Everyone lies! That’s the truth.
Most people are relatively honest most of the time.
The average number of lies is skewed by a small group of “prolific liars.” A majority of the lies are told by 5-6% of the population.
Studies show that 75% of people tell between zero and two lies daily, but other research reports that two to five lies daily is average.
Most people desire a world where truth is highly valued.
No one can tell if they are hearing, seeing, or reading a lie.
No device, scientific instrument, or procedure can separate lies from truth.
A lie is a deliberate falsehood meant to deceive, setting it apart from honest mistakes or factual errors, which lack intent to mislead.
When the goal of the lie is to cause the deceived person to acquire a false belief, it is called deception.
Not all deception is a lie, and lies can take many forms.
Lying by omission means leaving out key facts to mislead, such as a car seller not disclosing a defect.
Half-truths: Statements that include accurate information but do not disclose all relevant details.
Exaggeration: Presenting information as more significant, better, or worse than it is.
Little white lies: Small lies told to be polite or to avoid causing discomfort are generally viewed as minor but still qualify as intentional falsehoods.
Fabrication: Inventing information without any factual basis.
Bullshit: A “bullshitter” is indifferent to truth or falsehood and aims only to create a certain impression, unlike a liar who intentionally distorts the truth.
Confabulation is a memory disorder where someone unintentionally recalls false or incorrect information, believing it to be true.
Lying involves intentional deception, while unreliability is failing to deliver regardless of intent.
A middle-aged couple, devout Christians, happily married for many years, “salt of the earth country people,” are loved and respected by all who know them.
In the interest of brevity, let’s call the couple Frances and Roy.
Frances sought counseling from her minister for depression. He referred her to their family doctor, who referred her to a psychiatrist.
“My husband is cheating on me.”
“What evidence do you have that makes you think he is unfaithful?”
“He is too intelligent to leave evidence.”
“Without evidence, how can you say he is cheating on you?”
“I trust my feelings. I feel he is cheating.”
“What plans are you considering?”
“I want him to see you. He will lie to you, so I want him to take a lie detector test. I’ve asked him to take the test, but he refuses.
Roy took and passed the lie detector test.
“I knew he would out-smart them!
“I want him to take the truth serum test!”
Roy received a slow infusion of Amytal while being questioned by a professional trained in the procedure. No evidence of infidelity was uncovered.
“Will you hypnotize him to see if he will tell the truth while in a trance?”
Roy was easily hypnotized. The results were consistent with the other measures employed.
Unfortunately, a fixed belief that is deeply held but without supporting evidence is highly resistant to change.
Suspicion of infidelity is common among monogamous couples, worse among cohabitating couples, and very widespread among young men and women.
Frances’ deeply held belief, over many years, and without supporting evidence, may be based on intuition or other causes.
Intuition refers to the capacity to comprehend or recognize information instantaneously, without the necessity of deliberate thought or logical reasoning.
Frequently, intuition presents itself as an instinctive response informed by prior experiences and implicit knowledge.
Truth is essential, critical, and of foremost importance for people, culture, and civilization to flourish.
It is important to recognize, but not accept, the shrinking of truth in every aspect of our lives and time.
“WHAT IS TRUTH”
There is no single definition of truth that satisfies philosophers, but not to worry. Philosophy cannot reach a conclusion on the meaning of “conscious.”
Psychological truth is a subjective reality formed by personal biases, motivations, and social factors that define what each person considers true.
The meaning of political truth often diverges from the objective truth established by evidence, science, or expert consensus.
Christian truth is viewed as absolute and rooted in Jesus Christ, not as a philosophical or subjective concept. Christianshold that God is the source of all truth, revealed through Jesus, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit.
Commissioned by King James I in 1604, the King James Version of the Bible was published in 1611.
In the 1604 edition of the Bible, Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of Truth.”
“And when the Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you into all truth…” John 16:12.
The statements by Jesus sound too good to be true, but I have found them true beyond a reasonable doubt.
Jesus has a birth certificate. Historical records, other than the Bible, confirm that Jesus’ trial was conducted by Pontius Pilate, Procurator of Judea, 26 AD-36 AD.
The title “Procurator” referred to the governors of Judea.
Procurators maintained order and collected taxes. They held authority to enforce laws and manage legal matters.
Jesus told Pilate, “I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18: 37 b.
“Pilate said to Him,“What is the truth?” Then Pilate told the Jews, “I find no fault in Him at all.” John 18:38.
Both lethal wars today reflect major religious discontent with the truth.
Ukraine’s political ties with Russia are mirrored in its religious scene: the country’s Orthodox Christians are split between an independent Kyiv-based group and a Moscow-loyal faction.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has notable religious dimensions, including support from the Russian Orthodox Church for the invasion.
Some analysts have referred to this as a religiously influenced war.
Additionally, Russian officials frequently present the conflict as a defense of traditional Christian values against what they consider Western influences.
The Israeli-Palestinian War involves ethnic, national, historical, and religious aspects. Religion shapes identities and policies for all parties, making it vital to consider in any resolution.
Authority over Jerusalem is a central issue for both Jewish and Muslim communities worldwide.
Ownership and control of Jerusalem are disputed because it contains sacred sites for Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
The truth about truth far exceeds the truth about lying.
Rational people will flourish in a world where Truth and Love surpass Oxygen and nutrition in abundance and necessity.
Robert S. Brown, MD, PHD a retired Psychiatrist, Col (Ret) U.S. Army Medical Corps devoted the last decade of his career to treating soldiers at Fort Lee redeploying from combat. He was a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Professor of Education at UVA. His renowned Mental Health course taught the value of exercise for a sound mind.
