertheless, authors have managed to illuminate the realities of the predicaments and fortunes of the human survival. The propositions that authors are attempting to influence their readers with are tangible and are often as real as the news we comprehend. In “The Minister’s Black Veil”, Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals the hypocrisy that accompanies human conduct. The meaning of Hawthorne’s short story permeates real life and examples of hypocrisy are evident in society.

People are so eager to point out the flaws of others but are conveniently unable to self-evaluate because the hypocrite’s self-perceived reflection is foggy. He turns a blind eye to his own faults. Merely because of a veil, Parson Hooper, the town reverend is ostracized from the rest of the residents. While speculating as to what horrific crime the minister may have committed,the townspeople overlooked their own sins. Previously a celebrated member of the community, Hooper becomes a man called upon only in times of need and is completely avoided in times of happiness. The townspeople demonstrate their shallowness and how unappreciative their faith is in their exclusive manner. It is human instinct to fear what is not understood and to attribute any uncommon behavior to evil. At no point do the townspeople attempt to consider the symbolism of the veil, instead they gossip about what actions caused the minister’s alleged shame. The residents let superstition overcome their humanity. The community gosipped about Hooper’s sin as if it was greater than their own because of the minister’s apparent expression of sin. Too busy minding the business of others; these hypocrites overlooked their own wrongdoings. The minister reprimands the townspeople, “ I look around me, and, lo! on every visage a Black Veil!” (Hawthorne 99). When people are unaware of the circumstances, they form speculations and when they think they understand the situation, they fabricate rumors– superficial characteristics of human nature.

In a modern era where individuals are encouraged to question previously accepted social norms and religious principles, many are actively fighting the exposed immoral practices of society to foster rationalism. Students are promoted to discover the ideas and lessons from fictional works so that they will be able to create personal values and to identify unethical actions. Scholars have scrutinized the integrity of institutions such as the Catholic Church to answer the question: Has the Catholic Church consistently demonstrated genuine values for followers of the faith to adopt? Academics have pondered if the Catholic faith shapes its believers into virtuous people. Despite claiming to be a religion that promotes love and understanding, followers of this faith launched a series of military campaigns less than a millennium ago to take control of the holy land around Jerusalem and to exterminate Muslims. The Crusades were a succession of pointless military campaigns in defense to Islamic conquest. These aggressive expansionist clashes prompted the death of many blindly fighting crusaders and innocent bystanders. The religion supposedly constructed on the foundation of love, morality, and devotion violently clashed with the Islamic faith to secure dominance over it. The hypocrisy is too clear when one regards a religion that millions follow and devote their lives to contradict their own values.

In spite of a violent history, the Catholic Church condemns abortion--the act of taking the life of an unborn child. Catholic Christians believe that all life is sacred from conception until death, and taking the life of innocent human life, whether born or unborn, is morally wrong. An assembly of unmarried, men, with only blind faith and lacking scientific evidence, restricted all Catholic women and their natural right to conceive or abort a fetus. The Catholic faith is actively oppressing a large segment of its followers. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco stated that it is a “scientific fact that human life begins at conception" (cnsnews.com). The archbishop is biologically accurate because a new human organism is produced at the union of the ovum and the sperm. But one can argue that an unborn child cannot fully survive on its own and is fully dependent on its mother, in contrast to a delivered offspring. Also bearing children can be a life threatening experience, which contradicts the “right to life” argument.

All are susceptible to corruption; its reach is unlimited and seeps into every crook and cranny on this Earth. Yet, one can overcome the snare of misconduct by exercising ethical resilience. Hawthorne’s short story, “The Minister’s Black Veil,” reveals a truth about human nature. When one is insecure about oneself, he is keen to call attention to the imperfections of others despite harboring faults of his own. Fictional stories shed light on the nature of the actions of humans and examples of hypocrisy are evident in literature and reality. The Catholic Church does not exemplify moral behavior for its followers because of uncompromising faith in outdated principles closing off their minds off to reason and change. If one cannot tell the truth about himself, he cannot tell it about other people. In opposition to false virtue; it is better to be known in life as the honest sinner than a lying hypocrite.