Don't Lie!

The whole world, not just the USA, is living in an age in which lies, misinformation, deception and rumors (gossip under the cover of an acceptable conspiracy theory) is rampant. It is not a new evil behaviour. According to the Torah false witnesses against innocent victims and lies and rumours, i.e., gossip, are a very ancient evil among us. In what is commonly called the Ten Commandments we read the instruction to do not let a false witness speak. While saying lies is obviously wrong, the commandment is concerned not with saying a lie per se rather speaking a lie that will hurt an individual or a whole nation. This ancient evil seems to be more common today, because it is a lot easier to write, speak or post anything anyone wants through the various media systems available via the internet. Centuries ago only the rich were able to control the limited new printing press. Later photocopiers made it easier for almost anyone to print and distribute a newsletter or even a full magazine. Of course, this was positive. To broadcast via television or radio it took a lot of businesses to sponsor it. Now anyone with a mobile telephone or a laptop can broadcast or stream almost anything, especially lies and misinformation. That's not positive. There are those who do it for "fun" without concern of who may be hurt. There are others who do it with evil intentions knowing the damage they are doing by manipulating others to react with anger or even violence. Politicians from any spectrum between the extreme right to the extreme left have made use, in one way or another, of defamation and other forms of misinformation, that is with half-truth, full lies, gossip, and twisting a little the facts or exaggerating them. Very few have said a lie without knowing the facts or shared by mistake something that was not true. Too often, these false witnesses know very well the facts, the truth, but intentionally they lie. Sadly many of them advocate for the display of the Ten Commandments or proudly stand holding a Bible on their hands, while ignoring a very clear instruction:

לֹֽא־תַעֲנֶ֥ה בְרֵעֲךָ֖ עֵ֥ד שָֽׁקֶר׃

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Exodus 20:13