Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

Those called to testify in a trial before they say a word must raise their right hand and promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I think it is interesting that it is not enough to just tell the truth. A witness must also promise to tell the whole truth, only the truth. The court is very serious about getting the correct information concerning a conflict between two parties. The fact is, somebody has been lying, not telling the whole truth or perhaps any truth about what happened. 

Today in our court system the little verse, “liar, liar, pants on fire seems quite appropriate. This has, probably falsely, been attributed to William Blake who may have written these words in a poem 200 years ago. Someone thought this would have been too elementary for the great writer Blake, and penned a different verse, “Deceiver, dissembler Your trousers are alight / From what pole or gallows Shall they dangle in the night”. That does sound more probable for a poet of some two centuries ago and has the same message yet with a more severe judgement.

I like what the book of Proverbs has to say about lying. “Buy the truth and do not sell it…” Great advice! The truth is a valuable commodity. Lying cheapens a person's character, and it may ruin a good man’s or woman’s reputation. A truth teller is dependable. A person committed to the truth is worth his weight in gold. The one who speaks the truth every time he says something is purchasing a comodity which is being stored away and kept safe forever.

I am bothered by how easily some tell lies. In political campaign ads we know someone is lying. In congressional hearings someone is not telling the truth. For many years both political parties try to dig up any disparaging thing they can find about  their opponent to use against them in order to sway the vote their way. In many cases if something bad cannot be found about a candidate, a lie about him or her is told and false witnesses are hired, probably. We, the voters, don’t know for sure. I guess we believe whichever party we support. This kind of deception, no doubt, discourages good men and women from seeking public office. It has been a long time since I voted in a Presidential election when I felt I had a good choice. The last election was the worst as far as I am concerned. What is the answer?

The answer to all in every walk of life is, Buy the truth, and do not sell it...no matter what!