SPIRITUAL focus on television December 1, 2003 Issue

Lies and videotape

By Kim Shippey

The tease for a new series on network television went something like this: "Would [our network] lie to young woman?' And the answer was just as provocative, "You bet we would!"

I asked myself, "Are people really so unscrupulous as to lie with impunity? Brag about their ability to deceive others? What message does that send, especially to children watching a prime time show?"

Then I wondered whether the network executives ahd really meant "lie" in the sense of willful deceit that might damage these young women's lives. Or did they simply mean to playfully mislead them into participating in a devious mating game to entertain the millions of viewers who were part of the conspiracy? Some people today toss off "lies" so glibly that it's hard to be sure how seriously such untruths should be taken.

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