Honesty

Honesty is not part of the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Anger, Sloth, Lust, and Greed. So we might wonder how dishonesty is a problem when it involves how God views us when we lie.

The Commandments are as follows;

First: I AM the Lord thy God, and thou shalt not place strange Gods before me.

Second: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Third: Remember to keep holy the Sabbath.

Fourth: Honor thy father and thy mother.

Fifth: Thou shalt not kill.

Sixth: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Seventh: Thou shalt not steal.

Eight: You shall not bear false witness  - Lying

Ninth: You shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife.

Tenth: You shall not covet thy neighbor’s goods.

Lying is, in fact, the eighth Commandment. Lying is deceiving, and can come in degrees, such as saying you were where you were supposed to be, and can even go so far as to put an innocent person in Jail. Lying can become habitual and have devious motivations and/or consequences. Lying definitely is a sin that requires being confessed in the Confessional. Some may obtain a career position by lying about their qualifications, causing financial loss to an employer and preventing a qualified individual from being awarded the position. Lies can affect the stability of a marriage. And it could include the sin of Pride in that we lie to present ourselves in a light to others that is not truthful, nor who we are. Therefore, it is pertinent that we humble ourselves and, as God desires of us, speak the truth. Pride is one of the 7 deadly sins.

When we allow ourselves to “tell a lie” or continually lie, it often leads to other sins, such as pride, envy, or jealousy, which is a sin of envy. Part of sinning requires that we know it is a sin, and still decide to commit a sin. Teaching our children how lying can hurt others , and lead to other sins is very important.