“We tell lies when we are afraid… afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.” — Psychologist Tad Williams
I’ve said it in this space before, and I’ll say it again — I firmly believe that I’ve been lied to all my life. And perhaps it bothers me a lot because I have devoted so much of my life and work to seeking the truth.
Such a realization about lies have led me to be an unpleasant person, a person who rarely trusts anyone, particularly those who have achieved enough to take on positions of authority. I trust virtually all politicians even less than I trust a used car salesperson. I see far too many people as willing to fib if it enhances their fame or fortune. This is why I despise marketing, propaganda and advertising.
I wasn’t always like this, but I look back now in shame when considering how naive I really was while growing up absurd.
Let’s go back to your childhood… childhood… childhood.” — Vivian Stanshall, the Bonzo Dog Band, “The Odd Boy.”
When I was a child, I was the victim of benign lies told about the following:
• Santa Claus.
• The Easter Bunny.
• The Tooth Fairy.
Then the lies became more destructive in later years, concerning:
• How babies are made, sexual intercourse. I learned the truth on the street, like so many others in my generation. The first time I masturbated and achieved orgasm, I didn’t even know what was happening, and I was ashamed.
• All illegal drugs are bad, all legal drugs are good. Tobacco is a bad habit, alcohol is fun. If a drug is prescribed, it’s OK. Marijuana is as dangerous and as bad for you as heroin.
The lies about marijuana particularly had the potential to be destructive. When I first took the plunge 50 years ago, I came to the conclusion that law enforcement officers, clergy and parents had lied to me about its dangers and addictive nature. So then I wondered if I was being lied to about heroin, cocaine and meth.
Fortunately, I did not let those serious doubts guide by future behavior.
“All of your children are poor unfortunate victims of lies you believe. A plague upon your ignorance…” — Frank Zappa
Then I was lied to about Columbus and even the story of Thanksgiving.
So these lies became baggage for me as I took on the field of community journalism. I gained a lot of personal experience with politicians’ lies of omission and with corporate CEOs and their ability to spin negative occurrences and manipulate the news to their favor.
The most alarming development was that after many years of attending church, reading the Scriptures, trying my damndest to believe in a just and loving God and Jesus Christ as His son, I have finally concluded that it is impossible for us mere mortals to know for certain there is a God. There is no conclusive evidence.
This, despite continuing to take very seriously the teachings attributed to Jesus of Nazareth as written in the New Testament.
I’ve had a long track record, a lifetime, of being told lies. I still want to seek and find the truth when I can. About all it does is make me enemies, even among old friends.
Comedian Mort Sahl once remarked that the best thing about being a Christian is the assurance you’ll have Christmas off work. If you’re not, you don’t deserve to have the day off. If you’re agnostic, like me, you don’t know if you get the day off or not.
Mark Twain: “Religion is believing what you know isn’t true.”
I too have felt the same. That is why we have to be non-sheep being lead to the slaughter. Quit watching news, weather and sports! Tv altogether. I am done being naïve. Mostly skeptical. The government, well that’s another quagmire. What a bunch of jerks. No one is honest anymore. I was born in 1950 and people were a lot more kinder and neighborly. Way too sad for me to handle. What has happened? It happened way before Prez Trump, way before Sad, sad, sad…..
So are we to believe because you were told myths. Folklore. failure of your parents to give you a step by step educators on sex, and the other information was a major factor in you becoming an unpleasant person.
Not sure when you became an agnostic person, but I can see how bring agnostic and in journalism could be very stressful.
True journalism if there ever was the truth printed has died long ago.
I doubt there are few who can remain neutral on a subject especially as they report or print it.
Being an agnostic is not a horrible thing. But you must become stressed dealing with persons as I. Believing in folklore, myths. really pose no horrific problems to society.
Our forefathers were wise in giving this Countries citizens the right to choose their own religious beliefs and not have the government dictate just one religion for all
Which for any person who does not want to believe in God or a unseen higher power should be overjoyed with.
We could debate religion and religious beliefs forever with neither of us agreeing . That’s one of the beauties of this Country until one of us tries to force the other to change their beliefs we can live in harmony.
If you agnostic beliefs cause discord between family and friends, are they truly friends, the family you’re stuck with.
Take Christmas Day off , since you are not sure how proper it is , curl up in bed with a book, glass of wine, and convince yourself this will count as a personal day
Very cold Harry ,Happy holidays to you.
Dave, you are in my prayers.
When I was told there was a god, and a savior, and original sin, and a talking snake, heaven and hell, and that a man, Jonah, lived inside of a “great fish”, and there life after death, I don’t think people were lying to me. I think they actually believed that stuff. There’s no evidence, of course, unless you count a book which tells us everything in that very book is true. But if you believe it, it’s not lying to say it.