“The devil never comes in with an ugly face.” No truer words were ever spoken. Imagine if you will, meeting someone so charming, enigmatic, and graceful in speech and behavior, that they convince you of being completely genuine. Also imagine that as you get to know this person over months and years you are gradually further seduced into believing their sincerity. Not an inkling of any debasement presents itself. Imagine what power that person holds over your life, your emotions, and your soul.
This is someone who is adept at lying, has practiced over a lifetime. It is not something casually picked up. It is rehearsed, coaxed, and caressed until the lie itself becomes a living breathing entity. It has a personality cloaked so well, even a person with above average intelligence will fail to recognize it. They do it for a living. Where and how it is initially developed is unclear. Perhaps cold and unemotional mothering or idolatry or over zealous fathers intent on abetting sons in conquest, whether warring ones or the female kind, produces one so capable of slipping into and out of others lives, destroying them in their path and finally moving on to their next victim somewhat or totally unscathed.
It is not labeled a criminal act, unless the lie leads to a crime as so noted in law; nevertheless it is criminal. What can be done to protect against a crime of this nature being perpetrated on an innocent? I like to think the pen mightier than the sword. Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1 Scene II: “…many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose quills…” Aside from this, we are all at the mercy of the lie veiled in order to achieve its own manipulative malfeasance.
In no way can someone be prepared ahead of time. The lie enters so beautifully, so eloquently, essentially drugging its victim. Once the victim is inebriated, usually by love, the lie is fully in charge to do as it pleases. The lie will recruit corroborators giving it some validation. They may be friends, co-workers, and family members. It may lie in moments in time so blissful and serene that it never reveals its ugly, truthful head. The victim is doomed. Much like a spider lying in wait to devour its prey, it spins a magnificent web, bejeweled with droplets of dew, to lure the unsuspecting to take a sip. Once inside, the end is fatally near.
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