Underestimated Sins

I've sometimes talked about the harm done by flattery. It's a common theme in Proverbs (e.g., 29:5), but Christians and others who should know better often succumb to flattery anyway. I've written here and here about how much of a problem it is in modern America.

I think part of what's gone wrong is that it doesn't get discussed much. It's easier to overlook or underestimate something if it doesn't get much attention. I mentioned what Proverbs says about flattery. I doubt that it would rank high as one of the issues people think about or talk about when Proverbs comes up.

It seems like flattery is also one of those things people think of as doing little or no harm, sort of like how they'll often ask what harm is done by something like fornication or homosexuality or same-sex marriage. They haven't given the subject much thought, and their (false) initial impression is that not much is at stake.

And many people are involved in flattery and enjoy it, in terms of giving it or receiving it. They have a lot to lose if they acknowledge that it's a problem and how much of a problem it is. Politicians, pastors, radio hosts, businesses, and YouTube hosts, for example, are highly dependent on flattery to get and keep their jobs. Their audiences frequently don't want to be told the truth. They want to be flattered. It makes them feel better in the short term, they like blame shifting, they like playing the victim card (my problems are somebody else's fault), and so on.