Matthew 5:33-37
There is a phrase I invented called furmanizing. It refers to form of speech that came to me during the trial of OJ Simpson, the first trial. It refers to answering questions in a half truth so that you cannot be formally charged with a lie. For example, if asked did you kill Mr. Smith on Tuesday? You can legally respond no, if in fact you killed him on Monday. It's the same kind of half truth that you get when your child comes in and says that "Missy pulled my hair!" Your child neglects to say that she pulled Missy's hair first. These are half truths and obfuscations that I call furmanizing.
This passage would just seem to clarify one of the Ten Commandments that tells us not to lie. Really, the passage does so much more. Of course we are not supposed to lie. I'll leave the furmanizing to you as to whether at some point you simply told a so called white lie or a bold faced lie.
What we need to realize is that when we speak, we should mean what we say. No obfuscations, no furmanizing. If we are people of integrity, people of faith who wish to be honest with God as we want him to be with us, we need to speak clearly and with intent. Let's think about how you feel when someone lies to you. When someone says I love you, you expect the full breadth and depth of that word. We don't expect a lie. We expect honesty and love. Think of any other lie, it is the downfall of relationships and causes considerable pain. We need to be as honest and forthright with others as we with ourselves. That's another point, we should try to be as honest as we can with ourselves.
Truth is the basis of all good relationships and is the basis for all personal growth and a healthy spirituality.
What we need to realize is that when we speak, we should mean what we say. No obfuscations, no furmanizing. If we are people of integrity, people of faith who wish to be honest with God as we want him to be with us, we need to speak clearly and with intent. Let's think about how you feel when someone lies to you. When someone says I love you, you expect the full breadth and depth of that word. We don't expect a lie. We expect honesty and love. Think of any other lie, it is the downfall of relationships and causes considerable pain. We need to be as honest and forthright with others as we with ourselves. That's another point, we should try to be as honest as we can with ourselves.
Truth is the basis of all good relationships and is the basis for all personal growth and a healthy spirituality.
‘Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.” But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be “Yes, Yes” or “No, No”; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
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