Why is it so easy for a Christian to turn a blind eye to immorality?

I have been contemplating the surreal situation on both sides of the Atlantic where, regardless of their crimes or misdemeanours, right-wing politicians appear untouchable as their core supporters seem quite unconcerned with their behaviour, indeed it appears that as far as Tory or Republican voters are concerned their representatives can do exactly as they please. This becomes even more acute with those righteous defenders of morality and probity, our pious Christian brethren who seem quite animated by sexual misconduct. As long as someone opposes abortion or same-sex marriage, our ethical policepeople are quite indifferent to their personal conduct. As the 45 famously noted, he could shoot someone in broad daylight on the streets of New York and these people would still vote for him, and he has taken unethical behaviour to new heights.

If an alien being landed on earth who was a stranger to human nature and witnessed the indifference of men about the misery of their inferiors, and the regret and indignation which they feel for the misfortunes and sufferings of those above them, that alien being would be apt to imagine, that pain must be more agonising, and the convulsions of death more terrible to persons of higher rank, than to those of meaner stations. It appears to be a characteristic of mankind, to go along with all the passions of the rich and powerful, and it seems to be this proclivity on which the distinctions of ranks, and the order of society is founded. Even when the order of society seems to require that we should oppose them, we can hardly bring ourselves to do it. That kings are the servant of the people, to be obeyed, resisted, opposed or punished, as the public conveniency may require, is the doctrine of reason and philosophy; but it is not the doctrine of Nature. This disposition to admire, and almost to worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or, at least, to neglect persons of poor and mean condition, though necessary both to establish and to maintain the distinction of ranks and the order of society, is, at the same time, the great and most universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments. That wealth and greatness are often regarded with the respect and admiration which are due only to wisdom and virtue; and that the contempt, of which vice and folly are the only proper objects, is often most unjustly bestowed upon poverty and weakness, has been the complaint of moralists in all ages. We frequently see the respectful attentions of the world more strongly directed towards the rich and great, than towards the wise and virtuous. We see frequently the vices and follies of the powerful much less despised than the poverty and weakness of the innocent.

I have just reproduced, with some judicious amendment, the words of Adam Smith, from his The Theory of Moral Sentiments, published in 1759. It is quite astonishing that his words are so relevant to 2017 and only proves the old saw that the more things change the more they stay the same. I was once advised by a wise older person never to underestimate the stupidity of the average voter and the more I watch the current politics worldwide I'm afraid the wiser that advice seems. In Britain, the Brexit saga is reaching farcical proportions. All European personnel have consistently told the British that the Brexit process must follow a particular treaty based process and its as if they were talking to themselves. The British are either too arrogant or too stupid, although it is probably a combination of both as their stupidity is a consequence of their arrogance, to grasp this. The British government keeps repeating that the Europeans will have to be more flexible, and I keep asking why? It wasn't the Europeans who triggered Article 50, it wasn't the Europeans who decided to drag their nation back into the Middle Ages. But none of this utter farce appears to be making any impression on the British electorate, or rather the English electorate. They seem oblivious of the utter incompetence of the government, to the tragedy that is the Foreign Secretary, Boris the Spider. If anyone thought I was being rather harsh on Theresa May when she became Prime Minister when I told you she was thick and quite stupid, you can be in no doubt now that I was actually being quite complimentary because it is now demonstrable that she is far worse than that. Eight months into a process that must be completed in two years the British have accomplished absolutely nothing. We are not one step further forward, it beggars belief, but should not surprise anyone who reads this blog as I have been warning you as to the character of Tories for years now. Americans have their own Tories of course, right-wing ideologues who have no contact with reality, nor any moral compass. I am watching the saga of Roy Moore in Alabama with growing incredulity. As I said in my last post both Britain and America are in a very dark place. I will return to Adam Smith for solace and consolation as there appears to be no sources of wisdom and common sense in today's world. You have been warned

Your Servant
Doktor Kommirat