John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Does power corrupt men? Consider this famous quotation.
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men. — John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (from here)
Do you believe it? Some do not. Here is how an article at Smithsonian.com, Why Power Corrupts, ends.
In sum, the study found, power doesn’t corrupt; it heightens pre-existing ethical tendencies. Which brings to mind another maxim, from Abraham Lincoln: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” (from here)
According to wikiquote.org (see here), the quote by Abraham Lincoln is incorrectly attributed, but that is a relatively small error. What is important is the accuracy of the conclusion.
Matthew 9:10-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
What is remarkable is the number of people who refuse to believe that they too are numbered among the sinners that Christ Jesus came to save. We are all sinners. We are all subject to temptation.
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Filed under: Culture War, Information Warfare, Philosophy, religion Tagged: bible, christianity, John Dalberg-Acton 1st Baron Acton, leadership, philosophy, religion, theology 