71% of us own up to financial fibbing of one kind or another.

13% of the people surveyed admitted to telling their spouse they'd spent less than they actually did on a shoe purchase, for example.

24% of the people in the survey said that they routinely lie on their taxes, inflating charitable deductions, understating taxable income and so on.

> 33% say they deceive themselves about money.

“Most of our money secrets seem harmless.”—Ellen McGirt, Money

Lying

Something meant to deceive or give a false impression, falsehood

(syn.: bogus, spurious, untruthfulness, pretending)

1. Contrary to the truth (Peter’s denials)

2. Intent to mislead (deceive)

Acting (Saul, 1 Sm. 28:8-12) Implying (Abraham, Ge. 12; 20)

“Liar”

1. Job 24:25 Worthless

“There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!” The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces. "Don't cry 'wolf', shepherd boy," said the villagers, "when there's no wolf!” … "Nobody believes a liar...even when he is telling the truth!"

“Liar”

1. Job 24:25 Worthless

2. Pro. 17:4 Diseased

The "solidified gossip" was then extended with even more subtly dishonest information. This allowed the warping of reality to build up more and more over time. I found that the overall effect was very hard to fight, and on several occasions I felt weird and confused, and had to sit down… try to sort out my original viewpoint from the subtly twisted viewpoints I had unknowingly taken on while working in the group. The others were not even aware of this process. They were not fighting it, and so it had them under a kind of spell.”

“The people were rewriting history as they desired, with little regard for truth. Strangely, other members were going along with this and adjusting their viewpoints to match! And strangest of all, none of them were obviously doing this intentionally. It all was happening below the conscious level. The process took the form of a constant sort of "negative gossip", where the gossip was somewhat nasty, and over many days they would come to believe their own speculations as being actual events.

The "solidified gossip" was then extended with even more subtly dishonest information. This allowed the warping of reality to build up more and more over time. I found that the overall effect was very hard to fight, and on several occasions I felt weird and confused, and had to sit down and try to sort out my original viewpoint from the subtly twisted viewpoints I had unknowingly taken on while working in the group. The others were not even aware of this process. They were not fighting it, and so it had them under a kind of spell.”

“Overall, this dishonest reality-warp phenomenon is a very scary thing to be near. It sucks you in unless you fight against it constantly. I see that it's the main force that produces the Cult phenomenon. I can easily see how the Nazis could kill millions of civilians during WWII, and the German people go along with it, all the while thinking that they were in the right. I can see how abusive parents can beat children to death, all the while believing that it's the child's fault.

It's simply a matter of our being slightly but constantly dishonest, of bad-mouthing the truth so that it vanishes, of coming up with warped justifications for our actions, and then learning to be blind to the warping. It's simply a matter of comforting ourselves with small lies, and then believing them. The lies turn invisible and form a new level of "truth" on which more and more subtle lies are again added, until our system of beliefs slowly twists into something that would shock an outside observer.”—The “Pathological Dishonesty” Disease (Beaty)

“Liar”

1. Job 24:25 Worthless

2. Pro. 17:4 Diseased

3. Pro. 19:22 Not loyal

“Liar”

1. Job 24:25 Worthless

2. Pro. 17:4 Diseased

3. Pro. 19:22 Not loyal

4. Pro. 30:6 Abhorred by God

The Book of Mormon: “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” ?!!!? cf. Gal. 1:8

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!”

A little lie?

“For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; no evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all that do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.” (Ps. 5:4-6)

“Liar”

5. Jn. 8:41-44

A child of the devil (Ti. 1:2; Hb. 6:18)

1. Doing the will of the devil (Jn. 8:55; 1 Jn. 2:4)

2. As a murderer 3. Outside of the truth

*** Will not hear God’s word *** (v. 43)

“Liar”

1. Job 24:25 Worthless2. Pro. 17:4 Diseased3. Pro. 19:22 Not loyal4. Pro. 30:6 Abhorred by God5. Jn. 8:42-44 A child of the devil6. Rm. 3:1-5 Not holy

“Liar”

1. Job 24:25 Worthless2. Pro. 17:4 Diseased3. Pro. 19:22 Not loyal4. Pro. 30:6 Abhorred by God5. Jn. 8:42-44 A child of the devil6. Rm. 3:1-5 Not holy7. Rv. 21:8 Condemned with satan

Reasons people lie

• To “help” God (Jacob, Ge. 25:23; 27)

»Abraham»Jews

Sin is not the seed of truth We get paid from the neck down

Reasons people lie

• To “help” God (Jacob, Ge. 25:23; 27)

• To avoid responsibility (Sarah, Potiphar’s wife)

• Justification (Aaron’s golden calf)

• Fear (Abraham, Peter)

• Perverted desires…

• To avoid hurting other’s feelings

“But Rahab…”

• Rahab, Hb. 11:31, Ja. 2:25 (Josh. 2:1-7)? Harlotry? Abraham's lies

“But harmless…” a.k.a. little white lies

Abraham, Ge. 20:…12

Deception vs. distraction

Abraham, Ge. 20:…12

1. It was the truth.

2. It was not all the truth.

3. Falsehood implied.

Deception

Samuel, 1 Sm. 16:…5

1. It was the truth.

2. It was not all the truth.

3. Falsehood wasn’t implied

Distraction

Review

To tell a falsehood in order to decieve is lying

A lie can be spoken, acted, or implied

A falsehood isn’t nec. a lieDistraction isn't nec. deception Imprecise inquisitions

All lies are created equal (PS. 5:4-6)

It is never OK to lie

Liars will be condemned (Rv. 21:8)