Discourses of Dorotheos of Gaza

by Dorotheus of Gaza

In terms of falsehood of words, this is what I mean. Consider a man who dismisses getting up for vigils and rather than honestly declaring, "Forgive me, father, I lack the courage to get up." He says instead, "I had a fever and felt dizzy and thus I was unable to get up. I was too weak," and a whole series of such lies to avoid kneeling down and abasing himself and entreating forgiveness. Or if someone accuses him of something, he insists in explaining away his blame so as not to be judged for it. Likewise it may be of interest to him to accuse his brother and to persist in justifying himself by declaring, "But what did you say?" Or, "What did you actually do?" "I did not speak those words. Perhaps someone else said it," with many buts, so as not to be humiliated. Again, if he desires something he does not actually say, "I desire this thing." Rather he continues to speak in a circular way. "I am afflicted by this and so I need that," or "I have an order from this one," and he goes on speaking lies until he obtains what he wants. For as much as all sins come from a love of pleasure, or greed, or vainglory we can say that lying is based on these three vices,