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From Canon Ann Easter Chief Executive of a charity and Chaplain to the Queen:

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I was fascinated to hear about Fiona鈥檚 new series, Fake or Fortune; I think her investigations will be very exciting as she tries to find out whether pictures which are said to have been painted by great artists are in fact the work of the master 鈥� or a master faker!

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I haven鈥檛 had a great deal to do with fine art - apart from that in Churches I suppose, but I remember my trip to Israel with Radio 2鈥檚 Good Morning Sunday team when we were offered what they said were fragments of saint's bones, drops of martyr's blood, splinters off the True Cross and all sorts of toot, usually framed in what they swore was twenty four carat gold and all of it apparently officially authenticated by a person whose signature actually could not be read鈥�..!

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We can laugh at the tat merchants鈥� fakery but elsewhere, honesty鈥檚 a personal characteristic that most faiths 鈥� indeed most people 鈥� consider very important; when people are honest, when we feel we can rely on what they say, then we know where we are with them, even if we do call them grumpy old men (sorry Rick!). But I know that if I start being dishonest 鈥� a little white lie here, a bit of a porky there, it gets complicated - partly because I can鈥檛 remember who I鈥檝e told what! No, I reckon the Bibles advice to 鈥榣et your yes be yes and your no be no鈥� is best in the long run.

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If ever I鈥檓 sold an old master, I want to be sure it鈥檚 the real thing; on the other hand, of course, if you want to keep this old mistress happy, in some situations the truth wrapped around in a little flannel, goes down very well. So, when I ask 鈥楧oes my bum look big in this?鈥� the answer is 鈥榙arling, it looks a picture whatever you鈥檙e wearing!鈥�

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That鈥檚 honest flattery, not fake praise!