"By father Jove, Minerva,
and Apollo, if Ulysses is still the man that he was when he wrestled
with Philomeleides in Lesbos, and threw him so heavily that all the
Achaeans cheered him—if he is still such and were to come near
these suitors, they would have a short shrift and a sorry wedding.
As regards your questions, however, I will not prevaricate nor deceive
you, but will tell you without concealment all that the old man of the
sea told me."
Homer (8th century BC)- The Odyssey: Book 17

prevaricate

(verb) To stray from or evade the truth; equivocate.

Synonyms: beat around the bush, palter, tergiversate

Usage: At the press conference, the politician continued to prevaricate on the issue rather than provide a direct answer.

The prevaricators lose the Light by perpetuating self-deception!

Tis obvious that numerous Christian's and Muslim's both prevaricate when it comes to the truth that science has given us, in order to strengthen their lack of knowledge regarding the truths referred to as life. And if they cannot convince nonbeliever's with their distorted stories and rhetoric, they resort to murdering those they can't convince, with their scary stories.