Jack’s Winning Words 7/16/13
“Frankness is always telling the truth, but not always all the truth.”  (Madame de Sevigne)  These words come from a letter a mother wrote to her daughter in 17th Century France.  Read them again.  Sometimes what is not told is more relevant than what is said.  Do you think it is morally correct to tell the truth, but not the whole truth?  Are there occasions when it is best not to reveal “everything?”  Ask someone about that.    ;-)  Jack

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  I think whatever you tell, it should be the truth, but you don't have to always tell "the whole truth"...all the details.  There are occasions when it's best not to reveal everything, when it would offend someone needlessly if they heard all of it.====JACK:  If it's OK not to tell the WHOLE truth, is it also OK to tell a "white lie" in the best interest of the hearer?====RI:  According to "Miss Lillian", President Jimmy Carter's mother, it's OK to tell a "white lie".  When a news reporter came to her house to interview her, he asked if it's OK to tell a white lie, and she said "yes".  Then she added, " Remember when you arrived and I said, 'Nice to see you'?"  That's a pretty good example.====JACK:  Miss Lillian...a Baptist with a sense of humor.

 FROM WALMART REV:  Let's see here, Jack . . . "Honey! Do think I'm fat?" . . . "Yes, and ugly too!" . . . I think there are times when it is best not to reveal “everything”, especially those comments that are purely relative to one's opinion. Not for compromising the truth either.====JACK:  What do you do when a church member says, "Tell me the truth, pastor!"====REV:  Hopefully, I'm found pausing and reflecting on what that entails, asking for a word of wisdom or knowledge from our Creator and then proceed by faith that I'm speaking truth to the inquirer. There are some questions I cannot answer until I have more information...and I let that be known. Sometimes I bat well at the plate and sometimes I have stuck my foot square in my mouth. ====JACK:  The pause that refreshes...  It really helps when those difficult questions are raised.  Many politicians are adept at deflecting questions.

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  It seems that Wisdom is a part of Truth, and Temperance demonstrates Wisdom gained. Still, who can say that (s)he knows the Truth. I think I can only claim knowing only some of it. The Truth includes all things --- I only know some things. I am Honest to say I know only parts of Truth. ====JACK:  It's one thing to talk about "truth" in theory.  It's another matter to come face to face with it in a personal situation.====RAY:  I would agree...but, Truth is no theory. For those who might think it is, would be those who would only theorize about it. For those who might be awake, everything is a personal situation -- and therein lays some of the elements of Truth.

 FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Thinking back to some of my more underappreciated humor; I used to say, "Let's be Frank and Ernest." You be earnest and I'll be frank....  I don't like your idea.  Double entendre humor is always difficult.  I think in situations where you can gracefully spare someone's feelings and the statement or disclosure adds nothing  to the task at hand, perhaps omission is the better choice.   It is one thing to say, what a lovely shirt, adding does it come in your size? However ill fitting is probably too frank. ====JACK:  ...but is it morally correct?====JON:  I think you have to apply wisdom. Probably making the best judgment call you can make, absolutists would argue black and white, age and experience for me indicates it's not always easy to make that call. In other words, I don't know....====JACK:  I can't recall that society ever took a vote on what is moral and what is immoral.  If so, I didn't get a ballot.

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  Some of the people tell the truth all of the time and all of the people tell the truth some of the time, but not all of the  people tell the truth all of the time.====JACK:  Do you tell people what they want to hear or what they need to hear?====PFC:  People need to hear what they want to hear====JACK:  Sometimes

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I THINK WITHOUT A DOUBT MADAME DE SEVIGNE HAS  THE RIGHT IDEA. DISCRETION COMES INTO PLAY IN MOST PERSONAL SITUATIONS. AND WHO HASN'T TOLD  A LITTLE WHITE LIE WHEN IT SEEMS THE BETTER PART OF WISDOM?!   EMPATHY PLAYS A PART IN ALL THIS. GOOD WW TODAY!! BY THE WAY, THERE  ARE MANY BAPTISTS WITH A SENSE OF HUMOR...:-)====JACK:  Was John the Baptist a Baptist?  I've read that Eddie Murphy is a Baptist.  So, I guess that there are Baptist comedians.