Is it OK for Leaders to Lie to us?

by Michael Shackleton · January 20, 2015

Public figures now seem to be getting away with telling lies or denying what is plainly true. Some claim to have degrees they never had, and get away with it for a long time because no one dares to contradict them. Does the Church today accept that lying to the public is the norm, and we must get used to it? Pam Evans

(Graphic: The Southern Cross)

No, the Church cannot accept that lying to the public is the norm. The norm must always remain the virtue of truthfulness because social life is kept functional when people do their jobs justly and honestly in accordance with society�s expectations.

A person who is contracted to perform a public office must fulfil the obligations of the contract. The Church sees this as a matter of strict justice. Someone who fraudulently declares that they have the qualifications required to hold and exercise their office is guilty of deceiving the public, and offends against the common good.

They get rewarded for holding down a job they are not fit for and so unfairly obstruct those who are fit to do it.

Truthfulness is consistency in communicating to others what we know to be a fact. When we deliberately mislead others by telling lies,�we impair their ability to make an objective judgment.

This deception is a grave injustice to the community.

Your own life will be on shaky ground if you go to a doctor who, it turns out, has no degree in medicine and is practising illegally. You will not only fear for your health but also will be outraged by the man�s falsity.

On a broader level, leaders in society who have no formal qualifications or experience for their mandates, wreck the stability of that society when they leave it to subordinates to do the work while they scoop in all the benefits and prestige of their exaltation.

Without competent supervision and direction, the subordinates can manipulate their way to their own advantage.

This makes society sick and in need of qualified management.

There is a great deal of emphasis in our society on having high status and material wealth.

These goals are often achieved not by what individuals know about a job, but who they know to get them the job and, of course, by deception.

All exchanges between persons and institutions comprise certain rights and duties.

The state has the right to tax us and the duty to use the proceeds for the good of all.

Our duty is to pay taxes but we have the right to expect them to be justly and openly used for the benefit of one and all.