<To lie is an attempt to deceive. As a function of preserving our ego, we deceive
ourselves each and every day, and our lying to others is but a reflection of this well
practiced craft. A lovely example is Christine's contention that she is more saintly than
Mother Theresa was. I really like that one.>
I am dead serious about Mother Teresa, and totally truthful when I say that I have never allowed anyone to stay in pain when I had the means at my disposal to alleviate it. I have never discriminated against Protestants by allowing only "good" Catholic families to adopt a child. I have never, not once, hung out with Papa Doc Duvalier or Charles Keating, or given them an alibi or excused their abhorrent behavior because they gave me some money. And I have always offered children toys to play with, not left them bored and hungry.
Now, if you deem these acts by Mother Teresa to be "saintly" in its highest, purest meaning, then Mother Teresa is saintly and I am not. Your meanings of the word would not be the generally accepted one, however. But if you define saintliness as having anything to do with basic human kindness and reverence for life, then a logical and truthful person would have to conclude that Mother Teresa is no saint. Nor am I, but I don't pretend to be. I simply observed in a very rational way that I am more saintly than was Mother Teresa. But that wouldn't be hard, and was a criticism of her rather than an attempt to blow my own horn. |
