Truth

• Honesty is an expression of our basic respect for the dignity of all persons.
• God - The source of truth. The source of all knowledge and wisdom, of

  truthfulness and honesty, of fortitude and moral integrity.
• The eighth commandment - upholds the value of truth by positively

  commanding us to respect the good name of others.
• Lying - is a direct violation of the eight commandment.
• A person who lies under oath before a court of law is guilty of perjury, a serious offense because the very life and freedom of the accused are put in jeopardy.
• Slander or Calumny means speak falsely against someone with the goal of destroying that person’s good name.
• Detraction means to speak out publicly what is actually true but is

  unnecessarily destructive of a person’s good name and reputation.
• Gossiping and Backbiting- whether about something true or untrue, whether one begins it or merely entertains it-corrodes the foundation of trust and respect in any community because of its prejudiced, one sided disclosure of reality and the covert manner by which it is done.
• Teasing - Adults who were victims of such forms of verbal bullying as children have had to bear lifelong psychological scars.
• Name-calling and teasing clearly violate the human dignity because they disrespectfully focus on certain traits or weakness of people.
• Media - is a powerful tool both for education and for the formation

  of values.