Lies and The Search For Truth

Lies, Deceit, and The Search for Truth

Everything is connected more closely in the spiritual world than in the material world. Every lie brings multiple lies, every cruelty brings more cruelty…Many of our vices exist only because they are supported by other vices; therefore,  if we destroy our major vices, many others will disappear at once, in the same way  as branches fall when you cut the trunk of a tree.

Blaise Pascal

Be attentive to the appearance of evil. There is an inner voice in your soul which always tells you about approaching evil. You feel unpleasant, you feel ashamed. Believe in this voice; stop and seek to improve yourself and then you will defeat evil.

Count Leo Tolstoy

All quotes cited in Calendar of Wisdom

Throughout my foundational education in spiritual formation, I was taught that the quality/gift of discernment is essential to my own spiritual maturity; and it was a central and essential skill to show and teach to others who aspire to the spiritual path.

Without an acute ability to discern the motives and intentions behind thoughts and actions, we can be prone to accepting them uncritically and thereby divert or even retard our soul growth. In most schools of spiritual direction, this quality of inner knowing, evaluation, and ethical discrimination are indispensable and are to be continuously practiced.

While the topic of evil is, no doubt, one that I will return to throughout this book of reflections, the skills, and awareness that are necessary to avoid acting in selfish, egotistical and malicious ways cannot be underestimated.

It can, however, be set up as an unrealistic standard where one is “destined” to fail, or be taught based on an established hierarchy that only an intervention by a person who possesses religious authority can help you or a person who has a genuine spiritual power can assist you… Much to unpack here!

Focussing for now on only on the avoidance question… Maybe I am too ready to accept my own meager limitations, but I am unsure that we humans(me) would ever be capable of a total avoidance, and the best we could manage would be to recognize it, diminish it, or employ some spiritual and psychological tools to lessen its impact or lasting effects on us.

In pure speculation, I surmised that it was far easier to avoid evil and its various component thoughts and behaviors in earlier centuries and at more technologically primitive times. I would support the idea that it is harder to follow a spiritual path today than it has ever been in any previous era or cultural situation. 

Because we live in a media saturated world, the exposure to vice and/or evil intentions could be seen as a constant battleground for our souls. Given that most churches do not readily or easily equip its members with spiritual direction tools or support, we are left to our secular defenses for combatting any ills we see-be it in the culture or in the mirror!