Are the Lies Winning?

 

 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

John 8:43-45 NRSVue

I've been thinking a lot about lying lately and you can probably guess why. In two days Americans go to the polls on what is the official voting day in the presidential election (millions have taken advantage of advance voting) and the lies are thicker on the ground and in the air than Autumn leaves. One of the candidates lies almost every time he opens his mouth and as the campaign draws to a close they torrent of falsehoods is increasingly venomous. Recently the New Yorker offered a podcast with the unsettling title: The Lies Are Winning: “We’ve moved from a moment of alternative facts with Kellyanne Conway to now embracing the idea of lies,” Jane Mayer says.

During the one presidential debate the Orange Menace lied, absurdly, about immigrants stealing and eating cats and dogs in the small city of Springfield, Ohio. This assertion and Kamala Harris's  facial expression in reaction was the funniest moment of the debate. Sadly it set off a frenzy of threats against immigrants and both the mayor of Springfield and the governor of Ohio later insisted that this wasn't true. When VP candidate Vance was pressed on this issue he conceded that the story was made up -- a lie -- but insisted that this was necessary because the media wasn't covering issues the way they wanted. Little wonder that there is a "The Lies Are Winning" headline. 

At the risk of sounding cynical, politicians are inclined to lie but we all are, or at least we "fudge the truth" or veer into "truthiness." Leaders lie during times of war, supposedly to keep spirits up during dark times. We lie rather than hurt the feelings of those we love. Lies can be much more sinister and individuals do so for self-preservation, even under official or unofficial oath, or to escape the consequences of destructive behaviour in relationships. Lying undermines trust and can be lethal.

Little wonder that the bible takes a dim view of lying with plenty of warnings about this sin in both the Older and Newer Testaments. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells his listeners to be honest, that a yes should be yes and a no should be no. He also describes the devil as "the father of lies" and says that he is being rejected because he is a truth-teller. You would think that this would set off alarms and sirens for evangelical Christians in the US who are casting votes but it seems to be "don't confuse me with the bible, my mind is made up." Where did all those WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets of the 1990s go? 

We can never embrace or condone lying, even though it will always be a part of human existence. Lying is a sin, telling the truth is a virtue -- the bible and Jesus tells me so. I wish this mattered in all elections and in every facet of life.