Is lying OK??

Is lying OK? (Keep in mind what your mom, or mentor taught you as a young child learning about life...Now go ahead you can answer that question: )

The Western World is where my husband and I are from, therefore my pure guess is 99% of the Western world would say: No. It's not OK.

However...Another question:

As a culture have we cultivated not only a positive perspective but also become a people who encourage each other to lie, embrace it?? (Go ahead, read that question one more time...)

Now think...

When I was 18 I traveled to Vanuatu (go look that up on the map). While there with a team of people, we went to listen to a pastor. Sounds pretty mediocre thus far, oh but wait...this pastor had actually died. "What?" Yes. He had died, been pronounced dead, and his wife and child sat beside his body crying and praying to God. About an hour or two later...the pastor came back to life.

This was not some spooky-kooky stuff. This was simply the power of God raising to life someone who's life on earth was not to be over yet. This was not some distant miracle back in 30 BC, this was in the 21st Century. This day and age.

Would you be more comfortable if I said it wasn't true??

Would you prefer me to tell you it wasn't true?

Would a lie make you more comfortable?

If so, why?

There are times when a lie would make me more comfortable. And that's the truth. (Is your mind bending yet?)

Seriously, honestly, there are times when I want to hear something other than the truth. "No I did not get that answer wrong on the test, they must have made a mistake." "I am not the one in the wrong here, it's your fault, not mine." "I didn't forget to pass on that message, I'm not the one to blame."

Lying brings a twisted comfort. But is that OK?

It's a bit of human nature that boils up within us whispering denial that we ourselves are at fault. Denying that we ourselves need to change. Denying that we ourselves did something that's not OK. Denying reality so that we can continue to live in our own comfort zone. To live the way WE want to live. Selfish....Prideful...Vanity...

Why make this point using the story of some guy rising from the dead? 1. It's quite phenomenal, and usually arouses skepticism. Seriously, how many people do you know who have died and come back to life? 2. The idea of "God" + "power" is a little bit of a scary concept, because for most of us that is extremely unchartered territory. (Remember how it felt as a kid, when your parent's put you to bed and turned off the lights?? You were SURE there was some creepy monster/bad guy creeping around your room unexposed because of lack of light).

Now think about stories in the News Media and from our culture, that have created a "comfort zone" outside the realm of truth.

Let's take a look at a Western Restaurant in the Western World, in our culture...the culture where my guess would be that 99% would initially say it's not OK to lie (initially), but whose actions may say something different....

McDonalds (I'm so sorry McDonalds you are the brunt of so much. haha.)

A lady goes to McDonalds, orders a coffee (she is the one who ordered the coffee, no one forced her to), she spills it (she spilt it on herself, no one dumped it on her), and then she sues McDonalds for serving her hot coffee without a warning label.

Spilling coffee on yourself is embarrassing and is no one's fault except your own. But as a culture we've made it an option and a bit acceptable to blame shift. To say "It wasn't my fault, it was yours." <--- is that the truth??

McDonalds...

People in America go to McDonalds, order burgers and fried food AKA "junk food" (they have the freedom to choose to order that food, no one forces them), they eat it (they have the freedom to eat that food, no one forces them), and then "junk food" takes it's well-known, reaction to being put in the body...and becomes fat. Then McDonalds is sued for making people fat??

What you eat is your choice. Making the wrong choice and becoming "over-weight" can be embarrassing (hey! At times I've gained weight that has been embarrassing to me too, most people have). When you've been given the option, freedom, choice it is no one's fault except your own. However we've made it an option and even a bit acceptable to blame shift. "It wasn't my fault...it was them...they made me eat it!!" <--- Is that the truth??

It would definitely make it more comfortable for me if I could do that, if I could blame shift. But is that OK?

Is lying OK??

As a culture have we cultivated not only a positive perspective but also become a people who encourage each other to lie, embrace it?

Is this OK??

NO, it is not OK.