Rational Lies

Leviticus 19:11 “Do not lie”, “Do not deceive one another”

I heard a long-forgotten psychology professor say once that the word rationalize is really two words: rational lies. Rational lies that we tell to ourselves to justify something we have said or done or plan to do in the future. It may be something minor such as taking office supplies home from work so you don’t have to buy them at the store, telling yourself, “They will never miss a couple of cheap pens.” Perhaps you shade or adjust a few numbers on that tax return to pay less or get a bigger refund, even if it is really just a few dollars. After all, everyone does it and the IRS even knows about it, that is why they do audits. Maybe you go for a bigger game, like cheating on your spouse. Since the excitement has gone out of the marriage, you deserve to have a little fun, right? What she/he doesn’t know can’t possibly hurt, can it?

Rational lies are still lies. The big difference is they are lies that we tell ourselves to justify something we have done or haven’t done. If really doesn’t matter whether the matter is big or small, it still is wrong. The bible pretty well lays out the guidance for how we are supposed to act and there isn’t a lot of equivocation in it. One of the bible’s biggest heroes rationalized having someone killed so that he could have his wife, the story of David and Bathsheba and how King David sent her husband to the front of the battle lines. David rationalized that his position and desire for her made the killing of her husband justifiable.

We don’t have to be a king or someone in a position of power to tell ourselves lies that can affect other people. When Jesus told his critics that they should “render unto Caesar…”, he was also establishing the bottom line of obedience to civil law. There are of course the obvious crimes like theft and murder, but it also goes to the little things like exceeding the posted speed limit. Of course, everyone else is speeding and you do need to get where you are going a bit earlier, so zipping along 10-20 miles per hour faster than the limit is really okay. It could cost you a ticket and a fine. It could also cause you or someone else to have an accident. It has probably never crossed your mind that disobeying traffic laws are also against the wishes of God and a violation of his laws.

If you are a young person, one still in school, you have your own chance at some rational lies. So, you got too busy last night and didn’t get that math homework finished. You have a good friend you will let you copy his and no one will ever know. Okay, you deceived not only yourself but the teacher as well. Maybe you have a tough multi-page essay to write and you just happen to find what you need is for sale on the Internet. Why waste time writing something that is right there for the copying. Maybe you will use that extra time you saved to pray or read the bible…yeah, right, like that will really do you a lot of good. Maybe you did fool the teacher or professor, but you didn’t really fool yourself or God.

Rationalizing our behavior by telling ourselves rational lies is just wrong. It doesn’t matter what you tell yourself or how often. Why don’t you take a look at what you did today? Stop for a while and think over the things you did or didn’t do, the things you said or didn’t say. How many of them would fall into the definition of a rational lie. Of course, you can always tell yourself another one by saying that one or the other wasn’t really that bad, right?