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According to the dictionary the word "honesty" is defined as having integrity and honor; being trustworthy, faithful and fair. The opposite of honesty is deceitfulness. As anarchy is the antonym or opposite of government, deceit is the opposite of honesty.
There also are many scriptures that emphasize the importance of the virtue of honesty. In the Old Testament, three of the Ten Commandments forbid forms of dishonesty - adultery, bearing false witness and stealing. In literature, especially in the works of William Shakespeare, deceit or dishonesty is very often the theme of the story, as is the case when Venice's greatly admired military leader Othello is destroyed by deceit practiced by his trusted arms bearer, Iago.
In the New Testament, Jesus specifically talks about deception when asked what the signs of His second coming would be Chapter 24 of Matthew[1] and Chapter 13 of Mark.[2] When asked by his disciples about his second coming, Jesus Christ responded : "Take heed that no man deceive you..." He then described what would happen. There would be false Christs and false prophets that would deceive the very elect. There would be wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes and pestilences and believers would be hated for His sake.
It would be a time of worldwide tribulation when those who followed Him would be "delivered up to councils" and "in the synagogues ye shall be beaten"[3] which seems to describe conditions for at least the past seventy to eighty years.
As recently as in the past couple of weeks, the Colorado Supreme Court, in a four to three decision, ruled that Felix Montes-Rodriguez, did not lie when he used a stolen Social Security number in getting a loan, because he applied for the loan using his "proper name, birth day, address and other identifying information." [4] Only three out of the seven Colorado Supreme Court judges believed that deceiving the lender by providing false documents was contrary to law. Montes-Rodriguez was acquitted.
Deception is the foundation of the current worldwide terrorist movement and synagogues have been a primary target for almost a quarter of a century. In 1986, 1992 and 2003 there were terrorist attacks on synagogues in Turkey.[5] Of the small number of Jews left in Turkey, twenty-nine were killed and hundreds were wounded when car bombs were detonated at the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel Synagogues in Istanbul on a November Saturday in 2003. Both congregations were assembled and people were killed at both locations.
Following the failed attempt to bomb two synagogues in Chicago on October 29, 2010, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning that "all churches, synagogues and mosques in the Chicago area should be vigilant for any unsolicited or unexpected packages."
Deception and terrorism is being used to create governmental chaos. The attacks on Synagogues in Turkey has been identified as part of the "Sledgehammer Plot" which is alleged to be a plan by top military leaders to seize control of the government by creating chaos by destroying churches, synagogues and mosques. The chaos would then permit them to execute a military coup, which has happened before in 1960, 1971 and 1980 in Turkey. [6]
Leaked documents, quoted by the Al Jazeera newspaper[7] on February 26, 2010, claim that a military plot to seize power was developed in 2003 and signed by Lt. General Cetin Dogan of the Turkish Land Florces, included as its first aim the removal of religion:
Aim: To protect the territorial integrity of the country ... to prevent a civil war... to remove once and for all, all causes that prevents the functioning of the secular state.
Status of the enemy: Fundamentalist groups, while trying to infiltrate the Turkish Armed Forces are at the same time trying to wear it down and make it look like it is anti-religious.
Fundamentalist groups encouraged by the current government are getting stronger ...to create a system of governance based on religion.
The AK Party[8] is funded and backed by fundamentalist groups, the US & the EU.
Actions:
1. Downing a Turkish fighter jet, "Let's take it down ourselves or make it look like the Greeks took it down"
Increase the number of fly-bys in the Aegean, but make it look like harassment by the Greeks
Harass the Greek planes enough to provoke a response, leading to the portrayal of the AK Party in the media as "weak" for allowing the Aegean to be brought to the brink of war.
2. Attack on the national air museum. Men dressed in "Islamic Clothing" will stage and attack on the Museum. This will come after a march through the streets of Fatih (a religious district of Istanbul) by people dressed up as Islamists.
3. Attacks on military posts around major cities... Military guard posts will be attacked by "shariah-dressed people". Entire neighborhoods will be shut off as a result.
4. Attacks on mosques in Istanbul. Bombings of Fatih and Beyazit mosques. Explosions designed to ensure the maximum number of wounded, rather than killed.
According to the Turkish military leaders in Turkey, as reported in the New York Times, those plans were not a "real" plan of deception but merely "strategic planning to prepare for war situations."[9]
In Britain, prior to the recent election, honesty in politics became an issue. David Cameron, the new prime minister,[10] was described by Mary Portas, who's business is brand consulting, in an article titled: "Nothing buys customer loyalty quite like honesty." In his acceptance speech[11] Camerone noted that Britain's new government faced:
"A hung parliament where no party has a majority, deep and threatening problems, a huge deficit, social problems and a political system in need of reform. For those reasons I aim to form a proper and full coalition between the conservatives and the liberal democrats. I believe that is the right way to provide this country with the strong the stable and good and decent government that I think we need so badly. We want to put aside party differences and work hard for the common good and the national interest. I think that is the best way to get the strong government, the decisive government that we need today"
Following the American Revolution that ended in 1783, the new United States also faced "deep and threatening problems" including severe economic problems, trade problems, Indian attacks, a government that had no authority to tax or an executive to lead and thousands of veterans who had been promised pay, and had not gotten it. At that point George Washington wrote letters to each of the 13 governors of states[12] on June 8, 1783 outlining four things he believed necessary for the nation to survive:
1. A spirit of union "without which we cannot exist as an independent power"
2. A sacred regard to public justice
3. A proper peace establishment
4. The ability to make "mutual concessions" and forget local prejudices and policies
Washington ended that letter with a prayer:
"That God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow citizens of the United States at large and particularly for their brethren who have served in the field and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation. "
That letter, and Washington's reference to "doing Justice and loving mercy" recalls the words of the Prophet Micah of the Old Testament and led to the decision to write the Constitution. Micah describes the destruction of the state of Israel and the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem at a time with the State of Israel was prosperous but had abandoned their faith in God. He warns the people, that they should "no more worship the work of thine hands."[13] Washington seems to be referring to Micah 6:8:[14]
"He hath shewed thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
The definition of the word "justly" is defined as "honestly; fairly; in conformity to fact or rule." This period of time was 600-700 BC when not only the Isaiah, Micah and other prophets of the Old Testament lived, but also about the same time, or shortly after the Old Testament prophets, Confucius and Buddha lived in Asia- from about 480 to 552 BC. Buddha [15]and Confucius[16] taught that honesty, especially being honest with ourselves, was the most important virtue. Without honesty true compassion, caring and kindness are beyond our reach.
All religions that accept the writings of Moses, who brought forth the Ten Commandments, about 1200 BC teach the importance of honesty. "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and in doing good to all men," is an Article of Faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most people wherever they live value honesty, especially in their leaders.
To choose honest and virtuous leaders in a Republic like the United States requires the voters to value, and to have and practice those virtues themselves. People who do not practice, and do not value honesty, rarely choose honest leaders.
[1] http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Matthew&chapter=24&verse=4 - Matthew 24:4
[2] http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Mark&chapter=13&verse=5+ Mark 13 - verses 5--6
[3] http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Mark&chapter=13&verse=9 - Mark 13: verse 9
[4] http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=221161 - Court allows stolen Social Security Card
[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neve_Shalom_Synagogue - Neve Shalom Synagogue
[6] http://www.allaboutturkey.com/darbe.htm - Military coup d'tats in Turkey
[7] http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/02/201022516176575355.html - The Sledgehammer Plot- documents
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_and_Development_Party_(Turkey) - AK Party - Turkey
[9] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/world/europe/26turkey.html - New York Times - Feb. 26, 2010
[10] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7626981/General-Election-2010-Nothing-buys-customer-loyalty-quite-like-honesty.html - Nothing buys customer loyalty quite like honesty
[11] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/7712824/David-Cameron-becomes-Prime-Minister.html Dave Cameron
[12] http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw260534)) - Washington's Circular Letter
[13] http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Micah&chapter=5&verse=13 - Micah Chap. 5 vs 13
[14] http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Micah&chapter=6&verse=8 - Micah Chap. 6 vs 8
[15] http://www.purifymind.com/PathHonesty.htm - Buddah on Honesty
[16] http://www.angelfire.com/md2/timewarp/kongfuzi.html - Confucius on Honesty
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Mary Mostert has written articles on political and social issues for more than 60 years, including a weekly newspaper column for Gannett Newspapers. She has written four books, including books on the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution. Her e-mail is mary@bannerofliberty.com and
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