The longer I live, the more I see that the legal system in America is not the same as a justice system. I can see how people become bitter after living a while. I have so much to say, but can't find the words to say it. Instead, I'll include words that others have said that I find particularly meaningful right now:
"This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
From the Bible: "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Exodus 20:16
"Honesty is a principle of salvation in the kingdom of God...Just as no man or woman can be saved without baptism, so no one can be saved without honesty." ~Mark E. Petersen, CR, Oct 1971, 63
"There are many ways of lying. When we speak untruths, we are guilty of lying. We can also intentionally deceive others by our gestures, by a look, by silence, or by telling only part of a truth. Whenever we lead people in any way to believe something that is not true, we are not being honest. The Lord is not pleased with such dishonesty, and we will have to account for our lies." ~L. Tom Perry
"You might ask, "How can we be completely honest?" To be completely honest, we must look carefully at our lives and have the courage to face the whole truth." ~L. Tom Perry
"Doing the wrong thing for the right reason is still wrong." ~David McPherson
"It happens subtly over a period of time until lies and deceptions are part of us. It becomes not only acceptable, but an automated approach to obtaining what we think we deserve." ~David McPherson
"Today the unwillingness to accept individual responsibility and accountability is epidemic throughout our society. There is a lack of constancy and commitment to honor, correct principles, and righteous values. It seems that truth no longer needs to be based on fundamental principles. Instead, much of society confuses "what is" with what it wants it to be. Fiction and fantasy are confused with actuality and reality. More succinctly, the prophet Isaiah said: 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20'" ~David McPherson
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's 13th Article of Faith:
“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
"Honesty is a principle, and we have our moral agency to determine how we will apply this principle. We have the agency to make choices, but ultimately we will be accountable for each choice we make. We may deceive others, but there is One we will never deceive. From the Book of Mormon we learn, 'The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.'” ~James E. Faust
"There are different shades of truth telling. When we tell little white lies, we become progressively color-blind." ~James E. Faust
"To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice." ~Confucious.
"Good lawyers know the law; great lawyers know the judge." ~Author Unknown
"The law condemns and punishes only actions within certain definite and narrow limits; it thereby justifies, in a way, all similar actions that lie outside those limits." ~Leo Tolstoy, What I Believe
"The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour." ~Japanese Proverb
"It is better to be defeated on principle than to win on lies." ~Arthur Calwell
"Judges are but men, and are swayed like other men by vehement prejudices. This is corruption in reality, give it whatever other name you please." ~David Dudley Field
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." ~Bishop Desmond Tutu
"One does evil enough when one does nothing good." ~German Proverb
"You do not wake up one morning a bad person. It happens by a thousand tiny surrenders of self-respect to self-interest." ~Robert Brault
"It's impossible to be loyal to your family, your friends, your country, and your principles, all at the same time." ~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960
"'Tis better to suffer wrong than do it." ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732
"Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this, except that it ain't so." ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935
