Main Text: PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies);
ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.
EFFECTS OF FALSEHOOD ON SOCIETY
“Wherefore, putting away falsehood, everyone
should speak the truth to his neighbors”, (Ephesians 4:25).
INTRODUCTION:
When one’s attitude is geared towards deceiving the unsuspecting
individual, falsehood is in place. This could come in form of telling a lie in
order to obtain something from someone or pretending that something is real
when they are not so. Put differently, falsehood is the act of lying or
maintaining untrue behaviour, as a way of deceiving members of the public.
Falsehood has devastating effects on society, and this is what this gospel
project seeks to address in three subtopics;
(1) FALSEHOOD AND CORRUPTION
Falsehood is that human disposition
that breeds corruption. And corruption by way of definition is that dishonest
and illegal behaviour which people engage in. It is true that corruption is
often exhibited by those in position of authority or power, experience has also
shown that there is no social class in the human race where this malady is not
visible. Furthermore, falsehood leads to corrupt practices like; cheating,
stealing, fraud, embezzlement and other forms of vices which are found in the
character of human beings. This, in turn breeds mistrust, fear and instability,
which threaten the human society. Pointedly, it is on the account of the
foregoing that the Bible urges everyone to;
(i)
put off falsehood as a way of ensuring
sanity in society, (Eph. 4:15)
(ii)
equally ensure that they speak truthfully to
one another, (verse 24);
(iii)
also refrain from falsehood in order to be
admitted into the kingdom of heaven, hereafter, (Rev. 22:15), etc.
(2) FALSEHOOD AND JUSTICE
Falsehood stampedes justice
where judicial officers allow themselves to be taken over by corruption. Based
on this, the judicial personnel are biblically advised not to pervert justice
or show-partiality or take bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and
twists the words of the righteous, (Deu. 16:19). However, in Nigeria and the
world-over, there are evidences of “false justice” on the basis of cash and
carry. This is falsehood in action. It is common knowledge today that some
politicians with “false mandate” now pay huge sums of money to also secure
“false justice” to enable them continue in power. What a double falsity that
result in colossal waste of the public funds! By this, therefore, the reader is
informed that God is not happy when;
(i)
justice is perverted in society, (verse 19);
(ii)
judicial officers accept bribe(s) as a way
of stampeding justice, (verse 19);
(iii)
justice and justice alone is not the order
of the day in a judicial system (verse 20), etc.
FALSEHOOD
AND DIVINE JUDGEMENT
One
of the things that can invoke divine judgment on someone is falsehood. The
story of Ananias and Sapphira in (Acts of the Apostles chapter 5) is a case in
point. Yet, to most people in today’s world, falsehood is a way of life. They
seem not to be mindful of the grave consequences of this deadly vice. This
informs the reason for the mindless “steal and over-up” attitude of most people
in both the church and the wider society. However, that Ananias and Sapphira
his wife died as a result of falsehood stands as a strong emphasis of God’s
disapproval of such a kind of life style. From that incident, one learns that;
(i)
falsehood
is a sin against the Holy Spirit and not just against man, (Acts 5:3);
(ii)
the
vice attracts divine judgment that can send one to one’s untimely grave, (verse
5-6);
(iii)
those
who collaborate with others in falsehood share the same judgment, (verse 7-10),
etc.
In
conclusion, it is important to state without mincing
words that the endeavour of the writer in this discourse is to point out the
negative effects of falsehood on society. To some, falsehood is a means to an
end. But, when one achieves something through a means that would someday
destroy one, such an achievement becomes altogether useless. Falsehood is Satan’s
means of destroying the society. Today, most people hardly trust others as a
result of the dishonesty of some individuals. In some families, relationship
have been broken because if the same problem. Furthermore, a probe into the
psyche of the people would project politicians as devil’s incarnate, just
because of their lying tendencies. These and more buttress the fact that
falsehood has devastating effects on society. BE OF GOOD BEHAVIOUR.
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