Lying as America's pastime.

• Author: Saltzman, Joe
• Position: WORDS & IMAGES

EVERYBODY LIES. From the president of the U.S. to Congress to the smallest citizen in the country, we are a nation of liars. Parents still try to teach their children not to do so. They retell the story of George Washington and the cherry tree or recite Proverbs 6:16-19 to make their point. Yet, with the same breath, they tell their kids that, if they are not good, Santa Claus will not bring them any presents. They also urge their offspring to leave their teeth under the pillow so the Tooth Fairy will reward them. Youngsters discover at an early age that skirting the truth will keep them out of trouble: "I didn't do it; she did." "It wasn't my fault." "I don't know why the toilet overflowed. It just did."

White lies are rationalized by young and old alike as a way of being kind to people. They entail false compliments ("I love that dress on you"), lazy excuses ("I'll call you back tomorrow"), and broken promises ("I won't ever do that again"). As we grow older, the rationalizations for lying become more complex. We cheat on our income tax returns because the tax laws are corrupt. "The check is in the mail" buys some extra time in paying a late bill; besides, what is the harm? Putting on a resume that you graduated from college when you did not seems fair because you were just a few units shy of getting a diploma before you had to quit school because you ran out of money.

One survey determined that 90% of Americans lie under certain circumstances. Others show that many of this country's citizens are extremely religious, believing in God, Satan, and a Bible that is very specific in its condemnation of lying. Yet, members of the clergy have been caught in mistruths concerning financial dealings, corrupt practices, and pedophilia (the Catholic Church hierarchy long denied such behavior even took place). Adulterers--some surveys indicate that a significant percentage of married men and women have affairs--must lie constantly, and they lie to the people they say they love the most: spouses, children, best friends, and co-workers. Our lying to each other has become a way of life.

Most of us lie out of fear or embarrassment. If our resumes are not impressive, we are afraid we will not get that job. If we are caught doing something wrong, we will be reprimanded, fired, or even sent to jail. Some rationalizations just keep growing, making the liar almost appear noble and kind of heart: "I don't want my wife to find out I'm having an affair because it...