Lying and Honesty

Where is the moral imperative to honesty? I understand that when we don't expect people to be honest, we don't tend to deal with them. Much of this is presently handled by the law, and stands beyond morality. Laws keep men good regardless of the wrong ideas they may have, and irrespective of their bad upbringings.

But for the unenforceable lie, there seems to be a second set of rules. Isn't it sometimes a question of the consequences, as appraised by each individual prior to his telling either the truth or a lie? Should you decide about the potential harm versus the potential good, and make a decision? Should you try to avoid positions where the truth becomes harmful?

It seems that many times we are told the truth would cause great distress, and upset 'good' people who don't need or deserve the stress involved in its discovery. Isn't this merely indicative that we have been acting wrongly, holding false belief, causing real harm with ignorance. Isn't the trauma of the truth in many cases the sting of guilt on our minds? Especially in the case where one lies to himself.

Does the desire to be truthful, or the belief that it is better, cause more distress to the man who lies than the absence of such feelings? I think it does. Some men would prefer to be truthful in the face of rather serious consequences, and for a variety of reasons. Some feel that to lie would perpetuate a bad name not only on them, but on their children and relations. Indeed, to some extent this principle is still in effect in our modern society. Some believe the conciousness of sin would bear down on them, and perhaps they can relieve that through confession. Deep inside, the only way to rid themselves of this feeling is to confess to the victim. Some may understand this and fear that a 'victim' of the lie may die in ignorance, and take the sin to the grave, irredeemable.

Some people may find it easiest to be truthful, accept the consequences of whatever they do, and strive to be better. Some may simply not want the complications of remembering various versions of reality dependent on the lies they've told.
Most of our decisions seem not to be simply moral but a decision between morality and the benefits we can reap, monetary and social, from following a less strict plan for our lives. Many of us don't want to be thrown into the ring with lions to prove our worth. Martyrdom is for those who cannot get anything better than sainthood.

• Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said.
  --Mark Twain
  


• Be good and you will be lonesome.
  --Mark Twain


• A truth that's told with bad intent
  Beats all the lies you can invent
  --William Blake