Imitation and Charades

(Originally published 30, june, 2009)[Note: since first publication, some links are no longer valid, but I kept the post intact to preserve the meaning of the post. djs)First off, let me make some clarification regarding my post of 6/26. I have received numerous comments regarding imitation between my blog and two others on that date, so, before anyone else comments, let me say this, two of the posts were original, and uninspired by previous posts. My post and this post over at Soliloquy were both inspired by a conversation the two of us had over the telephone on Friday morning, in which the words "This would make a good blog post" were uttered. Neither of us knew the other would post it, and acted on our own without outside inspiration. Any other post on the topic was inspired by the original two postings, hence the duplication.

Now I'll move on to the main topic of this post: Charades. I'm sure that a lot of us are familiar with this game as we've played it from time to time since childhood. Sadly, many people carry on this "game" in their real life. People like to make people believe they are one thing when, in fact, they are not. People in leadership positions are not exempt from this game. I've seen many people in leadership positions, some "Christian" leaders, that have fallen once their mask of deceit has been removed. They'll preach at you and condemn you for doing something that is "immoral" or "sinful", all the while maintaining the mask of perfect sainthood. Then, all of a sudden, BOOM! One slip of the tongue or badly thought out decision, and that mask is shattered, revealing the life of duplicity said leader has been leading. Some examples include the Revs. Jim Bakker and Ted Haggard, and- on a broader spectrum- the Catholic church. My question is this: How are we, as those of the "following" supposed to believe what we are taught is right and wrong if those that are the "teachers" do the exact opposite of what they are supposed to be teaching us. What gives them the right to shove their doctrine and -more often than not- personal beliefs down our throats, when they can't practice what they preach? And people wonder why there is a constant decline in moral standards. When will our leaders' underlying motives reflect what their masks are trying to project?

Charades

"I'm all dressed up in my finest attitude
Pretending I don't care.
Guess I really messed up by trying to be two,
When only one heart can be there.
Why can't I be just what I am,
And [live my life] without any shame?
Why can't [they] see what I am,
Is a costumed fool trapped in a tragic game?

Charades and pretty lies
They hide what's deep inside me.
Charades do disguise
All [that I hide deep] inside me.
Charades! Can't see me,
But can you feel the real me,
The real me behind my charades?

Oh, please don't mind me,
Performing at my hardest
As I paint upon the air.
You won't find me
Cause it's a portrait of the artist
As a man who isn't there.

Charades and pretty lies
They hide what's deep inside me.
Charades do disguise
All [that I hide deep] inside me.
Charades! Can't see me,
But can you feel the real me,
The real me behind my charades?

Can't you feel the real me,
Behind my charades?
Have I lost the real me,
Behind my charades? (Gibson, Caulfield- with words altered by myself to fit the post)