Shame on us!

America has ceased to acknowledge shame. No “uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of impropriety, dishonor or other wrong in the opinion of the person experiencing the feeling. It is caused by awareness of exposure of circumstances of unworthiness or of improper or indecent conduct.”

The definition has not changed since I was a child, but its application has. In today’s world shame is applied to hypocrites, not self imposed. Today’s societal acceptance of personal desires provides no opportunity for personal feelings of shame.

There is no impropriety. A New York governor hires prostitutes on a regular basis. He apologizes when caught, but expresses no recognition of impropriety. A president takes advantage of his powerful position to influence an intern and expresses no recognition of impropriety, explaining instead that he did not have sex. A national radio personality rails against improprieties, yet does not express shame for his substance addiction. Multiple priests abuse young boys and are only transferred to another opportunity. A plethora of Hollywood personalities flaunt lifestyles that provide shock news through conduct that generates no apologies, just large smiles as cameras click.

Shame upon us for paying for those photos.

Have we all no shame? Perhaps it is true that a lack of rules results in a lack of shame: … there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; (Judges 18:7 KJV)

David, a man who was exposed in circumstances of unworthiness, and certainly in improper and indecent conduct, wrote: My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, (Psalms 44:15 KJV)

Solomon also spoke of shame in many of his Proverbs: The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. (Proverbs 3:35 KJV)

Take care that Daniel’s prophesy does not have a personal application: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2 KJV)

And, as Paul, I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. (1 Corinthians 4:14 KJV)

Shame has a rightful place in today’s society. We should feel warned and uncomfortable, at the very least. There are actions in our lives that are harmful, to us – and to others.