Honesty is a lonely world

by Mark Ulyseas

Pic by Mark Ulyseas
Pic by Mark Ulyseas

Many moons ago when one was studying in a Jesuit college an incident occurred that remains embedded in a living breathing past. It was a conversation I had with a Jesuit priest on the subject of truth, honesty and other little things that matter least to many of us. When I became argumentative he turned to me, put his hand on my shoulder looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Prostitutes are the most honest people on earth”. Then he turned and walked back to the college.

I suppose he is right. They are the receptacles for humanity’s festering carnal iniquities. They service humanity’s lasciviousness. They do not pretend to be anything else but people who expect to be paid for their acts of intimacy. Yet they are despised. Hounded. Beaten. Abused. Trafficked.

How ironic that the very people we despise, use and misuse are the most honest people on earth. Maybe there is a moral hiding somewhere in the hem of a skirt.

Perhaps if we found answers to the following questions it could clear a path through the dense undergrowth of pretence.

When are we going to acknowledge that honesty has nothing to do with religion and its appendage – religious ceremonies?
When are we going to accept the burden of honesty when it comes calling to tickle our nocturnal senses, and succumb to it?
When are we going to shrug off the guilt of being human with all its fallibilities and embrace life with honesty?

Maybe this will never happen because the masks are all in place. Masks of respectability, marital bliss, decency (whatever this means) and the inevitability of living the great lie – I AM.

Instead we will continue to hear oxymorons flying thick and fast: honest businessman, truthful politician, devout religious leader et al.

It is as if a veil of deceit covers us. A veil which we refuse to remove for fear of revealing our true selves – beasts without an iota of honesty.

Could it be that many among us are prostitutes in some manner or the other, honestly plying our trade be it in business, politics or religion? And that we refuse to reveal our honesty because we dread being ridiculed?

I shall leave you now with this quote from Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward

“It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.”

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om

©Mark Ulyseas

October 25, 2014

One Reply to “Honesty is a lonely world”

  1. Pingback: Honesty is a lonely world – markulyseas - My Telegraph

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