In John 8:44 Jesus explains that those who lie have the Devil as their Father. In John 16, he calls the Holy Spirit the "Spirit of truth." There is probably no better to separate ourselves from the divine than by lying.
Ah yes, the truth will set you free, unless it is truth some people/groups/institutions/government etc. don't like. Then that truth can land you in the courts and being banished from your circle of support. It isn't truth those folks are seeking but obedience. Telling the truth is definitely the moral thing to do and yet, in the last 6 years it has become slightly more blurry. What is the truth? Telling the truth is a cornerstone of a moral life; without it, we are just part of the ongoing problem.
Yep! You have a good point, but I believe the Gospel quote about "the truth will set you free" refers to knowing the truth, not telling the truth. Also, I am certain it refers to a different freedom, not the feeedom we experience on this material plane.
Ivan, you may well be right on the Gospel's quote, "the truth will set you free", meaning knowing the truth, not telling the truth. I definitely think both are important and this gives us freedom. Freedom from the burden of lies or not knowing or telling the truth.
I think we are moving (or already have arrived) in a rather immoral culture. Actually, for most people, I don't think we are fully there yet. But there is little thought about "doing the right thing" these days...people will do whatever they feel they need to do to "get ahead"...they will cheat, lie, sexually exploit, be disrespectful, on and on, all for the next buck, the next promotion, the next high, or the next lay. Not everyone, of course, but quite a few.
Our “leaders” lie to us and get away with it because most of us are too lazy to question them. Another percentage might doubt what the “authorities” are saying but remain silent because experience teaches them it’s risky to speak up. That leaves the small percentage of us who question everything and can’t keep our big mouths shut. Eventually even us mouthy individuals grow old and weary of being hammered. I still support speaking only the truth because that’s what makes me who I am, but my feistiness is in short supply these days. Now I reserve it for the time I might possibly need a large heap of it. I guess you could call it choosing my battles. One last comment, I still fully support President Trump, I don’t feel he betrayed me. I hope I’m not wrong.
I don't think we have reached the point yet where people remain silent because of fear they could get in trouble...that is a late phase of authoritarianism. People are, as you say, lazy, or convinced they simply do not have to worry about thinking, since what they are told is, of course, best for all of us. This is part of the "liberal brain wash"...to believe all authority is benevolent, and going against their wishes is selfish.
I’ve been burned more than once in the past by folks (mostly coworkers) who expressed strong opinions in one on one conversations and then sat mutely when they had their chance to speak up. A few even apologized afterwards. I attributed it to lack of backbone but wondered if some might have been playing me. I don’t know, but it certainly made me more cautious and distrustful. I put the folks who got fraudulent vax documentation (or said they were vaxed when they weren’t) among those who remain silent so they don’t get in trouble. It also makes them liars in my opinion, worse than the lazy ones. It’s hard to trust anybody these days.
Debra, I like how you put "leaders" in quotes. I really want to find another word for leaders as they are not leaders anymore than I am a statue. Yes, it is risky to speak up. I just posted my comment relating to that. Keep speaking up. :)
Wonderful, thoughtful article ! Wondering …….when sheep make a categoric statement and present it as the “ truth” with no ( zilch ) underlying factual basis , is that lying ? It strikes me as lying 2.0 !
The word "lie" and "liar" I personally believe is being overused. I have always defined "lie" as a conscious untruth. Meaning the "liar" has to know what they are saying is not true, and say it maliciously. I think most sheep are not liars. And maybe SOME "leaders" are not liars but have been convinced by the agenda that what they say or advocate is "good" and "truthful" (take climate warming for an example).
The problem is that most sheep do not bother to "think" about what they are saying, and blabber out untruths, or "lies" true liars are lying about.
Your last paragraph is literally the "bottom line". We should tell the truth because it is the right thing to do. It has nothing to do with whether we get caught in the lie or not. We do not steal, because it is wrong to do so; it does not matter if we could do it and not get caught.
In the past I used to teach Medical Ethics. We are guided by some Ethical Principles: Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Autonomy, Truth-telling, Confidentiality, Justice. Sometimes these principles are in conflict with one another. This is the nature of an ethical dilemma; like when my concept of beneficence gets in conflict with the patient's autonomy. In these situations, one principle needs to override the other. In the above example, autonomy overrides beneficence. Truth-telling always overrides everything else.
Truth is a difficult thing, it is not typically black and white (although a lot of it is). Morality is also very fuzzy..."what's morally good for the snake, is not morally good for the mouse"...talk to Nietzsche about that...he had a problem with the idea of morality.
Your comment reminds me of something I see often in my work with couples dealing with infidelity. In my experience, the one who cheats is usually the man, and most of these men genuinely believe that if their wife never finds out, no real harm has been done. My focus with them is to make clear that breaking their contract with their wife is simply wrong—and that breaking the contract they owe themselves, to be a good man, is equally wrong, whether she ever knows or not. In a spiritual sense, they are still hurting their partner even if she remains unaware.
In John 8:44 Jesus explains that those who lie have the Devil as their Father. In John 16, he calls the Holy Spirit the "Spirit of truth." There is probably no better to separate ourselves from the divine than by lying.
Ah yes, the truth will set you free, unless it is truth some people/groups/institutions/government etc. don't like. Then that truth can land you in the courts and being banished from your circle of support. It isn't truth those folks are seeking but obedience. Telling the truth is definitely the moral thing to do and yet, in the last 6 years it has become slightly more blurry. What is the truth? Telling the truth is a cornerstone of a moral life; without it, we are just part of the ongoing problem.
Yep! You have a good point, but I believe the Gospel quote about "the truth will set you free" refers to knowing the truth, not telling the truth. Also, I am certain it refers to a different freedom, not the feeedom we experience on this material plane.
it refers to both. telling the truth and knowing the truth go hand in hand.
Ivan, you may well be right on the Gospel's quote, "the truth will set you free", meaning knowing the truth, not telling the truth. I definitely think both are important and this gives us freedom. Freedom from the burden of lies or not knowing or telling the truth.
I think we are moving (or already have arrived) in a rather immoral culture. Actually, for most people, I don't think we are fully there yet. But there is little thought about "doing the right thing" these days...people will do whatever they feel they need to do to "get ahead"...they will cheat, lie, sexually exploit, be disrespectful, on and on, all for the next buck, the next promotion, the next high, or the next lay. Not everyone, of course, but quite a few.
I agree with you!!
Our “leaders” lie to us and get away with it because most of us are too lazy to question them. Another percentage might doubt what the “authorities” are saying but remain silent because experience teaches them it’s risky to speak up. That leaves the small percentage of us who question everything and can’t keep our big mouths shut. Eventually even us mouthy individuals grow old and weary of being hammered. I still support speaking only the truth because that’s what makes me who I am, but my feistiness is in short supply these days. Now I reserve it for the time I might possibly need a large heap of it. I guess you could call it choosing my battles. One last comment, I still fully support President Trump, I don’t feel he betrayed me. I hope I’m not wrong.
I don't think we have reached the point yet where people remain silent because of fear they could get in trouble...that is a late phase of authoritarianism. People are, as you say, lazy, or convinced they simply do not have to worry about thinking, since what they are told is, of course, best for all of us. This is part of the "liberal brain wash"...to believe all authority is benevolent, and going against their wishes is selfish.
Trump may surprise us yet.
I’ve been burned more than once in the past by folks (mostly coworkers) who expressed strong opinions in one on one conversations and then sat mutely when they had their chance to speak up. A few even apologized afterwards. I attributed it to lack of backbone but wondered if some might have been playing me. I don’t know, but it certainly made me more cautious and distrustful. I put the folks who got fraudulent vax documentation (or said they were vaxed when they weren’t) among those who remain silent so they don’t get in trouble. It also makes them liars in my opinion, worse than the lazy ones. It’s hard to trust anybody these days.
I should not have made that sound like ALL people...there certainly are, and probably a lot, who DO fear speaking the truth.
You didn’t, I just felt the need to elaborate. Love all your articles and everyone’s comments. You keep us sane, Todd. Thank you always.
Debra, I like how you put "leaders" in quotes. I really want to find another word for leaders as they are not leaders anymore than I am a statue. Yes, it is risky to speak up. I just posted my comment relating to that. Keep speaking up. :)
Wonderful, thoughtful article ! Wondering …….when sheep make a categoric statement and present it as the “ truth” with no ( zilch ) underlying factual basis , is that lying ? It strikes me as lying 2.0 !
The word "lie" and "liar" I personally believe is being overused. I have always defined "lie" as a conscious untruth. Meaning the "liar" has to know what they are saying is not true, and say it maliciously. I think most sheep are not liars. And maybe SOME "leaders" are not liars but have been convinced by the agenda that what they say or advocate is "good" and "truthful" (take climate warming for an example).
The problem is that most sheep do not bother to "think" about what they are saying, and blabber out untruths, or "lies" true liars are lying about.
"The lie I tell ten times gradually becomes a half truth to me. And as I continue to tell my half truth to others, it becomes my cherished delusion."
- Joost Meerloo, The Rape of the Mind
Your last paragraph is literally the "bottom line". We should tell the truth because it is the right thing to do. It has nothing to do with whether we get caught in the lie or not. We do not steal, because it is wrong to do so; it does not matter if we could do it and not get caught.
In the past I used to teach Medical Ethics. We are guided by some Ethical Principles: Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, Autonomy, Truth-telling, Confidentiality, Justice. Sometimes these principles are in conflict with one another. This is the nature of an ethical dilemma; like when my concept of beneficence gets in conflict with the patient's autonomy. In these situations, one principle needs to override the other. In the above example, autonomy overrides beneficence. Truth-telling always overrides everything else.
Truth is a difficult thing, it is not typically black and white (although a lot of it is). Morality is also very fuzzy..."what's morally good for the snake, is not morally good for the mouse"...talk to Nietzsche about that...he had a problem with the idea of morality.
Your comment reminds me of something I see often in my work with couples dealing with infidelity. In my experience, the one who cheats is usually the man, and most of these men genuinely believe that if their wife never finds out, no real harm has been done. My focus with them is to make clear that breaking their contract with their wife is simply wrong—and that breaking the contract they owe themselves, to be a good man, is equally wrong, whether she ever knows or not. In a spiritual sense, they are still hurting their partner even if she remains unaware.