Economics / NewsPhilosophyTheology

Casuistry, Business trips, Rationalization, and other Barriers to the Gospel

A recent article from the WSJ described how Resorts and Hotels are dropping the word […]

Alex And Emily / 1.27.10

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A recent article from the WSJ described how Resorts and Hotels are dropping the word ‘resort’ from their names in order to attract business. As tolerance for corporate excess becomes less fashionable, companies want to ‘appear’ to be scaling back on business trips and conferences.

This does not mean anything about the hotel or the business trip has changed at all. It just looks better to the public. It is also another example of ‘casuistry.’ Casuistry is “resolving of specific cases of conscience… through interpretation of ethical principles or religious doctrine,” (m-w.com). The second definition is “specious argument or rationalization.”

Casuistry is making highly nuanced arguments or defenses to explain away what you know (at some level) is wrong. Casuistry is what Jesus inveighs against when speaking of the Pharisees and their traditions (Mark 7:1-13). They use reasoning with their tradition to ‘outwit’ the word of God.

These theological self-justifying gymnastics may get us off the hook or even makes us feel better. We all use casuistry and rationalization to give reasons why we fail to keep a diet, exercise, or give more to Haiti. But in the end they are minds games that act as barriers to the gospel. Jesus and St. Paul want our word to be enough and our yes to be yes, not just because we should be people of integrity, but because strait talk is honest talk. And honest talk puts the focus on us which takes our sin into account (Mk7:14-23). And awareness of sin leads directly to the sweet sound of forgiveness. There is no better destination than that.

p.s. I humbly request a casuistry competition. Please comment with some of the more intriguing examples of casuistry you have found.

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COMMENTS

8 responses to “Casuistry, Business trips, Rationalization, and other Barriers to the Gospel”

1. Nick Lannon says:

   01/27/2010 at 3:54 pm

   I don't think this link will work:

   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/1505018/Israelis-to-be-allowed-euthanasia-by-machine.html

   But the first sentence is: "Machines will perform euthanasia on terminally ill patients in Israel under legislation devised not to offend Jewish law, which forbids people taking human life."

   Reply
2. Alex says:

   01/27/2010 at 6:04 pm

   Wow. Thats a better example than I could ever give.

   Reply
3. Nick Lannon says:

   01/28/2010 at 12:45 am

   I know. It's the best one. Sorry to win the competition outright with the first serve. You rule, Alex…great post.

   Nick

   p.s. there's a great example of casuistry in The Simpsons episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" in which Homer rationalizes stealing cable because "cable companies are big, faceless corporations."

   Reply
4. KLeigh says:

   01/28/2010 at 9:54 am

   Remember this one? I offer it up as the best example of all time:
   'It depends on what your definition of the word IS is."
   -Bill Clinton

   Reply
5. StampDawg says:

   01/28/2010 at 10:23 am

   Great examples, BOTH of ya… 🙂

   I had never heard about Israel's Euthanasia Machine. Amazing. And of course KLeigh's is one of the best examples of the last couple decades (in public life that is).

   One of the key insights of the Reformation was that the usual model of human conduct was mistaken. In that flawed model we first listen to arguments and reflect and reason, and with our free will we then are able to know what to do and do it. The Reformers reversed this with the epigram:

   What the heart desires,
   the will chooses,
   and the mind justifies.

   Casuistry is the normal state of human affairs.

   Reply
6. Frank Sonnek says:

   01/29/2010 at 12:00 am

   nice examples . and also stampdawg. that little 3 line poem is something I need to …um.. plagarize… purely for good reasons…..

   Reply
7. KLeigh says:

   01/31/2010 at 11:43 pm

   FYI, guys. . . I found the full/accurate Bill Clinton quote. It's even MORE 'Casuistric' than one could ever imagine:

   "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the–if he–if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not–that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement….Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true."
   -Bill Clinton

   Reply
8. KLeigh says:

   01/31/2010 at 11:46 pm

   The above is his 'defense' of the statement 'There's nothing going on between us.'

   Reply