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The Liar
There is nothing to fear. Have you heard that said before? We may hear it in spiritual circles or read it in religious texts. It is a very comforting thought and somehow rings true deep within. But usually we must take it on faith if we are to believe it. Why is the world as it is? Why have we not been able to eradicate suffering? Why does genocide continue unabated after countless horrific events obliging us, each time, to promise not to do it again? A promise never kept. Why is the future always like the past? Why are my relationships full of pain, even after decades of self-help? Why is finding the 'God' particle more important than attempting to build a fearless world for the next generations to come? These are the questions that all of us need answering and have not yet been adequately addressed. The good news is that the answer is the same for all these questions, and millions more like them. There is a single cause behind all the pain and suffering of humankind. All we need do is understand what it is, stop believing its lies and watch it drift away into nothingness. Then, and only then, will we have a chance at being what we truly are. There is nothing to fear. Nothing bad ever happened. Evil doesn't exist. The world is illusion. These statements happen to be true but up until now there has only been stark proof to the contrary. 'The Liar' examines these hopeful ideas and provides a clear and definitive argument as to why they must be true. There really is nothing to fear, quite literally. We fear nothing because we fear lies alone. And lies are not true and therefore do not, and cannot, exist in reality. QED. But don't take my word for it, read for yourself and make up your own mind.
266 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2013
3 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 11, 2013
This is not a standard book by any means, and i am sure it is not meant to be.
It makes you think, about yourself and what lies and half truth's we tell ourselves to make it right that we don't take control of ourselves,
what we do to each other and the planet we live on.
The Liar, is a book that if it had giants arms would shake your head off its shoulders and shout down the cavity "wake up and do something right for a change. Don't blame other people, stand up and speak your TRUTH and live by your words."
It is time to wake up people, the clock is ticking and only you can do anything about it.
The Liar, read it if you dare.
It makes you think, about yourself and what lies and half truth's we tell ourselves to make it right that we don't take control of ourselves,
what we do to each other and the planet we live on.
The Liar, is a book that if it had giants arms would shake your head off its shoulders and shout down the cavity "wake up and do something right for a change. Don't blame other people, stand up and speak your TRUTH and live by your words."
It is time to wake up people, the clock is ticking and only you can do anything about it.
The Liar, read it if you dare.
January 7, 2014
Worthwhile, Amazing and Frustrating
Ms. Weiss provides here an amazingly complete and insightful description of the workings of what she calls The Liar in mankind, all the while denying his (its?) reality or existence. In 20 of her 23 chapters she discusses how The Liar impacts human life in areas ranging from Labels, through Gender, Relationships, Sex and Religion to Nature (the natural environment). The other three chapters are 1- Assumptions, 2- Explanation and 23- The Good News.
There is much to like about this book. I appreciate the care and completeness with which she unfolds the machinations of this pernicious force in each of these areas of existence. I like surprises, and found many of them as I read this amazing work. Most came after working through a particularly puzzling piece of text when I was startled to find a passage of truly amazing clarity, perception and obvious truth. That there are so many such suggests there really must be a universal mind which each of us may access by opening ourselves up to it. How else could one explain a British woman of an entirely different generation and life experiences intuitively coming up with the same convictions I hold to be true.
There are other things I found personally pleasing. These include the several British-isms, slang, (one word of which I still haven’t decided what means) and an occasional British spelling; all add spice to the writing. If I were to rate the book entirely on what I liked about it, I’d give it five stars. It is well written, almost entirely free of typos and other editing lapses, and is well worth its price and the time it takes to absorb it.
There are things about the book I found frustrating as well. First is the fact that I had a hard time deciding exactly what mode of writing the author intended to use. It could be Expository writing except for the absence of evidence supporting her statements. It might be classified as Descriptive writing, and much of it is that. But it is much more in that it’s clearly intended to persuade readers to adopt a particular point of view. I decided I to take it as Argumentation given the lack of evidence for the positions taken.
Then since I am aware of the prevalence of propaganda and psychological manipulation in argumentation, I had to decide whether this is a propaganda piece. While it does use one named propaganda technique, Ad Nauseam and perhaps Obfuscation I judge this is not a propaganda piece. I see it as an honest attempt to convince an audience of the existence of evil and to suggest how to combat it.
Having said all that, there are several areas in which I take issue with the author. I believe she overemphasizes the differences between male and female behaviors. She universalizes the faults of males while ignoring the females who hurt and control in equally damaging ways. In both males and females these tendencies no doubt stem from The Liar’s machinations rather than intrinsic differences.
Another thing I find troubling is her acceptance of evolutionary thinking. She supposes man and woman to have evolved from the primeval slime over untold millennia (just as The Liar has taught her to suppose?). Any of like mind should consider the improbability of random, mindless evolution producing a living, breathing, reproducing human being.
In humans a sperm cell joining with an egg begins a process that generates an operational, immensely capable, computer (My perception). This living computer is compete with BIOS, operating system, indefinitely expandable RAM, applications, hardware, firmware, and an enclosure, and is capable of feeding, watering, protecting and replicating itself. The existence of such marvelous machines is more reasonably seen as evidence of an intelligent supremely competent engineer than of blind random evolutionary processes.
I also distrust her reliance on eastern religious practices, yoga and Buddhism among them, and especially on shamanism, as her guide to truth. These are ancient attempts to explain the unexplainable, and may or may not have evolved over the millennia. There exists an ancient book, representing itself as containing a message from man’s creator, unchanged since its completion some 2000 years ago. This book tells us what we must know and how we must act if we are to have lives filled with peace, love and fulfillment. This is the kind of life the author so obviously and sincerely desires for herself and for her readers. She and they should look carefully at this well attested book before deciding to follow any other path.
Finally, I wish Ms. Weiss had done a better job of describing exactly what or who The Liar is. We are told he (it?) doesn’t really exist, but vigorously defends himself against detection by convincing everyone to look anywhere else for the source of their troubles. I was left with the conclusion The Liar must be a construct of our own minds which we can defeat by simply refusing to listen to it. I find that totally unsatisfying and that is something I hope to take up with the author elsewhere.
Now, how shall I rate this book? I mentioned that I rate it 5 stars for its value, timeliness and discussion of what seriously needs correction. The negatives I’ve listed are not serious enough to rate less than 3 stars. Averaging the two ratings yields 4 stars and that is my honest evaluation of the value of the book.
I highly recommend this book with the caveat that readers should be aware that some of what is said therein may have come from The Liar. It should not be blindly accepted as unquestionably true in its entirety.
Ms. Weiss provides here an amazingly complete and insightful description of the workings of what she calls The Liar in mankind, all the while denying his (its?) reality or existence. In 20 of her 23 chapters she discusses how The Liar impacts human life in areas ranging from Labels, through Gender, Relationships, Sex and Religion to Nature (the natural environment). The other three chapters are 1- Assumptions, 2- Explanation and 23- The Good News.
There is much to like about this book. I appreciate the care and completeness with which she unfolds the machinations of this pernicious force in each of these areas of existence. I like surprises, and found many of them as I read this amazing work. Most came after working through a particularly puzzling piece of text when I was startled to find a passage of truly amazing clarity, perception and obvious truth. That there are so many such suggests there really must be a universal mind which each of us may access by opening ourselves up to it. How else could one explain a British woman of an entirely different generation and life experiences intuitively coming up with the same convictions I hold to be true.
There are other things I found personally pleasing. These include the several British-isms, slang, (one word of which I still haven’t decided what means) and an occasional British spelling; all add spice to the writing. If I were to rate the book entirely on what I liked about it, I’d give it five stars. It is well written, almost entirely free of typos and other editing lapses, and is well worth its price and the time it takes to absorb it.
There are things about the book I found frustrating as well. First is the fact that I had a hard time deciding exactly what mode of writing the author intended to use. It could be Expository writing except for the absence of evidence supporting her statements. It might be classified as Descriptive writing, and much of it is that. But it is much more in that it’s clearly intended to persuade readers to adopt a particular point of view. I decided I to take it as Argumentation given the lack of evidence for the positions taken.
Then since I am aware of the prevalence of propaganda and psychological manipulation in argumentation, I had to decide whether this is a propaganda piece. While it does use one named propaganda technique, Ad Nauseam and perhaps Obfuscation I judge this is not a propaganda piece. I see it as an honest attempt to convince an audience of the existence of evil and to suggest how to combat it.
Having said all that, there are several areas in which I take issue with the author. I believe she overemphasizes the differences between male and female behaviors. She universalizes the faults of males while ignoring the females who hurt and control in equally damaging ways. In both males and females these tendencies no doubt stem from The Liar’s machinations rather than intrinsic differences.
Another thing I find troubling is her acceptance of evolutionary thinking. She supposes man and woman to have evolved from the primeval slime over untold millennia (just as The Liar has taught her to suppose?). Any of like mind should consider the improbability of random, mindless evolution producing a living, breathing, reproducing human being.
In humans a sperm cell joining with an egg begins a process that generates an operational, immensely capable, computer (My perception). This living computer is compete with BIOS, operating system, indefinitely expandable RAM, applications, hardware, firmware, and an enclosure, and is capable of feeding, watering, protecting and replicating itself. The existence of such marvelous machines is more reasonably seen as evidence of an intelligent supremely competent engineer than of blind random evolutionary processes.
I also distrust her reliance on eastern religious practices, yoga and Buddhism among them, and especially on shamanism, as her guide to truth. These are ancient attempts to explain the unexplainable, and may or may not have evolved over the millennia. There exists an ancient book, representing itself as containing a message from man’s creator, unchanged since its completion some 2000 years ago. This book tells us what we must know and how we must act if we are to have lives filled with peace, love and fulfillment. This is the kind of life the author so obviously and sincerely desires for herself and for her readers. She and they should look carefully at this well attested book before deciding to follow any other path.
Finally, I wish Ms. Weiss had done a better job of describing exactly what or who The Liar is. We are told he (it?) doesn’t really exist, but vigorously defends himself against detection by convincing everyone to look anywhere else for the source of their troubles. I was left with the conclusion The Liar must be a construct of our own minds which we can defeat by simply refusing to listen to it. I find that totally unsatisfying and that is something I hope to take up with the author elsewhere.
Now, how shall I rate this book? I mentioned that I rate it 5 stars for its value, timeliness and discussion of what seriously needs correction. The negatives I’ve listed are not serious enough to rate less than 3 stars. Averaging the two ratings yields 4 stars and that is my honest evaluation of the value of the book.
I highly recommend this book with the caveat that readers should be aware that some of what is said therein may have come from The Liar. It should not be blindly accepted as unquestionably true in its entirety.
December 28, 2013
My Review: This has been on my TBR pile for a long time. My apologies to the author. I must admit I passed over it many times. Yesterday though I was determined to give it a try. I am really glad I did. It is not the usual book. It deals with the fact that most of our perceptions of this world and the interaction in it are based upon lies. Lies brought on by the labels that everything gets assigned. It is a very enlightening read and would be worth the time it would take for everyone to read it. Maybe just maybe we might have a better world to live in. I give this book 4 stars.
September 28, 2017
Provocative and thought-provoking.
The author gives early warning that the reader might find himself or herself getting upset or angry at some of the ideas put forward. While I never found myself upset or angry, I did find myself having strong, uncomfortable reactions at times. It is clear that the author would agree, this was intentional.
This is a book that sits in front of you like the annoying teenage brother who pokes you in the forehead saying, "You're doing it wrong." And the fact is, you need to be told that you are.
Weiss gives an initial definition of the Liar as: a mental filter. It sits at the gate of the mind and catches everything perceivable so it can rework it into proof that we are alone and separate. She goes on to further depict the Liar in may identifiable ways, making more clear with each that our suffering is in its hands.
The parallels between this concept and the study of the world as an illusion in A Course in Miracles are weighty. It makes me wonder if the Niramisa Weiss is or was a student of the Course. Don't take that to mean that I believe she copied or imitated that teaching. This is most certainly re-thought, re-worked, and presented in a distinctive manner. More brusquely, I would say. And for some, it may be easier to grasp with this approach. Weiss portrays the work of the Liar into several categories of our lives, such as Family & Ancestral, Cultural, Relationships, Food, Health, Money, and Religion, in 17 of the 23 short chapters. She does so brilliantly. That is not to say that I agreed with them all. I didn't. However, she required of me to consider her premise with each and every one.
Note: I read in another reviewer's comments that she provides no empirical evidence to back up her claims. I agree. There were times that it was clear that her posit was from a personal experience only, and not relative to humanity as a whole. For a time, this frustrated me, but once I let it goes as "hers" I could continue to receive the overall message, which has value, in my opinion.
This was not a "feel good" read, nor was it intended to be. It is a wake-up call. One much needed in our world today, I believe. I appreciate Weiss's raw honesty and deliberate provocation.
Bottom line, did I like it? I did. I often say my favorite reads and conversations are those that make me think. This book challenged, and rewarded, me.
If you're looking for a book to give you warm fuzzies about our path to Truth, this is not for you. If, however, you appreciate confrontational ways of thinking that can deepen your exploration of reality, I highly recommend The Liar.
The author gives early warning that the reader might find himself or herself getting upset or angry at some of the ideas put forward. While I never found myself upset or angry, I did find myself having strong, uncomfortable reactions at times. It is clear that the author would agree, this was intentional.
This is a book that sits in front of you like the annoying teenage brother who pokes you in the forehead saying, "You're doing it wrong." And the fact is, you need to be told that you are.
Weiss gives an initial definition of the Liar as: a mental filter. It sits at the gate of the mind and catches everything perceivable so it can rework it into proof that we are alone and separate. She goes on to further depict the Liar in may identifiable ways, making more clear with each that our suffering is in its hands.
The parallels between this concept and the study of the world as an illusion in A Course in Miracles are weighty. It makes me wonder if the Niramisa Weiss is or was a student of the Course. Don't take that to mean that I believe she copied or imitated that teaching. This is most certainly re-thought, re-worked, and presented in a distinctive manner. More brusquely, I would say. And for some, it may be easier to grasp with this approach. Weiss portrays the work of the Liar into several categories of our lives, such as Family & Ancestral, Cultural, Relationships, Food, Health, Money, and Religion, in 17 of the 23 short chapters. She does so brilliantly. That is not to say that I agreed with them all. I didn't. However, she required of me to consider her premise with each and every one.
Note: I read in another reviewer's comments that she provides no empirical evidence to back up her claims. I agree. There were times that it was clear that her posit was from a personal experience only, and not relative to humanity as a whole. For a time, this frustrated me, but once I let it goes as "hers" I could continue to receive the overall message, which has value, in my opinion.
This was not a "feel good" read, nor was it intended to be. It is a wake-up call. One much needed in our world today, I believe. I appreciate Weiss's raw honesty and deliberate provocation.
Bottom line, did I like it? I did. I often say my favorite reads and conversations are those that make me think. This book challenged, and rewarded, me.
If you're looking for a book to give you warm fuzzies about our path to Truth, this is not for you. If, however, you appreciate confrontational ways of thinking that can deepen your exploration of reality, I highly recommend The Liar.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews