Fabrication of the Lie

This has been on my mind for a few months. Finally took a few minutes to flesh out a rough outline of it.

Oh how the pen is mightier than the sword. Two months ago I watched The Invention of Lying. It is a movie about a man who lives in a reality with no lies. Early on in the movie the main character realizes that he does not have to say what he thinks (which is truth according to the movie) and that he can even say something that is not true. Finding that telling these lies can be advantageous he tells more and more, until he is caught in a web of lies. One particular lie that the movie focuses on is that he pretends to know about the afterlife. His divine knowledge soon becomes wide spread and people flock to him for answers. In an attempt to skirt these questions he tells everyone that there is a man in the sky, and that he controls everything: illness, disease, birth, death… the whole gambit. His listeners are not very pleased with this and say some extremely offensive things about the man in the sky.

I thought this movie was extremely sad. Sad that someone’s perception of the origin of religion is wrought with lies. Although the movie does address the fact that religion does give people hope, it practically mocks religion and everything it stand for.

On to my point of interest. I wonder if it ever occurred to the person who created the aforementioned movie that perhaps the big lie is that there isn’t religion? Hasn’t religion been a part of society from the beginning? Religion is nothing more than communication with God that is passed on to other people.

To further develop my ideas I’m going to refer to Scripture. I realize the irony in referring to a religious text for the sake of arguing my religious perspective, but bare with me and keep in mind I am aware of this.

In Moses chapter five we read about Adam and Eve and their experience in the Garden of Eden and their subsequent adventures after their fall. Their account shows that God communicated with them and taught them the gospel, namely that they should rely on the Savior. They also were instructed to conduct ordinances, keep a record, and teach others of God and their relationship to Him. In essence they had created the first religion known to mankind.

Later on in Moses chapter five we also learn about Cain and his dealings with Satan, from which Cain would gain the title of “The Father of all Lies.”

The major dissension had occurred and the division that chose to follow Adam’s religion would die out at some point and apostasy would reign and the cycle of dispensations and apostasy began.

One of the biggest lies first told was that there was no religion, to doubt what Adam and Eve were telling their descendants.

Religion – the proof of its goodness lies within logic.

I am currently reading Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. In his book he talks about how we cannot break commandments, but only break ourselves against them. To illustrate this point he tells a story about a ship at sea. This particular ship notices a light off in the distance and that it’s course is heading for a collision. The captain of the ship orders his crew to send a message to the other ship to change its course 20 degrees. Moments later a response is sent back which says, “you change 20 degrees.” The ship captain has his crew respond “this is captain of the ship, change your course 20 degrees!” Moments later the response from the mysterious light is “this is a second class seamen, change course 20 degrees” Infuriated the captain sends one last message, “this is a large freight ship, change course 20 degrees. Finally, this mysterious light responds “I am a lighthouse, change course 20 degrees.”

What a great story. Covey goes on to explain that principles (which are often associated with religions) such as integrity, respect, hard work, kindness and so forth are the light house and cannot be altered. We represent the ship captains. Sometimes we think that we can ignore or alter certain life principles and avoid the consequences, but his point is we can not; we can only break ourselves.

Look at the lack of morals, values and principles in our society and how bad things are now. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we lived in the director’s reality of The Invention of the Lie? Do what you want, say what you think, live by no code of conduct.

One might argue, well hasn’t religious caused the majority of wars in the history of mankind? Perhaps, but religious people don’t necessarily adhere to principles.

I love that quote, “we can’t break the commandments, only break ourselves against them.”

If religion is fabricated, how is that the morals and principles that it teaches are the recipe for a successful, happy life?