When is it OK to lie?

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  1. The Gift of Pen profile image60
    The Gift of Penposted 11 years ago

    When is it OK to lie?

    Just curious to find out if anyone has exceptions for when being lied to is ok? To get out of trouble? To escape certain things? Thoughts please!

  2. junkseller profile image80
    junksellerposted 11 years ago

    I like to view the issue of lying as an issue of transmitting the Truth. Sometimes we do not provide accurate information because the person we are providing it to is unable to fully understand the 'truth' of it. Talking to kids about sex, for instance.

    Sometimes this is also an issue where the receiver will take accurate information the wrong way. Whether a particular dress makes my wife's hips look big, is an example. Maybe it technically does, telling her that will simply make her feel bad, and that is not in anyway a truth I am trying to transmit. If the truth that I want to transmit is that she is the most beautiful and wonderful thing on the planet than I say, "no, it doesn't."

    And then sometimes people have different truths. Let's say hypothetically that someone hurt somebody I love, I then hunted them down and enacted retribution, and then the Police showed up and asked me if I did it. If I say no is it lying? No, because in the grand scheme of the universe my actions were righteous and I am fully justified in saying anything I have to in order to preserve the truth of that vengeance. I have no reason to tell them I did it and be subjected to their truth to which I do not agree.

  3. Apostle Jack profile image61
    Apostle Jackposted 11 years ago

    Good question. It is never good to do wrong . The truth will always come out in the end. When you fall short of being strong it is a trial,....a measurement of spirit....to measure integrity. So always strive not to, and it will build a bridge for a stronger spirit, that next time, the answer will be better.

  4. edhan profile image37
    edhanposted 11 years ago

    A white lie that helps others is okay. Sometimes we lied in order to avoid disasters or arguments. I do believe that should be okay.

    But if a person lies to cheat then it is not okay.

  5. dghbrh profile image80
    dghbrhposted 11 years ago

    I do not think it is ever OK to lie.......even if its to help someone and the lie is harmless. But then why to lie?
    To get of trouble for how long as truth can not be hidden and it has to come out very soon.
    To get of out of trouble through a lie may be possible for some short duration. But the trouble creator can never be in peace with help of a lie for long. So there is no point of lie.
    One should never try to escape things with the help of a lie as its not going to last for long.

  6. shivanchirakkal10 profile image56
    shivanchirakkal10posted 11 years ago

    If you give lie answer to some one else, you only know it is lie. The other one will take it as correct an honest. So if you used lie, be aware that this may effect to your trust worthiness. If you tasted the use of lying, you seems it enjoyable and try again and again.Within short period you become addicted to it. It will create many many problems not only to you but also to your family and friends circle. To come out from such behavior defect, is not easy.
    So, my opinion is not try this for any  occasion.No one will tell o k . To get out of trouble, try to become bold enough. To escape from certain things by using lie will helps  only to fell another fault. Keep honesty to each action, it help to get others love and admiration.

  7. peeples profile image93
    peeplesposted 11 years ago

    For Christians, Santa and the Easter Bunny are acceptable lies. For others the Tooth Fairy. For some lying to a child who asks a question that is outside of their ability to understand a truthful answer. Explaining why parents are divorcing to a child it is easier to stretch the truth (lie) than say mommy and daddy hated each other. For adults Lying is OK for some in situations when the truth is mean. Telling a wife she looks great in an outfit that she loves, or that a meal tastes great because you know it was worked hard on, telling a husband he did a great job fixing the garbage disposal even though it still squeeks but is at least working. Lies are not always a horrible thing. Different people have different reasons. Anyone who says they never lie is lying!

  8. arksys profile image84
    arksysposted 11 years ago

    its never really ok to lie.

    white lies sound great but they are infact changing you as a person ... keep telling white lies for a decade and you'll notice the difference in your own character. if you want to stay a part of human society or go up the ladder then you are compelled to lie, coz not everyone can or wants to handle the truth.

    everyone can justify their lies one way or another but what is wrong, is wrong, and that's the bottom line.

    1. profile image0
      CJ Sledgehammerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      +1 for telling it the way it is. :0)

  9. profile image0
    CJ Sledgehammerposted 11 years ago

    In God's book, lying is never okay. In fact, the Almighty said He hates liars.

    Needless to say, humans have a much lower set of standards and often grant themselves license to lie whenever the spirit moves them and whenever it would be of benefit to them.

    The Almighty thinks in infinite terms and sees the big picture, while humans think only of the here and now and cannot see the forest through the trees. Lying, therefore, is a quick fix that may see some temporary gains, but will bring suffering in the long run.

    1. arksys profile image84
      arksysposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      True. ^^

  10. Li Galo profile image75
    Li Galoposted 11 years ago

    If you consider omission a type of lie, then everyone lies - especially the Christians.  I mean, it's not Christian behavior to say mean things to others so you omit saying them - even if you think them!  However, if you do not consider omission a lie, then it is possible to live a life without lying (I do!).  Say, for example, a friend asks how a dress looks on her and you think it's not flattering, then in order to tell the truth, you tell the truth.  Perhaps it's a good color for her so you say, "Hey!  That's a great color on you!"  That's not a lie but the omission factor... that will depend on how you personally define omission (a lie or not a lie... that is the question).  The only time, in my opinion, that it's okay to lie is when your life is endangered - like to a nutcase.  For example, I once worked with another girl at a store and we were robbed by two people on drugs.  One guy took a knife and held it up to the girl I worked with and asked me where the money was.  I said the money was in the register.  I did this because, even though there was money in the safe, we had no way to open the safe.  If he didn't know there was a safe, it wouldn't be an issue.  I gave him all the money in the cash register and they took off!  That, to me, is an okay time to lie... but technically, it was omission... so was it a lie after all?  You can decide, based on your opinion of omission.

  11. MountainManJake profile image67
    MountainManJakeposted 11 years ago

    Look at life this way, try to achieve balance.  If telling the truth will make something bad even worse, why do it?  If telling a lie takes something bad and balances it or neutralizes it, strive for that.  It will allow you to avoid a lot of issues in your life and create greater happiness.

 
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