(9) The Obedience to Truth

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Chapter 9: The Obedience to Truth

When do I choose to be honest? I choose to be honest when I allow the truth to trump my preferences in my decisions, but I am dishonest when I allow my preferences to trump the truth.

Honesty is like a group of thieves who return everything they have stolen and do not steal anymore. Dishonesty is a band of thieves who steal from others but not themselves. Insanity is a band of thieves who steal even from each other.

Honesty is not tested in the many decisions we make where the truth does not conflict with our preferences. Even when we are dishonest we will usually make the right decision. Honesty is only tested in the few decisions we make where the truth conflicts with our preferences.

Honesty is a war between truth and preference. Truth is objective information that accurately describes our shared outside reality. Preference is subjective information that describes our personal inside desires. Decisions are routine when our preferences are consistent with the truth. Decisions become challenging when our preferences conflict with the truth.

Have you known someone who knew what the right decision was but still made the wrong decision? What prompted the person to make the wrong decision? How did the person rationalize making the wrong decision?

When is my honesty being tested? The ordinary situations when I naturally make the right decisions do not test my honesty. My honesty is tested only by specific situations where the truth is in conflict with my preferences.

Honesty is like an athlete who trains and succeeds under pressure. Dishonesty is an athlete who does not train and occasionally fails under pressure. Insanity is an athlete who always fails and still doesn’t train.
https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/801094/30/the-war-against-truth

Honesty is only tested in the specific situations when we are tempted by deceptive desires and bothered by irritating truths. We are all tempted by deceptive desires that we wish were true, but are false. Honesty is choosing to abandon and reject our deceptive desires. Dishonesty is choosing to embrace and affirm our deceptive desires. We are all confronted with irritating truths that we wish were false, but are true. Honesty is choosing to accept and acknowledge the irritating truths. Dishonesty is choosing to deny and ignore irritating truths.

Honesty is not tested by whether we abandon and reject false information. Honesty is not tested by whether we accept and acknowledge true information. Even when we are dishonest we will naturally abandon and reject false information. Even when we are dishonest we will naturally accept and acknowledge true information. Even when we are dishonest we will naturally behave honest in front of people. Honesty is only tested when it is advantageous to behave dishonestly and disadvantageous to behave honestly.

Why should you behave honestly when it is disadvantageous to behave honestly? What are the benefits to behaving honestly when it seems disadvantageous?

Should I embrace dishonesty? If I embraced dishonesty, I would become a fool who thinks foolishness is wisdom. I would be dishonest about my own dishonesty. I choose honesty. I would choose to be slave to my long-term benefit rather than a slave to my short-term desires.

Honesty is like an armor providing peace of mind and protection against unknown dangers. Honesty is a medal that only has its true value when it is genuinely earned and not stolen. Dishonestly is fire that demands constant attention and fear as it always threatens to engulf one’s most priceless possessions. Dishonesty is a wolf that ravenously licks frozen blood from a knife eventually consuming itself.

Honesty is better than dishonesty. We behave honestly in front of people even when we are dishonest. We have the desire to be perceived as honest even when we are dishonest. We value honesty in others even when we ourselves are dishonest. Honesty is manifested as character but is perceived as reputation. Honesty has benefits that seem invisible but are real. Dishonesty has advantages that seem tangible but are imaginary.
https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/801094/31/the-war-against-truth

Dishonesty is shortsighted. We have the long-term motivation to choose to repent, become honest, acknowledge the truth, and live with integrity. We are dishonest because we lack discipline and choose our myopic desire over truth. Dishonesty is a choice. Insanity is a habit. Insanity is when we deny that honesty is better than dishonesty. Insanity is becoming trapped in a permanent state of dishonesty. We become a slave to insanity when we no longer desire to return to honesty.

Why would a person want to be perceived as being dishonest? How might a person choose to be dishonest while not being perceived as being dishonest? Why would a person want to perceive themselves as being dishonest? How might a person choose to be dishonest and justify their choice to be dishonest?
https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/801094/32/the-war-against-truth