A Powerful Defense of Orthopraxy

I received the following via email:

I can't for the life of me know why you're so obsessed with TRUTH, as if all of life isn't filled with falsehoods used to achieve more worthwhile objectives, and as if you've uncovered some chidush most thinking people hadn't recognized but shrugged and moved on.

Husbands get wives valentine's cards when they don't feel valentinish, employees smile at nasty bosses, parents lie repeatedly to kids, Presidents tell the public the economy or war are going well to try and affect attitudes, our entire consumer society is based on manipulating desire. Certainly, doctors tell patients their medicines work when they are just placebo. In Torah, our Patriarchs lie repeatedly, and the Rabbis themselves have us tell the homely bride she's gorgeous - if that's not orthopraxy, what is?

Who cares about the level of evidence in support of the mabul or maamad har Sinai? Lies can be wonderful tools (you should see the movie "The Invention of Lying"), and Truth is just one value to juggle with others; used incorrectly Truth destroys the placebo affect and the patient dies.

And a clarification in the comments:

XGH, my email was not intended in support for Orthopraxy but rather it's an observation that the label only make sense for those hung up on evidence in all facets of their life. Lack of compelling evidence (re God, revealed Torah, etc.) is largely irrelevant to me; I'd adopt observant behavior regardless in order to achieve the major moral and social benefits that I obtain from Jewish living - these benefits trump any of my uncertainties, and even my certainties.

Some other saintly posters here notwithstanding (who never, ever, ever manipulate their feelings to obtain a desired outcome), in life, most good Jews (like most good humans) are dishonest at times. And if you saw into their souls, most of those Jews might be unsure about the ikarim, but they carry on just the same. If they are honest about their utilitarian dishonesty, those Jews do not need a special label (OP or whatever) to be observant, any more than I need the label "husbandprax" if I say "I'm sorry" to my lovely wife even when I don't mean it. "Husband" will do just fine... you are all so hung up on this label stuff.