Fire is produced from stone and steel; lying comes from loquacity and gossip. And the lie destroys love.
No one who has any sense would say that telling lies is not an important sin. The Holy Spirit has severely condemned it. “You destroy those that speak lies,” says David to God ( Psalm 5: 7).
The mother of lying is hypocrisy, mother and also, often, its substance as well. Hypocrisy in fact works out the lie beforehand and then puts it into practice.
Those who possess the fear of God are the furthest from telling lies, because they have an honest judge, their own conscience.
As with all the passions, we ought to recognize various types of lying according to the damage done. One person tells lies from fear of punishment; another when no danger is threatening; another because of conceit; another for enjoyment; another to raise a laugh; and yet another to do harm to his neighbor.
A child does not know what a lie is, so his soul is free of malice. Someone who is elated with wine speaks the truth on all subjects, even without meaning to. In the same way, anyone who is inebriated with the spirit of penitence will never be able to tell lies.
St. John Climacus
Ladder of Divine Ascent
