One little lie leads to another, and pretty soon you’re telling whoppers. To soothe your sense of guilt, you lie to yourself too. Maybe you tell yourself you’re not really lying but just “repackaging the facts.” Maybe you take up the motto “You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.” Maybe you repeat false philosophies you’ve heard in the classroom, like “Acts must be judged by their consequences.” Or maybe you just make excuses: “I know the end doesn’t usually justify the means, but my case is special.” Before long you’ve told so many lies that you can’t even remember the truth. Worse yet, people who forget the truth usually go on the forget the Truth – and I think you know Who I mean!

J. Budziszewski (b. 1952), Philosoph, Apologet und Universitätsprofessor

Topics: Freedom & Truth, Guilt & Forgiveness, Temptation & Struggle

Occasions: For Reflection

J. Budziszewski

J. Budziszewski (* 1952) ist ein US-amerikanischer Philosoph und Politikwissenschaftler, der seit 1981 als Professor an der University of Texas at Austin lehrt. Der römisch-katholische Denker ist vor allem für seine Erneuerung der thomistischen Naturrechtslehre bekannt und vertritt die These, dass grundlegende moralische Wahrheiten unauslöschlich im menschlichen Gewissen verankert sind. Für Bibelleser bietet er philosophische Begründungen für eine objektive biblische Ethik, wenngleich seine traditionellen gesellschaftspolitischen Positionen im säkularen Diskurs umstritten sind.

All quotes by J. Budziszewski (15)

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