(Originally written for publication in the March 15 edition)

I think I share the same feelings as many New Yorkers have had after last week’s revelations regarding our  governor — disbelief, disappointment, a little disgust and a lot of sadness. Eliot Spitzer’s departure from office and his moral throne was, at least for me, kind of a shocker. He was really the last one I expected to be accused of illegal and immoral conduct.

It is really unnecessary for me to write a life thought on the sin of adultery and of prostitution.

The point I would like to touch on today goes out to those who responded with, as one article put it, “schadenfreude,” to the former Governor’s fall from grace. The German word translates to mean “glee at another’s misfortune.”

According to media accounts, Wall Street celebrated, erupting into cheers when the news of Spitzer’s resignation was announced. I read and heard a lot of comments about Spitzer “getting his comeuppance.” Now, granted, I wouldn’t exactly term what happened to Spitzer as misfortune as he brought it upon himself rather than having it befall him. I guess his misfortune could be considered getting caught.

Anyway, there are a lot of people out there who are outraged by what he did along with all of the other feelings I described above — and rightly so. What I feel is wrong, however, is to have a feeling of self-righteous smugness or taking any kind of pleasure and gloating in Spitzer’s disgrace.

First of all, let me remind you of the woman in the Bible who was about to be stoned for being an adulteress. Jesus said to the zealous crowd, “ ... he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7) In case you don’t know what happened, no one did throw a stone at her. In fact, “ ... they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” (John 8:9)

And if your conscience doesn’t catch you before you take joy in another’s failing or sin, remember this: “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth;” (Proverbs 24:16) The rest of it goes like this, “Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” (Proverbs 24:17)

You have to wonder, if God is going to turn his wrath away from the sinner you may be rejoicing about, unto whom will he turn it? Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote, “If we would read the secret history of our enemies, we would find in each man’s life a sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.” As always, compassion should govern our emotions as well as our reactions.

Debra Robillard can be reached at
drobillard@palltimes.com
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