I Sin Every Day

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What caught my eye yesterday was that Clay Aiken had a child. When I found out it was through a surrogate mother it made more sense, but I'm still not sure what to do with that information.

Then there was the admission of an affair by John Edwards. This admission came after repeated denials where he lambasted his accusers for even suggestion infidelity. They always said he wanted to be like Bill Clinton - guess he was closer than we all imagined.

What is particularly horrifying about his owning up to an extramarital affair is that his wife is suffering with a terminal cancer, and his children have always been front and center. Far be it for me to dump all over someone elses marriage, but can he possibly win out in the court of public opinion? He wants to be Attorney General? Maybe he should speak with Eliot Spitzer.

The line that caught me is the title of this blog - "I sin every day," Edwards said by way of admission.

Certainly, let those among us without sin cast the first stone - I'm certainly not qualified to do that, but there are degrees of sin, right?

I certainly am capable of sinning every day. A temper tantrum here, a white lie there. Perhaps I grab a handful of pistachios as I walk around the grocery store, but cheating on your dying wife, as you explain that the media is creating a stink around you as you live a life of faithful bull crap and present an image to your very own children that is unbelievably contradictory?

Like the rest of the presidential candidates Edwards always struck me as someone who was polishing up his act to fool me for a few years. Unfortunately for him, he was found out well in advance of the other jokers.

I like to imagine scenarios - it's part of the writing gig - but I can't imagine what happened when he sat on the edge of his wife's bed and explained his sin for those particular days.

When we were kids we used to swear ourselves to eternal honesty by crossing our hearts. My kids now hold my feet to the carpet by asking me if I'd be willing to swear on the Bible.

I guess that Edwards would have failed each of my kids' tests. And now, fair or not, it is difficult for me to listen to the words coming out of his mouth and not be skeptical. That's what happens when honesty is breached.

I know that my beliefs teach forgiveness, but that's hard for me to do in this situation - perhaps that's my one sin for today.

Comments

Carrie Lynn Fazzolari said…
He's one of the 99 out of 100, I suppose. I'm glad you addressed this, I was about to throw a little tantrum myself.
10 August, 2008
CorLeone said…
There obviously are plenty of shitballs out there
11 August, 2008
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