11-26-12 Avoid Liar’s Company
When I was young, really long ago, a man who lived in our neighborhood often said, “I can stand anything but a liar.” I recall thinking this was interesting, as this man laid around drunk, would not hold a job, beat his wife and molested his children. I kid you not.
Over many years I have known the worst kind of liars imaginable. Today let’s talk about the most foolish liar of all.
“The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
The biggest lie is the one we tell to ourself about ourself. The men above, in Dostoyevsky’s bit and my opening story, lie to themselves in that they begin to actually believe their lies. Lies in any form are destructive to the ones lied to, and more so to the ones telling the lie.
Notice among those excluded from heaven:
Revelation 22:15 “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
Copyright © 2012 Larry Lilly
When I was young, really long ago, a man who lived in our neighborhood often said, “I can stand anything but a liar.” I recall thinking this was interesting, as this man laid around drunk, would not hold a job, beat his wife and molested his children. I kid you not.
Over many years I have known the worst kind of liars imaginable. Today let’s talk about the most foolish liar of all.
“The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
The biggest lie is the one we tell to ourself about ourself. The men above, in Dostoyevsky’s bit and my opening story, lie to themselves in that they begin to actually believe their lies. Lies in any form are destructive to the ones lied to, and more so to the ones telling the lie.
Notice among those excluded from heaven:
Revelation 22:15 “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
Copyright © 2012 Larry Lilly
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