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Inner Reality and Outward Mask

In one of his letters to Indira Gandhi, Nehru distinguished between privacy and secrecy. The terms should not be confused. Much of privacy is regulated by cultural demarcations. Privacy relates to modesty and decency. Secrecy relates to discretion. Privacy is ruled by external culture, secrecy is governed by inner understanding. Shame is opposed to modesty and occurs when privacy is violated. Fear or anxiety often accompanies exposure of secrecy. There is a healthy aspect of both privacy and secrecy. Privacy of our dressing room and secrecy of military strategy, for instance. However, when secrecy tries to cover inner foulness by means of a false masquerade, then the secrecy and privacy are means that are abused. The affront of dignity that conceals inner immodesty is hypocrisy. When the internal fails to accord with the external, inner confusion, delusion, or overt rebellion is bound to occur. Fear conceals inner reality and brandishes a fake glowing face as long as social ties seem necessary. Anonymity breeds evil by deindividualization and dehumanization (see Zimbardo). Shame and fear are thus related. The only thing that can bring accord between the internal and the external is confession. The confession of mouth and an inner brokenness...faith is heart brings healing. Hypocritical Christianity exists because culture exists, because society exists, but more because a sense of the need for acceptance exists. The fear of rejection compels secrecy to guard inner vileness. Privacy can only guard modesty. Where modesty is destroyed secrecy steps in to cover immodesty. Unless the sinner throws away his false coverings, God can neither wash nor clothe him. But the will is imperfect so repentance is a vague point. Repentance needs strengthening. It can only be strengthened by confession. One should stop covering up by means of arguments. One must submit in obedience. Lord have mercy on me the chiefest of sinners! May sin be abominable in my eyes, may your love be supreme, for love is purity and holiness. Forgive me Lord and cover me! If the outward mask is broken, the inner vileness will be revealed. But let it be so for your cleansing waters of grace and mercy to flow in irresistibly and wash my sins away. One can't wear the robe of righteousness over a body of sin. It is only a body redeemed and sanctified by His blood that can don the fair garment. May JESUS reign!

Domenic Marbaniang, 03 June, 2008
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