The Joy of Lying
Come with me and allow me to take you to that place where everything
is possible, right into your mind, and now I will point you to the man.
See, he is right above you.
Now, I will also take you into his very mind. We are allowed to do so because as I said earlier, this place is your mind – and in this place, anything is possible.
So now, we will enter into his mind.
As you can see, he looks serene and he is content because right now, he is floating in the clouds, floating down gently, content in the knowledge that “it is well” with him. As we watch him, we slowly see his face break into a smile, his closed eyes actually light up and the pleasure, contentment and satisfaction he feels is almost tangible because he can actually fly, because he is actually floating and because he has come to realise that everything is now alright.
The breeze rushes past him as he lies there in the air, his hair dancing on his brow, the smile never leaving his face as he laps on the sweeeet cream of understanding and realisation of the fact that after much struggle, he has finally come into a good place, that his woes have ceased and that he is now enjoying what many others only dream about because they…
His head smashes into the concrete, his skull breaks open, grey and white brain matter, mingled with blood, leap out of his exploded scalp as his flight comes to an abrupt end. The thick dark blood begins to flow, painting his broken frame with a sick pink hue. His face is a broken, mangled mess and his body is now a crumpled rag doll like a contortionist that has died in a last act. As you lift your hands to your lips to hold back from the horror, a trailer comes along, screeching to a halt as the driver sees the body too late, tyres squealing, brakes overworking, furtive, frantic arms pumping on the steering wheel to avoid the body.
It is too late though…
The truck climbs over the quivering body and the head disintegrates into a bloody smoothie. You hear the crackly as bones and joints snap, eyes burst with a retch-provoking pop, spine gives way like a toothpick and if there was ever hope that the man could be alive, it all comes to an end. Finally, it is over.
Finally.
The building was 1000 floors, and he had tipped over and was on his way to the ground, but death had not come instantly. Now, the same building had voice-activated “catchers”, a technology for such high-calibre building to snap up people in the event of a fall. The only “weakness” of the catcher is that you have to shout for a couple of seconds or a couple of times – 3 screams or 2 seconds – and then they would catch you with precision in midair. So the only “flaw” with the catchers was that they do not pre-empt people in case window cleaners or stunt jumpers want to go off the sides of the building. Now, let us get back to the man.
Many people around you are that man. Indeed, there is a great probability that YOU reading this, in some way, are that man.
For some reason, as he fell off, maybe he had shouted once or twice, but what is critical to this story is that for some personal reason(s), he finally told himself that his situation was OK. For some reason, he told himself that falling was alright, that he was floating, that other people fall, that others had been in the same scenario and had come out just fine, that there was no danger in the situation he was in, that somehow, things were going to resolve themselves, that his dreams would somehow come true without him acting, that the ground was soft, that he was on the right track...
Like that man, many are religious people who say to themselves that “all is well” as they embrace the filth they call their lives. In the darkness and in secret, when no one is watching, then, they become who they really are as they ooze filth, death and garbage – but hey, "all is well". Others are in dead-end relationships, believing marriage will sort things out somehow, that their partners will stop abusing them and will suddenly realise their worth. Others are self-righteous, pointing fingers at the madness in the world, but assured that their lives are fine, that their loveless lives are justified, that their apathy is righteous, that their cause is glorious.
Isn’t it odd how many Christians claim to hear from God and yet never know specifics but evade facing that tough question with clichés, lies, self-deceit and dead phrases because they refuse to own up to the fact that they are far away from a REAL God-reality? Isn’t it strange how some people always claim it was everybody else’s fault as their relationships always end in the same horrible ways and go downhill? Isn’t it sad that many who say that religious people are hypocrites are often wrapped in their own filthiness, drunk on the vats of deadness, mediocrity and compromise? Isn’t it weird that those whose lives are constantly average blame others, or only pray, while doing nothing to look into themselves, come clean with themselves, yell out for help and really LIVE?
When a person refuses to look inward without bias, the individual has chosen to lie to himself/herself. In time, they will feel ok about how they live their lives, about where they are, even try to make others become like them – and even feel good about themselves as they float on their ‘heavenly’ cloud of lies and self deceit.
But the party always comes to an end when reality, that cold hard concrete, bites – and without sentiments! The joy comes to an end as your self-deceit comes to the fore and no matter how long it takes, it will destroy you – that is, except you reach out and scream for the intervention of a higher power, which will only happen when you HONESTLY confess that you need help, that you are not flying, but are DYING.
Stop lying to yourself. Look inward.
Wake up…
Now, I will also take you into his very mind. We are allowed to do so because as I said earlier, this place is your mind – and in this place, anything is possible.
So now, we will enter into his mind.
As you can see, he looks serene and he is content because right now, he is floating in the clouds, floating down gently, content in the knowledge that “it is well” with him. As we watch him, we slowly see his face break into a smile, his closed eyes actually light up and the pleasure, contentment and satisfaction he feels is almost tangible because he can actually fly, because he is actually floating and because he has come to realise that everything is now alright.
The breeze rushes past him as he lies there in the air, his hair dancing on his brow, the smile never leaving his face as he laps on the sweeeet cream of understanding and realisation of the fact that after much struggle, he has finally come into a good place, that his woes have ceased and that he is now enjoying what many others only dream about because they…
His head smashes into the concrete, his skull breaks open, grey and white brain matter, mingled with blood, leap out of his exploded scalp as his flight comes to an abrupt end. The thick dark blood begins to flow, painting his broken frame with a sick pink hue. His face is a broken, mangled mess and his body is now a crumpled rag doll like a contortionist that has died in a last act. As you lift your hands to your lips to hold back from the horror, a trailer comes along, screeching to a halt as the driver sees the body too late, tyres squealing, brakes overworking, furtive, frantic arms pumping on the steering wheel to avoid the body.
It is too late though…
The truck climbs over the quivering body and the head disintegrates into a bloody smoothie. You hear the crackly as bones and joints snap, eyes burst with a retch-provoking pop, spine gives way like a toothpick and if there was ever hope that the man could be alive, it all comes to an end. Finally, it is over.
Finally.
The building was 1000 floors, and he had tipped over and was on his way to the ground, but death had not come instantly. Now, the same building had voice-activated “catchers”, a technology for such high-calibre building to snap up people in the event of a fall. The only “weakness” of the catcher is that you have to shout for a couple of seconds or a couple of times – 3 screams or 2 seconds – and then they would catch you with precision in midair. So the only “flaw” with the catchers was that they do not pre-empt people in case window cleaners or stunt jumpers want to go off the sides of the building. Now, let us get back to the man.
Many people around you are that man. Indeed, there is a great probability that YOU reading this, in some way, are that man.
For some reason, as he fell off, maybe he had shouted once or twice, but what is critical to this story is that for some personal reason(s), he finally told himself that his situation was OK. For some reason, he told himself that falling was alright, that he was floating, that other people fall, that others had been in the same scenario and had come out just fine, that there was no danger in the situation he was in, that somehow, things were going to resolve themselves, that his dreams would somehow come true without him acting, that the ground was soft, that he was on the right track...
Like that man, many are religious people who say to themselves that “all is well” as they embrace the filth they call their lives. In the darkness and in secret, when no one is watching, then, they become who they really are as they ooze filth, death and garbage – but hey, "all is well". Others are in dead-end relationships, believing marriage will sort things out somehow, that their partners will stop abusing them and will suddenly realise their worth. Others are self-righteous, pointing fingers at the madness in the world, but assured that their lives are fine, that their loveless lives are justified, that their apathy is righteous, that their cause is glorious.
Isn’t it odd how many Christians claim to hear from God and yet never know specifics but evade facing that tough question with clichés, lies, self-deceit and dead phrases because they refuse to own up to the fact that they are far away from a REAL God-reality? Isn’t it strange how some people always claim it was everybody else’s fault as their relationships always end in the same horrible ways and go downhill? Isn’t it sad that many who say that religious people are hypocrites are often wrapped in their own filthiness, drunk on the vats of deadness, mediocrity and compromise? Isn’t it weird that those whose lives are constantly average blame others, or only pray, while doing nothing to look into themselves, come clean with themselves, yell out for help and really LIVE?
When a person refuses to look inward without bias, the individual has chosen to lie to himself/herself. In time, they will feel ok about how they live their lives, about where they are, even try to make others become like them – and even feel good about themselves as they float on their ‘heavenly’ cloud of lies and self deceit.
But the party always comes to an end when reality, that cold hard concrete, bites – and without sentiments! The joy comes to an end as your self-deceit comes to the fore and no matter how long it takes, it will destroy you – that is, except you reach out and scream for the intervention of a higher power, which will only happen when you HONESTLY confess that you need help, that you are not flying, but are DYING.
Stop lying to yourself. Look inward.
Wake up…
That is so true John. As an author and business man, I can relate to how you said "As you lift your hands to your lips to hold back from the horror, a trailer comes along, screeching to a halt as the driver sees the body too late, tyres squealing, brakes overworking, furtive, frantic arms pumping on the steering wheel to avoid the body". I hope more people discover your blog because you really know what you're talking about. Can't wait to read more from you!
ReplyDeleteLol at your response...
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