In Savage Garden's "The Animal Song", a line says, "children and animals tell the truth, they never lie", I disagree. I was a child once and I lied. I lied to stay out of trouble, or to make myself feel better, but I also told the truth when I was in trouble. The lesson I learned, truth is always better than a lie.
According to National Geographic, animals also lie. Birds like the Blue Jay imitate hawks to scare off other birds from feeders, more food for them. Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests, why not let somebody else do the work? The Eastern Gray Squirrel pretends to hide nuts to fool nut thieves. Cuttlefish have what scientists call a "sneaker male". If the smaller sneaker male gets between a female cuttlefish in a nest and a larger male cuttlefish guarding the nest, the sneaker male can appear female to the male guarding the nest, and male to the female in the nest, simultaneously.
Opossum relies on deception for survival. Their death scent and pretend death act, hence "playing opossum", sends predators looking elsewhere for food. Gorillas, like the famous gorilla Koko, who was born at the San Francisco Zoo on July 4th, 1971 and died 46 years later at the Gorilla Foundation's Preserve in Santa Cruz California on June 19th, 2018, also lied. One day her handlers found she had pulled a sink from the wall. When they asked her through sign language what she had done, she signed back to them, "the cat did it", and proceeded to point to her kitten.
The more intelligent the species, the more likely it will lie, scientist say. I can only imagine how many liars are in the plant and insect world, since they are very intelligent as well.
In the animal world, lying appears to be for survival, food, or continuing the species. Their lies may seem harmful to some, but not to others. Is this the flip side of nature's coin?
Humans also lie for survival and food, but not so much for continuing the species, although I'm sure those lies are possible as well.
I have known humans that lie to protect and keep what they have, or to make themselves seem, or feel better than others. According to www.health.com, humans lie for flattery, to avoid awkwardness, to influence others, to avoid negative outcomes, to achieve positive outcomes, to look more impressive and to maintain a previous lie. I am sure there are many other reasons humans lie, but that is a good place to stop.
All living species on Mother Earth should be honored by all, for all species are both material, (manifested, or form), and spiritual, (unmanifested, or formless). The material, or manifested, is our physical form. Our spiritual, or unmanifested self, is our soul. Our soul contains our God Spark, our Christ Energy, as it is sometimes referred too.
I was raised to follow a few spiritual rules, Golden Rules. Do onto others as you would have them do onto you, and always tell the truth, never lie. Looking back at my own behavior, I see where the lies came from, and the Golden Rules came from.
Egos lie. The first chapter in my book, "Tell Your Ego Stop It! Start Living Conch-sciously", I discuss the two little voices, ideas, and thoughts we all have. The first is the quiet, still, comforting, but quick, thought or idea that pops into your head. It is quick because the ego follows directly behind it. The ego is anything but quiet, still, or comforting. It is loud, bombastic, and the source of all unhappiness and stress. The ego's job is to drown out the spiritual voice within. Practice listening to the first little voice, thought, or idea that pops into your head. It is your connection to your God Spark, your Christ Energy, it is your soul talking to you. Best to listen to that, than the ego if you want a happy life.
Humans that speak from their souls, their God Spark, their Christ Energy, don't lie. How do you want to live your life? Through an ego that lies, or through spirit and the Golden Rule?
It is very sad to think that the most intelligent species on the planet lie, but they do. We all live on one, big lying manifested planet. It depends on each of us, whether to take part in lies in the material world, or handle our material lives through our souls. Imagine what the planet would be like if everyone lived through their beautiful, unaltered souls, Their God Sparks, their Christ Energies, their non-lying balanced selves.