{"id":94107,"date":"2015-10-12T00:53:29","date_gmt":"2015-10-12T07:53:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/?p=94107"},"modified":"2015-09-18T00:05:32","modified_gmt":"2015-09-18T07:05:32","slug":"a-priest-sends-along-his-thoughts-on-the-noble-lie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/2015\/10\/a-priest-sends-along-his-thoughts-on-the-noble-lie.html","title":{"rendered":"A Priest Sends Along His Thoughts on the Noble Lie"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

He writes:<\/p>\n

I just read your recent post about lying<\/a>, and I wanted to share something I\u2019ve been thinking and preaching about recently.\u00a0 You may have already spent time with this possibility, but it seems clear to me that there\u2019s also a terrible spiritual consequence to our lying.\u00a0 Here\u2019s my logic:<\/p>\n

When we lie to make life somehow easier or better for ourselves or others, we\u2019re separating ourselves or others from reality.\u00a0 God loves us in reality, so when we separate ourselves or others from that reality, we potentially separate ourselves from receiving God\u2019s love.\u00a0 It\u2019s a kind of contraception.\u00a0 Jesus has promised to suffer with us as a way of showing us love.\u00a0 When we escape (or help others to escape) from suffering by lying, are we not also escaping from the place where God\u2019s love is available to us?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I think that\u2019s good.\u00a0 Lily Tomlin said, \u201cThe problem with the rat race is that, even if you win, you are still a rat.\u201d \u00a0Transposed into biblical language, it means \u201cWhat shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?\u201d \u00a0Or if you prefer the language of fantasy, it\u2019s \u201cDon\u2019t try to use the One Ring to defeat Sauron.\u201d The problem with lying for the greater good is that whatever its effects on the external world, it makes you a liar.\u00a0 And as long as you defend being a liar instead of repenting being a liar, you are, indeed, divorcing yourself from reality.\u00a0 Because the ultimate reality is that God is Truth, not lies.<\/p>\n

God love you for speaking the truth in a world of lies, Padre.\u00a0 May God bless your work in the Vineyard!\u00a0 If I ever get out your way to speak (or you wind up in Seattle) let\u2019s have lunch!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

He writes: I just read your recent post about lying, and I wanted to share something I\u2019ve been thinking and preaching about recently.\u00a0 You may have already spent time with this possibility, but it seems clear to me that there\u2019s also a terrible spiritual consequence to our lying.\u00a0 Here\u2019s my logic: When we lie to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[410,8],"class_list":["post-94107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-lying-is-wrong","tag-mailbag"],"yoast_head":"\nA Priest Sends Along His Thoughts on the Noble Lie<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"He writes: I just read your recent post about lying, and I wanted to share something I've been thinking and preaching about recently.\u00a0 You may have\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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