Fig leaf is a reference from the story of Adam and Even in the garden of Eden.
The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3: verses 4-5 WEB translation)
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate from the tree of knowledge and Evil. Apart from an awareness of sin, Adam and Eve soon realised that taking advice from a talking snake was a really bad idea. Like many difficult couple relationships, they blamed everyone else for their problems. Eve blamed the snake and Adam blamed Eve for eating the fruit. Sin entered the created world and spoilt everything for humanity. An ongoing tragedy was the proliferation of awful marriage or relationship `self -help’ and `motivational’ sermons and books.
Books with titles like `Seven Keys to a Dynamic Marriage’, `Getting Back Your Sassy Self’ and `Co-dependent No-More’ have been making publishers and relationship gurus filthy rich since the late 20th century. Fig leaf is also a figure of speech. It describes using something that is inadequate as a cover to hide shame and embarrassment. Fig Leaf is also a game. Fig Leaf occurs when well-meaning Christians adopt the latest social issues or programs to gain credibility or popularity with the powerful and the public.
Fig leaf is sometimes very hard to spot. Especially when the cause is good and worthwhile. For example, a church installs solar panels to reduce carbon emissions and `raise awareness of climate change’. The game of `Fig Leaf’ is played when the cause is used as a cover or `Fig Leaf’ to hide their insecurities or unbelief. In the absence of convictions, Christians are tempted to co-opt every passing fad or trend as a `Fig Leaf’. Somewhere along the path of good works, the focus switches from being other centred to `virtue signalling’ or `Look at me…look at me’.
What is virtue signalling?
Virtue signalling is usually described as any communication that involves expressing a moral viewpoint with the aim of demonstrating good character or moral virtue. In the negative sense, `virtue signalling’ is contrived and empty. Virtue signalling can come across as insincere and empty. The focus is on the activist’s self- image with little or no cost or personal sacrifice. In virtue signalling, the signaller’s main aim is to make a positive impression upon their audience. It plays into our desire to look good in the eyes of other people.
Humans want to be good.
Regardless of what we believe (or don’t believe), humans have a natural inclination to want to be `good’ or `right’ and seek justification in what we do (or don’t’ do). We are `hard wired’ for striving to attain a standard of virtue or righteousness. In the gap between the ideal and the reality, we always fall short. Simply doing more of the same will never fill the void or satisfy the inner restlessness, insecurities, critical voices and fears. Excessive virtue signalling has been linked to blindness…um…spiritual blindness that is. Using causes as fig leaves blinds us to the reality that we cannot be `good’ or `righteous’ through our own self-efforts.
In a follow up post, I will explore a better game to `Fig Leaf’ and an alternative look at virtue signalling.
Foolish Times 