Truth or Lie?

Friday 16th October, 2020

Had an interesting night. Woke at 2.30am and read for an hour or so and became absorbed by philosophical and moral issues. McCall Smith's heroine, Miss Dalhousie, ever poses problems to herself. I was reading of her internal debate as to forgiveness, interference and duties in pursuit of just solutions. Then in the post came a book from an old friend. She begged me to read it as she wants to see me (when, Oh when, I wonder?) about a family friction. It is Rachel Clarke's 'Dear Life'. I was gripped. " The idea of professionally obligated lying had never occurred to me." I recalled a friend wanting to legally sue a doctor for telling her husband, when he asked if he was dying, " you have a few weeks to live". She claimed he gave up. Ms Clarke wrote of her Father, a ship's doctor, lying to two young sailors who had been totally burned ( to the point where they had no pain as all their nerve ends had been destroyed ) saying they would be fine when they reached port. He knew they would not be. " My job was, most of all, to lie to them".

I had an email also from an old pupil who wanted to engage in discussions of the existence of God and the purpose of religion. I had just wondered who or what is the fount of moral principles. Is it the law? Do we have to obey it? Do we judge whether it is just, tyrannical indeed moral itself? Is it God? If so which God...the Moslem, Christian, Jewish? And cannot God's law be interpreted for the purposes of man? Is the moral arbiter our own consciences, our hereditary code of contact?

Is my moral law better than yours? Is there any point to morality?

I recall a scenario wherein I learned a wife had had an abortion without consulting her husband. A scenario wherein a girlfriend stopped her contraceptive pill without informing her lover. A scenario where a hungry child stole food. A scenario wherein a man suffocated his adored wife as she was in such agony. And we probably know the book : " They shoot horses ". Right and wrong, black and white...these are often not binary issues.

Tell the truth? What truth? Will a 'white lie' be acceptable morally? Do you tell your Wife she looks dreadful when she pirouettes in her new party frock and with her styled hairdo and asks how she looks.

The law courts are full of ' who is telling the truth'?

Arguments, wars and deaths arise from disagreements as to the 'supposed facts'.

" I do not want to know ". We walk by on the other side.

This evening I had my flu jab. I have people telling me I must, others saying 'it is immoral' to inject substances in to yourself.

I go back to what is the most loving thing to do or not to do. I get it wrong but live with my decision. But do I have a right to impose my morality on another, on a particular situation?

Well it is fascinating and it is a daily dilemma.

On my way back from my jab I picked up some fallen apples. I had read of a person being reported to the police for picking blackberries on Ham Common. Was I stealing?

I have walked twice, I have written a letter and I have read, mused and prayed. This is the stuff of life...pursuing, seeking, searching and, hopefully, finally knowing.

#truth #lie #whitelie #honest #kindness #moral #rachelclarke #mcallsmith #facts #untruths #good #