Vi Veri Veniversum Vicus Vici "By the power of truth, I have conquered the universe." tattooed on my daughter's back
"I don't give 'em hell. I tell the truth, and it hurts like hell." Harry Truman
"It was election time again, so a senatorial candidate decided to go to the local reservation to gather support from Native Americans. They were all assembled in the council hall to hear his speech.
As the candidate worked up to his finale, the crowd was getting increasingly excited. "I promise better education opportunities for Native Americans!" he declared. And the crowd went wild, shouting, "Hoya! Hoya!"
Encouraged by their enthusiasm, the candidate shouted, "I promise gambling reforms to allow a casino on the reservation."
"Hoya! Hoya!" cried the crowd, stomping their feet.
"I promise more social reforms and job opportunities for Native Americans!"
The crowd reached a frenzied pitch, shouting, "Hoya! Hoya! Hoya!"
After the speech, the politician was touring the reservation and saw a herd of cattle. Feigning interest in the livestock, he asked the chief if he could get a closer look at the herd.
"Sure," the chief said, "but be careful not to step in the hoya."
"Aristotle and an Aardvark go to Washington," by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein (pg.10)
"God hates liars." Proverbs 6: 12 " A worthless man, a wicked man, is the one who walks with a false mouth...Proverbs 6:16-19 "a lying tongue...a false witness who utters lies,"
A brief explanation of the use of the word HATE, when associated in these passages: This is called "Exaggerated Contrast", and is intended to shock and get our attention. It is his vehicle of intent about how much he disapproves of lying because it is the antithesis of his character. This mode of writing teases our mind into deeper reflection of how serious lying is, and should challenge us to examine ourselves thoughtfully.
I HAVE BEEN thinking about TRUTH for many weeks now. For several reasons...
First, having grown up in a severely abusive home, where religion was used as an evil control mechanism, I learned the truth vs. a lie intuitively, at much too young an age. I became the "Truthteller," and paid for it with vicious consequences.
However, it rooted in my brain, and has been a core value forever. It is a rare person who is able to lie to me. If it is a small lie, I let it go. If it is a child, I consider it carefully. If the lie sounds imaginative, I laugh and say, "Wow! That is a great story." If the child is scared, or asking specific questions, then I have a dilemma. Are they really lying? I consider their age. I ask them why they want to know things. If they say certain things, and I believe them, I will not hesitate to report what they have told me to Child Protective Services (not that anything ever happens.)
Adults..totally different matter. For example, I have a studio. A woman wanted to have her child come over because her daughter had "problems." As the child and I went through the "feeling/choosing colors" process, and she began to paint, the painting that emerged was pure ANGER! I said, "Wow! You used your "anger" color a lot. And then you used your "afraid" color the second most." And she proceeded to tell me of exactly who and why she was afraid, with specific details. I said, "You are doing such an awesome job. Here is a palette knife. (Kids love palette knives.) I am going to go get a drink of water"-which I was. (NOTE: not a lie.)
I immediately went to the mother, and looked her in the face, and said, "I will not proceed to allow so-and-so in my studio although it breaks my heart because it would do her so much good, UNLESS you immediately promise me you will set up an appointment for her and YOU with a child psychologist on Monday." "Oh my God!" she replied. "I didn't know there was anything wrong." LIE. "I believe in complete accountability." LIE. "I will set up an appointment and promise to call you on Monday for sure." (We'll see, I think...but probably, LIE!"
Monday comes. I get a call at 6:00 a.m. "Hey, how are you..la, la, la, la, la.." Immediate confrontation from me: "Did you set that appointment for your child and yourself? Because you said you believed in accountability, and I REALLY do. So don't call me today, until you do it."
No call. I didn't expect one. And the little girl will live in fear and abuse.
Another example in the last few weeks: I give a girl a ride home in my car. She gets in and starts doing the "poor, poor me." I think she doesn't know me very well. LOL! She immediately tells a lie about a relationship. I call her on the lie. And I say, "I know you want to be my friend. You need to know something right NOW! I have NO friends who are liars. If someone lies to me, they will not be my friend. I will help them, and care for them. But they will not be in my personal life." She looked totally shocked that someone would even talk to her that way.
And then, she told another lie-about how she lost her children. I called her on it slowly. I backed her up to the first lie, then the second, then the third, then the fourth, and then the final one. She had to admit that she had totally chosen something else rather than keep her children. And she looked at me and said, "Man, you are hard-core. You can really tell when someone is lying." I said, "Yes, I can." She said, "Telling the truth hasn't gotten me anywhere in the past!" I stared at her really hard. I replied, "And look at exactly where you are because of the lies you have told." I said, "The truth is your friend. It gives you freedom. It gives you your life back." Now, you have to choose.
I dropped her off, let her out of the car, and I think her head was spinning!
I do this with the drug addicts, and alcoholics I meet on the street. I love them, I talk to them, and if they lie, I say, "You don't have to lie. I'm going to help you anyway. But don't lie."
I despise lying. I really get it when someone doesn't even know themselves well enough to know that they are liars. I know the mental disorders that may cause someone to lie. I get it.
But I am the Truthteller. I always have been. I always will. I am with Harry Truman..."I don't give 'em hell. I tell the truth, and it hurts like hell."
