Sacred Cows

It’s always been interesting to observe how people react in situations of injustice—especially when something unjust is revealed. While it can be frustrating, this observation has allowed me to identify patterns in human behavior that are interesting to consider.

One of the more intriguing patterns I’ve noticed over the last 5-10 years is the way many people treat certain figures in their lives as “sacred.” While there are many sacred cows in society, today I want to focus specifically on teachers, preachers, and theologians.

For example, Ravi Zacharias was beloved by many for his teachings. Even when clear evidence of his abuse came to light, many people were unwilling to accept it. Some took drastic actions, like throwing his books in the trash, refusing to have any of his work in their homes.

More recently, a respected pastor in my area stepped down after being accused of abusing his wife. In response, many people were quick to express how hurt they had been by the church and its programs. On the other hand, some defended the pastor, praising him for stepping down and commending the church leadership for holding him accountable.

The danger in holding these “sacred cows” is that when we elevate someone so highly, we may become unwilling to accept that they could do any wrong. Even when they admit their failures, if they are a sacred cow, we may focus on praising them for their honesty rather than acknowledging the harm they’ve caused.

When we elevate people over justice, our reverence for certain figures can hinder accountability and silence victims.

This is one reason why many victims struggle to come forward until much later. Imagine a wife whose husband is so well respected that he has become a “sacred cow” in the eyes of many. When she speaks out, she is often met with disbelief or downplay. After all, he’s such a wonderful pastor, right?

Similarly, marriage itself has become a “sacred cow” for many ministries, pastors, and counselors. Too often, the victim’s well-being is sacrificed for the sake of maintaining the marriage, regardless of the harm being done. While it’s understandable that divorce can be a difficult decision, it’s concerning when the focus is only on keeping the marriage intact rather than addressing the abuse or mistreatment within it.

The most dangerous thing about all of this is that we may not even recognize our own sacred cows. We may claim that no one is perfect and say we would never stand behind someone who falls. But when that day comes, we may find ourselves defending and downplaying the victim’s story, unable to see the idol we’ve created.

Church, we must do better. We must learn to see the harm caused by our sacred cows and stop elevating people or concepts so highly that we forget the value of justice and truth.