Our Human Condition

February 17, 1999

I became weary and bored months ago with Clinton, the impeachment, the trial, the obsession of the “talking heads” with their sniggling satisfaction at grimy details and snide speculations. The trial is over; Clinton acquitted. But the hashing and re-hashings continue, and will continue until the next seamy sex scandal monopolizes the media.

There has been comment here and there, that Clinton got off easily and deserved severe punishment for his lies, cheating and idiotic behavior. Perhaps he will be indicted after his term as President expires, but that seems doubtful at this time.

Whatever happens, however, Clinton has been punished and will be punished to the end of his days. Make no mistake about that. He will be always conscious of what he did. Can any punishment be more harsh for a President who knows his acts will be a part of the history of this Nation?

When I was a boy and teen-ager in the Universalist Church in Everett, on the wall of the church auditorium were the principles of Universalism. This set of principles was replaced in 1935 by succeeding principles, reflecting changes in the way that Universalism was expressed.

But, prior to that, looking at the wall next to the pulpit, I thought frequently of the 4th principle: “The certainty of just retribution for sin.” That retribution was not “Hell”, because Universalists rejected completely the theological notion that most Christian churches believed: that there was a Hell of eternal fire where God punished sinners forever.

WE know that the convicted criminal is punished. But, what about the thief who is never captured; the swindler who gets rich bilking many persons; the hit-and-run driver who is never identified? Does just retribution catch up with them?

Are we punished for our lesser sins? Lying about “where I was last night;” spreading false rumors; deliberately creating bad feelings in a group; being false to promises; not telling the truth on that resume; cheating on the exam? And so on.

Henrik Ibsen once noted, “Look into any man's heart you please, and you will always find in every one, at least one black spot which he has to keep concealed.” (PILLARS OF SOCIETY, quoted by Katherine Hall Page, THE BODY IN THE FJORD.)

In agreeing with Ibsen, I may just be identifying us both as dour Scandinavians. Nevertheless, we pay for our sins, whether you identify “sin” as “missing the mark,” which is probably the early meaning in the Hebrew Scriptures, or consciously doing wrong, going against one’s conscience, transgressing laws or deeply-rooted cultural mores.

There is certainty of retribution or punishment unless one is a sociopath. Recall the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale in Hawthorne’s THE SCARLET LETTER. If I tell a lie, no matter if no one else ever knows it, I know I am a liar. So with Clinton. If after leaving office, he has a spectacular career or distinguished accomplishments; and if the public generally forgets his calamitous 1998 year, he never can. Nothing can delete the self-knowledge of his or our sins, although the counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist may help us to accept and adjust.

Jesus is credited with saying, “Let one without sin cast the first stone.” (Yes, I know THAT joke, and its punch line.)

The account in John, Chapter 8, verse 9 ff, goes on, “... and they when they heard it, went out one by one, beginning from the eldest, even unto the last. And Jesus said unto her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no man condemn thee?’ And she said, ‘No man, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn thee. Go thy way, from henceforth sin no more.’” (RSV)

We all fall short; it is a human condition.

In ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, Shakespeare had an additional insight into our shrouded inner motives and outward actions. Helena is in love with Bertram, who is a greedy rogue and callous philanderer. Parolles is a pretentious character, a liar and a coward. I learned that WS chose “Parolles” as a name because of its French derivation, meaning “all talk.”

In Act IV, Sc. III, one of the French Lords remarks, with Parolles on stage,

“The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and
ill together: our virtues would be proud, if our
faults whipped them not; and our crimes would
despair, if they were not cherished by our virtues.”

AMEN!

P.S.: I wish I could ask Will S why he had Helena fall in love with the unpleasant Bertram. Or, was the title, ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, sarcasm?