Deception is having its finest hour

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I was out playing 18 holes of golf on a beautiful, sunny day and one of my teammates hit a hole-in-one!

I suppose I should mention that it was an 18-hole putt-putt course and the "teammate" that got the hole-in-one was our oldest daughter.

Truth is, I grew up kind of close to a golf course and I think I tried golfing, maybe once. I didn't get the attraction to it and I basically lobbed my ball down the fairway.

Needless to say, I wasn't any good at golf, but both times we've played putt-putt this summer, I killed it, beating everyone--not that I'm bragging or anything; it's the truth.

I may have to pull back on my bragging a bit, though, because I have learned that "Boasting or bragging is an offense against truth." (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2481)

Knowing that "A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving," (CCC 2482), I could be in trouble when trying to deceive you about playing an 18-round game of golf.

And finally, I simply cannot wiggle out of this problem because "To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error." (CCC 2483)

I need to be more careful about what I say, because when I do tell you the truth (that I have been winning at putt-putt), you might not believe me if you discover I have lied elsewhere.

Deception is a big problem today.

We are being deceived when we are told that our economy is great (and we are expected to believe it) when, clearly, our personal experience tells us that is simply not true.

We are being deceived when we are told that we are not in a war with Iran, but we are in a "small potatoes" military conflict. (**PBS) 

Tell that to our military families.

We are being deceived when we are told that anyone whose immigration status is not reconciled yet, must be dangerous and should be deported. This particular movement with ICE leads to hate and violence. 

We are being deceived when we are told that everything we hear and read that comes from a news source that has not been hand-picked by this administration, must be "fake news." 

More and more, the selective group of reporters that are allowed to be part of the briefings at the White House, only ask soft questions, giving us less and less truthful, necessary and useful information.

All of these lies and deceptions have tremendous implications for harm to us, and to our country at-large, if we start believing them to be true.

How can we know what is fake and what is true?

Look at the source. Verify by facts from more than one source. Watch for biases and agendas.

And, just as important, if a statement has unquestionably been proven to be a "falsehood with the intention of deceiving," look "behind the curtain," because without accountability, we can all be led into error.

Pray for peace, joy, and an end to war.

Janet Cassidy
Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com

janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy 


**Direct link to PBS clip:  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-trump-calls-iran-war-small-potatoes-and-very-intermittent



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