A church member recently invited me to read a book called Poseranity where the author contends that what he experienced as Christianity is really “poseranity.” Pretense, covering up, showing only the best parts, having much cognitive dissonance between internal thoughts and external behaviors, hypocrisy. When one person shows up on at worship, but a totally other person, inhabiting the same body, shows up outside worship, then is it possible we have one practicing poseranity.
I’d like to think a little further about this. It is easy to take potshots at the church for all the hypocrites within. But there are very few places where we are not “poseurs” or hypocrites of some sort. Try this: even if you really enjoy your work most of the time, aren’t there times when you don’t want to be there or don’t have a particularly good attitude, but you show up anyway and do the best with the situation? Could that be a brand of poseranity?
Or this: family gatherings, generally enjoyable, also often include certain members of the extended family who are not especially easy to get along with. Do you, for the sake of the larger gathering, sometimes put on your game face and deal gently with people when you would prefer to walk out in a huff or tell them where to get off? Is this not acting as a poseur? Is this not a form of hypocrisy?
When children or grandchildren or other less mature members of a group start act up and melt down, doesn’t it work better if you, the more mature one, intentionally put on a calm demeanor and seek a peaceful resolution? Or do you let self-control disappear and start doing what you’d really like to do–having your own meltdown and screaming fit? Would an intentional act of self-control in the midst of your own discomfort also be considered poseranity?
This acting is a good thing. Without it, civilization would disappear under the avalanche of unmoderated behavior. We’re all two-faced hypocrites, “poseurs” in many, many ways, and generally, we’re grateful when others act with kind and patient hypocrisy toward us rather than treating us as we really deserve. So, why does it hit so much harder when people who call themselves worshippers of God act in a two-faced manner? What’s up with that?
Two things, probably. First, those who openly state that they wish to be known as followers of God sometimes do so in a manner that indicates they are actually better than others. They set themselves up to be knocked off the pedestal of self-righteousness. A good dose of humility might help.
Second, people long to know that someone somewhere has experienced significant transformation. The disappointment of the dark side of human nature popping up can be quite discouraging. This is the problem with instantaneous salvation stories. For just about everyone, the transformation that comes from an encounter with the living God takes a lifetime to work out and permeate into the entirety of the soul. New habits must be built, new patterns of thought and behaviors practiced.
I do not excuse inexcusable behavior. When we are kind within church doors and nasty outside them, we give evidence of a cracked character. When we tell others to dig deep into their pockets to give, will not dig into our own pockets or, even worse, pocket those gifts ourselves rather than using them for proper charitable purposes, then condemnation comes justly. But when we are doing what we can to grow into holiness, stumbling along the way along with everyone, perhaps it is time to cut some slack, and show some grace. Because if we don’t, we’re as guilty as being “poseurs” as those we condemn.
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