Telling a lie long enough makes it the truth...
By chiyochan
@chiyosan (30186)
Philippines
July 2, 2012 8:35pm CST
Or NOT? I know we all have our own takes on the matter. It just puzzles me that i have found this quote from what i was reading and it got me to think somehow that yeah, well if we heard the lie over and over again and it is repeated to us, then it is possible that we might actually believe it to be the truth... (not shaken though if you ask me, as i stand firm in my belief in the existence of a supreme being above all of us)...
The quote says: "If you tell a lie long enough, people will think its the truth. And that is how religion began. -Rodolfo Perez"
Let us remove the religion part here and just talk about lies, truths, and all else that goes along with it... what we believe to be the truth, and what the actual truth is, and what lies we are made to believe to be the truth. I wonder... Are all things we know of today the truth? =)
1 person likes this
5 responses
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
4 Jul 12
Truth and lies are dependent on many factors but the most important one is - your Truth is what you believe in and mine is what I believe in. For the society, well, the truth is what the majority of it believes in.
It is same as what is right and what is wrong.
@purplealabaster (22085)
• United States
4 Jul 12
I agree with you to a point on this, but there are some things that are definitely either true or false, such as that wood is taken from trees. However, I also think that what you believe plays a part in whether or not it is a lie. For instance, if you were taught that wood comes from fairies, and that is what you really believe, then you are not lying when you say it, even though it is not true. I think that this might be what you are saying as well, but we are just saying it differently.
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
5 Jul 12
#pa
Of course dear friend what you say is correct. The teaching is what the society thinks is right. We all know Sun rises in the East (East is man named, and so is the sun and the society says this is truth) - And society is more important than you or me or anyone as an individual. so if I said - sun rises in say west or north, I would be wrong and no matter how many times, I said this - the truth will be what the society says and accepts to be truth
#Chiyosan:
Friend, with the example of the sun rising in the east - no individual will be ever able to change this as this is what we have accepted since ages and it will not be possible to change that acceptance so easily.
Of course dear friend what you say is correct. The teaching is what the society thinks is right. We all know Sun rises in the East (East is man named, and so is the sun and the society says this is truth) - And society is more important than you or me or anyone as an individual. so if I said - sun rises in say west or north, I would be wrong and no matter how many times, I said this - the truth will be what the society says and accepts to be truth
#Chiyosan:
Friend, with the example of the sun rising in the east - no individual will be ever able to change this as this is what we have accepted since ages and it will not be possible to change that acceptance so easily.1 person likes this
@sid556 (30953)
• United States
5 Jul 12
I do believe that if you tell someone something over and over and especially children, many will believe it without question. It doesn't necessarily make it true just because you believe it to be. I grew up believing all sorts of things I was taught only to really question them later on. Religion was definitly tops on my list of things to question and more so when no one seemed willing to answer my questions. Still..I believe strongly in the possibility of a higher power but all these religions...not so much.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30186)
• Philippines
6 Jul 12
Oh yes, that is true. i remember when i was a kid and then my mom would be following our Chinese culture but would also go to church as Christians (that are not supposed to be doing some sort rituals.. and it got me confused but i never question these things.) Yes we adults do a lot of things that we think protects the kids and so we sort of create or tell them details that are probably only half the truth.
@aquinoma05 (162)
• Philippines
4 Jul 12
In Philosophy, they say that a person believe in what he/she want to believe in. It doesn't matter if it's the truth or not but if a person would really likes to believe in it he/she would do everything just to protect his/her belief. They say that what we believe in today is a product of what was our ancestors believe in passed by generations.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30186)
• Philippines
4 Jul 12
Yes, this came about with a discussion i have with my brother. He even said that whatever we think that is right today may not even be the right thing to do only that this was the best option many many years back and so they have set it as a cultural standard, a norm that they believe to be the right thing. Which is by the way hard to prove now. =)
@purplealabaster (22085)
• United States
3 Jul 12
That is definitely a difficult question to answer. I think that if you really believe what you are saying is the truth, then you are not lying. That does not necessarily mean that you are correct in what you are saying, but you are not lying, either - you just might be mistaken. Of course, if you are the one that started saying it knowing it was a lie, even if you repeat it until you start to believing it, then it is still a lie. I think that intent is what matters here - a person can be mistaken without lying.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30186)
• Philippines
4 Jul 12
Wow! You have a very wonderful answer. the thing is you are correct, when one knows that what he or she is saying is to be true even if it was a lie by someone else then there are no lies for this person who believes it to be the truth. :D However then no matter how many times we repeat it, then if we know it is not the truth then it still is a big lie - my take is that well, if this was passed on to someone who believes it to be the truth then it is going to be the truth for that particular person and the story goes on... generation after generation what lies created before us may already have been the truth now! Oh my!!!
@Chikezie (385)
• Malaysia
4 Jul 12
Lie will always be lie no matter the adjective we use for it. Truth is a priceless asset and virtue that if people found in you they will stick their 'neck ' for you. In the of lies and truth. People do not expect us to be perfect but they expect us to be perfectly honest. If a thing is not truth, it should be said so, and you will see that you will build a height that will always show you out. All things we know today might not be tru be at the end will justify the means
@chiyosan (30186)
• Philippines
5 Jul 12
that is something i think i might object as i still somehow believe that no matter what the end comes out of a situation, whatever the means is taken - it should only be the right thing. But then it should matter case to case basis chikezie. I agree with you though that people do not expect you to be perfect but honest... and i guess that is priceless when you found someone that is always truthful to you.
