At a recent dinner party, I overheard a woman say (in reference to some news article about a trial): “That’s why lawyers are called liars. They make things seem what they aren’t”.
I know this lady. Lovely person. Salt of the earth. A Christian. Always well-dressed and respectable.

I suggested to her that the next time anyone asked what her son does (he’s a minister), she should tell people he’s a pedophile – because all of “them” are.
– “Oh, no“, she said, “only a very few highly-publicized cases. Most ministers and priests are faithful, kind people who are doing God’s work.”

Exactly.

I suggested to her that a lawyer merely tries to make his client’s case seem as good as it can be, CONSISTENT WITH TRUTH. We have legal and ethical obligations not to lie to – not even to mislead – the court (whether judge alone, or jury).

I asked if she considered women who wear make-up “liars” since they are trying to appear better than they are.
– “Oh, no“, she said, “that’s just trying to “improve on nature”. Everyone knows that make-up really only makes you look your best. It’s not really lying.”

How about a push-up bra, I asked?
— “Oh, no“, she said, “that’s just showing off what you have, to its best advantage“.

I asked: how about when you do something bad and you pray for forgiveness – or ask someone else to pray for you? Is that lying? Or trying to “get off”? Is it evil to pray for people who have done something wrong, or are the victims of some calamity?
— “Oh, no.” she said. “Praying for forgiveness or for help is not lying. It’s asking. Praying for someone is the kindest, most ethical thing anyone can do. Even sinners, we pray for, to help them – we don’t say the sin was right, but we pray for the sinner to be forgiven and given another chance. And anyway, it’s not like praying gets you off. Praying is just putting yourself in God’s hands. It’s up to him whether you are forgiven, or helped.”

Really? I asked. So if God forgives someone, or helps someone who you think doesn’t “deserve” it, does that mean God is an idiot?
— “Oh, no“, she said. “We can’t know what makes God decide to do something we don’t understand. He is the final judge. Only he knows everything about what happened and about the person. We shouldn’t judge other people without knowing everything.”

Really? I asked.
You mean, just like a lawyer pleading his client’s case? Like a lawyer who shows other facts than the obvious ones? Like a lawyer who argues that the circumstances merit some compassion? Even forgiveness?

Just like a judge who hears all the evidence and all the arguments and then makes a decision? Like a judge who is not swayed by prejudice and does his best to take every factor into account? Like a judge who tempers punishment with mercy?

Like that?

Just. Like. That?

Silence.

When you deny justice to others, who will plead for justice for you?