Does behavior validate the message?

[Avatar4321]

Been thinking about this. I often see people seem to indicate that if someone doesnt live the moral standards they preach, then those standards arent true/right/etc. Im not sure I can accept that premise. If someone is a hypocrite, fine, but does that mean the standards they fail to live up to are somehow invalid/untrue?

Let's say, I tell you that its wrong to lie. Later I'm found to be a chronic liar. Does my inability to be honest somehow mean that lying is justified? Or am i simply wrong when i lie?

I see this standard being applied very frequently in religious matters. A preacher or teacher is found to be less than perfect, so therefore their message is invalid. Sort of a destroy the messenger type thing. But the thing is, no one is perfect. Shouldnt the messages be listened to and addressed according to their merits rather than the ability or lack thereof of the people sharing the message to life in concordence with it?

 

[uscitizen]

Been thinking about this. I often see people seem to indicate that if someone doesnt live the moral standards they preach, then those standards arent true/right/etc. Im not sure I can accept that premise. If someone is a hypocrite, fine, but does that mean the standards they fail to live up to are somehow invalid/untrue?

Let's say, I tell you that its wrong to lie. Later I'm found to be a chronic liar. Does my inability to be honest somehow mean that lying is justified? Or am i simply wrong when i lie?

I see this standard being applied very frequently in religious matters. A preacher or teacher is found to be less than perfect, so therefore their message is invalid. Sort of a destroy the messenger type thing. But the thing is, no one is perfect. Shouldnt the messages be listened to and addressed according to their merits rather than the ability or lack thereof of the people sharing the message to life in concordence with it?

Yews I agree when it is an individual indescretion/failure. However when the religion endorses the failure or covers up for it then it is a failure of that religion.

However if that religion fails it does not necessarially invalidate God for instance. As an example take the catholic Chruch and pedo priests. Or the Funfdamentalist Moremoans.
Their failre does not disprove god, just disproves their church/relilgion as a failure.