Hypocrisy: Preachy Pastor Tells Hume Not to be Preachy in WaPo Piece

If you're going to call out someone for hypocrisy, make sure you're not guilty of the same thing. Guest columnist Welton Gaddy, a pastor for preaching and worship at Northminster (Baptist) Church in Monroe, La. and MSNBC regular, apparently had no qualms with calling out former Fox News "Special Report" anchor Brit Hume in a Jan. 4 column, but is committing the same transgression.

Gaddy took issue with the Fox News senior political analyst's 39-second spiritual commentary on redemption for the recently disgraced Tiger Woods. And although Gaddy failed to mention that Hume publicly stepped out of his role as anchor/reporter in 2008, Gaddy revealed his disgust with the apparent preachy hypocrisy emanating from the "reporter" (emphasis added).

"The picture on the television screen and the audio of reporter Brit Hume's words struck me as contradictory," Gaddy wrote. "Just below the image of the reporter's face, the insignia 'Fox News' appeared in three different places. Yet, the content of Mr. Hume's comments was not that of a news reporter so much as that of a televangelist."

Gaddy harped on Hume for sounding like a "televangelist" but later chided Hume for not thoroughly reporting the "truth to people of all religions." One might ask how is it that Hume can be accused of being a televangelist, but simultaneously be accused of failing to preach the "truth to people of all religions?"

Gaddy's hypocrisy didn't stop there. Gaddy, a Christian minister, admitted he is "delighted to see [his] faith discussed in public" and not three paragraphs later, is puzzlingly disgusted to see his "faith used in a utilitarian manner."

Hume was speaking as an invited guest, a panelist during, by Gaddy's own admission, a commentary segment of the program, but still labeled him a "news anchor," which isn't true.

"Even though Mr. Hume's remarks occurred during a portion of the program devoted to commentary, a news anchor should not assume an authority to compare ‘redemption' in various religions," wrote Gaddy.

And, not only was Hume not wearing his anchor hat during the segment, it seems a bit presumptuous of Gaddy to accuse Hume of assuming an authority on redemption.

One could argue that Hume, a well-respected and award-winning journalist, in fact practiced restraint from delving into spiritual depths on a news program. Had Hume expounded on his comments and continued to preach the "truth to people of all religions" as Gaddy suggested he do, wouldn't he just be sounding like a televangelist on a news show?

As a Christian minister, one could ask, shouldn't Gaddy be happy to hear his faith discussed in a positive light in a public forum?