If you've been a Christian for a
fair amount of time, it is more than likely that you've encountered someone,
somewhere who has told you that they're a "Christian," but do not
attend church. Although I've never taken a scientific survey (or an
unscientific one, for that matter), I would dare say that the number one reason
proffered for that lack is that "the church is full of hypocrites."
Somehow, the person saying such a thing makes a determination, necessarily
using himself as the standard, by which everyone else must be measured. Thus,
since he believes himself to be the paragon of sincerity and honesty, everyone
not measuring up is, by definition, a hypocrite.
I always find it curious when people are discussing how things are
and how they should be, that they often make a comment to the effect that
"such things should not happen in the 21st century." That is offered
as some sort of justification indicating that we should know better and that,
by now, we should have gotten beyond that particular behavior. You will likely
hear such statements when people are complaining about this or that attitude or
such and such actions, particularly by religious people.
