Four Tools of Deception

4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.

Moses 4:4

In these latter days, it is increasingly important for the Saints to learn to recognize and see through the techniques of the adversary. Business as usual, in our civic life and in our politics, will no longer suffice. Deliberate deception is now so prevalent, and so insidious, that we must wake up and educate ourselves about how these tools work if we hope to escape falling into Satan’s clutches.

Donald Trump and his Republican Party, as shills for the corporate elite, have corrupted the very nature of public discourse. Intelligent, amicable, fact-based, truth-seeking, discussion and debate is now practically unheard of. Here are four of the most commonly used tools of deception:

1- Lies. It is well-documented that Donald J. Trump is a pathological liar. Everything he talks about has to be “the largest,” “the most,” or “the best.” His narcissism leads him to lie, to distort, and to exaggerate practically every time he opens his mouth. The Washington Post and Politifact have carefully documented his lies. Even Trump’s own Justice Department and the FBI have had to correct his statements. Yet, at his insistence, many of his die-hard supporters ignore all other sources of information, besides Trump himself, as “fake news.” Allowing a sole political figure to define one’s reality is fanatical and dangerous. It is a form of idolatry.

Latter-day Saints are vulnerable to political liars because we are taught to respect authority. It does not occur to us to question the statements of authority figures because, in church, we trust the motives of our leaders. This level of trust does not serve us well in the political world. We need to listen much more critically to our politicians and be more discerning when selecting our sources of political information.

2- Bullshit. Unlike a lie, bullshit is indifferent to the truth. It is just a statement made to give the impression that the speaker knows what he is talking about. The statement may be true or not true, but it is “made up,” or invented, by the speaker — usually spontaneously. The goal is not to tell the truth, but to give a favorable impression of the speaker.

Learning to see through bullshit, and to recognize chronic bullshitters, is necessary because as citizens we need to learn who we can trust — who is honest and knowledgeable and who is “faking it.” People who are more concerned about appearance than truth are, at best, out of touch with reality. As politicians, bullshitters are demagogues. If elected, their ignorance (and the resulting insecurity) leads them to become tyrants.

3-Distraction. When not lying or bullshitting, Trump uses Twitter to change the subject. He distracts the public from any serious discussion of substantial topics by creating false crises such as “caravans of immigrants.” He distracted the media from having a serious discussion about the proposed “Green New Deal” by making the ridiculous claim that it would eliminate cows.

We need to keep our politicians focused on issues that are important to the people: good jobs, a livable environment, health care, gun safety, public education, and the social safety net. Our leaders have much more important things to be concerned about than kneeling football players.

4- Gaslighting. This tactic is especially insidious. It is the technique by which abusers, narcissists, and dictators make their victims question their own view of reality. The gaslighter wears his victims down slowly over time. The gaslighter consistently tells his victims they didn’t see what they saw, or hear what they heard. He accuses his victims of things he himself is guilty of. He tells his victims that everyone else is a liar.

This technique distorts reality in the victims’ minds and makes them unable to think clearly. Trump is a master of this technique, not because he is a clever strategist, but because his own grasp on reality is tenuous. He repeats his lies and bullshit and distractions so often and so emphatically because he is insecure. As the president, he is in way over his head and he fights daily to hide that fact. He has become an obsessive gaslighter and, with the help of the conservative media, his cloud of distorted reality has infected millions of people. His constant attacks on the mainstream press are a classic example of dictatorial gaslighting.

It is imperative that the Latter-day Saints, my dear, innocent, naive, often gullible, brothers and sisters, wake up and learn to recognize and resist the techniques the Father of Lies is using to seduce us to the dark side. The articles in the source list below are a good place to start.

11 Therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin; and I will order all things for your good, as fast as ye are able to receive them. Amen.

Doctrine and Covenants 111:11

Sources: “Lies, bulls**t, and gaslighting: A field guide to Trump’s reality-warping mendacity,” Paul Rosenberg, Salon, February 24, 2019.
“The bitter reality for journalists covering a president who lies, and lies, and lies some more,” Ephrat Livni and Heather Timmons, Quartz, November 4, 2018.
“Defining Bullshit,” Timothy Noah, Slate, March 2, 2005.
“On Bullshit,” Harry Frankfurt, Princeton University, 1986.
“11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting,” Stephanie A. Sarkis, PhD., Psychology Today, January 22, 2017.