By Marlena Tanya Muchnick
A question was asked of a rabbi:
Why should we tell the truth? I realize this sounds like a ridiculous question; we have all accepted that we should not lie. I can find instructions to tell the truth, but I cannot find an explanation of why.
This week’s post compares and contrasts the responses of Judaism and Mormonism to the seemingly simple act of telling the truth and begs the question of untruth as unacceptable.
The rabbi’s initial response was to pose two more questions: Why are we here? Why is there a world? He answers by saying that the purpose of Creation is kindness. God wants to bestow the greatest possible good upon us, and since God is perfect goodness, to tell lies rather than truths separates us from the Source of all goodness.
President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in a seminary centennial broadcast on January 22 of this year, titled “How To Survive in Enemy Territory” likens truth to obeying the promptings of the Holy Ghost who “attempts to direct… toward good”, stating that a direct line of communication with the Spirit is our defense against immoral thoughts, words and actions. Where the rabbis teach that God is the greatest good – therefore the ultimate good is closeness to God, President Packer agrees and also refers to prophetic counsel as our guide to what is right. Both authorities agree that each soul is given free agency to use self-discipline when using free will (agency).
But Judaism, which does not accept Jesus as the Christ or that he made an atonement for the sins of mankind, relies on Heavenly Father as our supreme authority. It acknowledges that “truth is the will of G-d”, acknowledging that we must be in a world where choice allows us to follow His dictates.
Rabbinic counsel uses logic in advising the questioner not to lie, but always to be honest, because “…lies do not parallel reality. The good has to be internal, not external, just as G-d is intrinsically good. The only way to internalize and be intrinsically good is to do it through challenge and free will, and therefore this world was created.”
President Packer, referring to agency, counsels us to be a follower of the Savior, Jesus Christ and use the blessings of his Atonement in repenting of lies told. “Guilt is spiritual pain… the Atonement is like an eraser.” He teaches that lasting peace comes through repenting often. “Life turns out to be a succession of trials and errors.”
Interestingly, the rabbi points out that “there are certain scenarios where the will of G-d is not to relate to the factual occurrence as is, and this is not considered a lie. We see in the Torah (Genesis 18:13) that even G-d changed, so to speak, Sarah’s words when reporting them to Avraham, in order to preserve domestic tranquility. The Talmud (Bava Metziah 24a) states three cases only when one may do so; all of them are specific scenarios where one wishes to avoid harm or discomfort from others, or to maintain one’s {sic} own humility. For Yaakov to gain the blessings was the will of G-d (as they belonged to him), so any speech which was “untrue” is considered truth.”
This example assumes that we can draw specific caveats to truth-telling by agreeing with Talmudic God’s actions (truth) when they seem to adjust factual occurrences as they “seem to happen”. But Isaiah cautioned:
My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord Yahweh. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts”. Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV
I can imagine President Packer reading this excerpt from the rabbis counsel and agreeing to the extent that: The first gift that Adam and Eve received was agency: “Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee.” But his agreement would end there. If we are to follow the Savior’s admonition to follow him, we must not assume to God’s ways of dealing with humanity, for to do so without the spin of cleverness, connivance or situation ethics. We must always be the example of an honest mindset, respecting the agency of others. Seeking the power of the Holy Ghost in all thorny or morally compromising situations will help us hold close to the rod of truth in all things temporal or eternal.
As in the song:
“Do what is right, let the consequence follow…Angels above us are silent notes taking of every action… God will protect you; then do what is right.”
Truth telling is a requirement of correct living. Lies do separate us from spiritual things and from the best within ourselves. Let us use kindness and especially discernment in our relationships with others, remembering always our obligation as children of the Most High to aspire to be with Him and with our Savior and Redeemer even while in the flesh and certainly after this lifetime has found its close.
Rabbinical quotations from Ohr Somayach. www.ohr.edu
www.jewishconvert.lds.com, www.peopleofthebook-judaica.com,
http://comeuntochrist.blogspot.com,
http://judaicaworld.blogspot.com,
http://judaicaworld.wordpress.com.