The New Issue of Gilbert is out!

Huzzah! It has an interesting three way editorial debate occasioned by the great Lying for Jesus Controversy, with contributions from David Beresford (pro), Sean Dailey (con) and Dale Ahlquist (Can’t we all just get along?). My letter to the editor has already been sent:

Dear Editor:

It is not exactly prima facie obvious that somebody who says “You should never lie” is afflicted with a lack of love for the truth. An editorial, such as Mr. Beresford’s, which concludes with that loud of a “KLONK” (not to say a slander) in the logic department throws all that goes before it into unplumbable wells of doubt. And, indeed, when Mr. Beresford argues, as he does, that sometimes you need to lie to tell the truth, I am again assailed by the odd sense that he is speaking rubbish.

Mr. Dailey’s piece, meantime, seems to me to be good practical common sense. Tell the truth. Don’t do evil that good may come of it. All the sorts of things that my Mommy, Mother Church, and our beloved GKC endorsed. One may, of course, make the appeal to the perennial Jew Hiding in the Closet from the Gestapo scenario, but to my way of thinking, the thing that is make or break there is not to lie like a trooper, but to hide your Jews well. Because the Gestapo aren’t going to pass you by on the basis of your charming gifts of prevarication. They’d just as soon have a look anyway.

And, in any case, all this depends on whose door is being knocked on. When the bad guy comes to you demanding information to which he has no right, you are within your rights to deceive (though not to lie). But when you go to the bad guy and lie about your name, occupation and purpose that is what speakers of English call a “lie”. And a lie, according to the Church is never morally permissible because “By its very nature, lying is to be condemned”. No. Really. It’s right there in the Catechism (2485). Some of us take that seriously and therefore can’t fathom how Mr. Beresford can conclude that to do so implies lack of love for the truth.

Finally, let me express both admiration and pity for my dear friend Mr. Ahlquist who has the unenviable task of trying to act as peace negotiator in this contretemps. I am reminded of nothing so much as Chesterton’s remark that it takes three to make a quarrel because “the full potentialities of human fury cannot be fully realized until a friend tactfully intervenes.” May he survive with only cuts and bruises and gain the blessing our Lord promises all peacemakers. And may he come around and realize that Mr. Dailey is simply right here.

With fondness and respect for all my fellow Chestertonians,

Mark Shea

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