Written by: Dean Nelson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight in their area of expertise.
Why is it so much easier to tell a lie than the truth? Is it because a lie can hide the fact that you are not expressing your true feelings, which may offend someone? Will it keep someone from knowing what you really think about them or a situation involving them? Will a lie protect you from judgment or condemnation? Will it conceal, not expose, who you are? Will it make life easier for you in the moment but more difficult in the long run? Are you living a lie?
In almost all cases, it is better to avoid answering someone’s question altogether or answer it truthfully. There are exceptions, though. If a stranger breaks into your home and asks where your children are, then, of course, you should lie. Otherwise, you should make every effort to be truthful or just refrain from commenting. People lie to hide the truth, and when you accept someone’s lie as truth, it blinds you to the truth and may make it very easy for you to succumb to other’s wishes and desires. Lies can be detrimental to those telling them and to those believing them. Learn about how dishonesty affects your brain here.
Are you living other people’s lives or your own? Political, religious, or societal lies can be largely destructive to billions of people worldwide. Lies about historical events and current affairs can lead entire countries into delusion. Suppose you choose to believe other’s false claims and adopt a follow-the-herd mentality. In that case, you deny yourself the freedom to make your own decisions. This can be dangerous and lead to delusional thinking. It can limit personal growth, stifle creativity, and cause emotional pain and suffering.
Yes, some will find peace and solace in other’s beliefs. They will feel comforted believing in untruths and misinformation. Anyone can be comforted by believing in fairy tales, bedtime stories, and even some conspiracy theories. If you experience peace and comfort in these, that is your choice—believe as you wish. But, consider that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. If you don’t need evidence to support your beliefs, that is your choice as well.
Who do you believe in lie?
It is easy to miss the truth while under the influence of a lie. Should we accept a lie as fact because it was presented to us by a trusted friend or family member? How would you feel if your parents raised you to believe in the Easter Bunny and they told you to ignore anyone who suggested otherwise? And they maintained this belief and teaching throughout your life!
At some point, you would have run across people who did not believe this, and you were then willing to listen to their stories or read about their disbelief in the bunny and consider more realistic possibilities. Questioning or doubting is not taking the easy path of accepting other’s beliefs as the truth and following their lead. It is the path far less traveled by the masses.
How much do you value the truth?
It takes effort, research, commitment, desire, and courage to forge your own path and formulate your own conclusions. When you accept other’s beliefs on faith, you short-change yourself. If your friend tells you an alien came to her one night (not in a dream) and took her to the moon in a rocket-powered golf cart, would you believe her or think her to be delusional? Can you find any similarities to this story in many conspiracy theories or spiritual beliefs?
If no empirical evidence is offered to support anyone’s claims about anything, perform some research. Faith is a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. When someone claims to know something that is unknowable and speaks as if their beliefs were facts, that is the same as lying. If I tell people that Superman will protect us from terrorism based on things I’ve read, I am lying because there is no proof of such a claim. It is merely something I choose to believe, knowing there is no evidence to support this baseless claim. In other words, it is nothing more than my opinion.
Even though my beliefs may be very real to me, they are subjective and only exist within my mind. My imaginations and visualizations may appear as reality to me, but they are mine and only in my mind. I have a right to share those ideas or beliefs with anyone who wishes to hear about them, but I have no right to subject others to claims that my beliefs or visualizations are facts. Believe what you will, but be honest and not misrepresent your beliefs as facts.
Just the facts, please
If you are considering investing in a company, you want the facts, not the company’s opinions of themselves. If you are shopping for a used car, you want the facts, not a shady sales pitch. If you are applying for a job, you want the facts so you can make a rational, informed decision. Wouldn’t you prefer to make an important life decision based on facts rather than conjecture? Isn’t your life worth it?
Most humans want life to be easy. Many are okay with having others make decisions for them, like planning trips, meals, and clothing purchases. But when it comes to how I want to live my life, be assured that I want to make those decisions myself. I do not want anyone telling me what to believe or how to manage my life. If I want help with that, I’ll ask for it.
It is far easier to believe and conform than to question or doubt. It is easier to accept someone else’s truth than to discover your own. You cannot see the truth when you are under the spell of a lie. Make your own decisions. Create your own beliefs. Do the necessary research. Open your mind and your heart to the truth and seek it with every ounce of your being. Instead of conforming to the masses—be bold, be diligent, be courageous!
Dean Nelson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dean Nelson is the best-selling author of three self-help, inspirational, and motivational books with another in the works. For nearly 30 years, he spent countless hours attending seminars, researching, studying, and seeking out ways to awaken his potential. His sincerest passion and mission in life is to provide simple shortcuts to living a more fulfilled and inspired experience. For those who are struggling and ready for change, Nelson shares his enlightening psychology for those seeking an immediate positive transformation.
