“Now, if any credit may be given to the history of the greatest cities, when at the height of their refinement in the arts of life, from Nineveh down to those of our own times, we shall find that all manner of wickedness has then reigned most extensively in them, and that even under the wing of decorum. In France, adultery, though known, if practised with sufficient caution or decency, is considered among polite people as no blemish in the character of a gentleman…As our taste refines, we learn to distinguish nicely, and to sin grossly. Among half a dozen of words, signifying nearly the same thing, we can perhaps mark out so many degrees of decency in the use of them; and to trespass against any established rule of decorum, will hurt the character of a gentleman more than the transgression of any Divine law, decently committed” (Sandeman).
“…we learn to distinguish nicely, and to sin grossly.” That pithy line by Sandeman describes not only those who make no pretense of religion, but it especially describes those who do profess to know God, but who by their evil-life-characterizing-deeds do deny him.
“They profess to know God, but by [their] works they deny [Him,] being abominable and disobedient, and worthless to every good work” (Titus 1:16).
For many hideous examples of this, see the following category on “morality”:
Agrammatos 