Are there ever valid reasons to lie?

Question

Have you ever lied for good reason, or bad ones?

The Bible says that lying is a sin. But did you know that it also says that there are exceptions to that rule and that there is at least one example of God rewarding someone for lying? I'll bet you didn't.

If you think there are good reasons to lie sometimes, what are they?

If you think there is never an exception and no one should ever lie, maybe you're right, but why do you think that and why are there no exceptions?

DJB72 · Accepted Answer

In 1930s Germany it was a crime to protect Jews. I can't imagine God would condemn the people who worked at incredible personal risk to provide safety to the Jewish population and safely transport them out of Germany by lying for doing that.

King David's wife, Saul's daughter, lied to give him time to escape from Saul.

The Egyptian midwives hid children from Pharaoh to stop their slaughter by telling him the Hebrew women gave birth and spirited the child away.

There's plenty of times it's ok to lie to men.

Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and paid for it by dying.

That's the difference. God doesn't say it's always wrong to lie to men. Jesus even praises the steward who hears he's going to be unjustly dismissed for falsifying the books with his soon-to-be ex-master's debtors so he and his family will be safe and housed.

Don't lie to God, who knows your heart. Confess and let Christ's action on the Cross and through the Resurrection purify you. Lying to God is the issue, not lying.

Fireguy17 · Accepted Answer

things like do you like my hair cut, does my butt look big in these jeans, have I put on any weight, do you think my siter is pretty.
Yeppers, tell the truth on any one of those and someone will be pissed off at you for a long time.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

You don't always have to lie but neither do you have to go out of your way to tell the truth either.

People who insist on telling the truth (usually their version) always do it because they enjoy seeing the hurt it causes and never to help anyone.

If someone cooks you a meal you always praise it, you don't rip it to shreds like your Gordon fucking Ramsay. If a guy only has 6 inches and asks if its ok you don't tell him you wish it was bigger and he's not as good as his brother. If some creepy guy asks what town you live in you don't have to tell the truth. re-state://background_color_rgba (0, 0, 0, 0), font_color_rgb (77, 77, 77), justifyLeft

Katie1964 · Accepted Answer

Honey does this dress make my butt look big? Yeah he better lie. LOL

Anonymous · Answer

So, let's throw the GHGG out of the equation and talk ethics. Question: "Why is lying bad?"

Lying isn't bad because it hurts people, and if you throw the GHGG out, all that you are really left is a doctrine of "least harm vs most benefit"

People like the example of Hitler and the Holocaust for things, understandably bad by the standards of most. Let's say you are Polish during Judenjadg, the Jew Hunt. You have a family hidden in the crawlspace under your house. A bang at the door, you open, and you are met with the question: "Gibt hier es Juden?" "Are there Jews here?"

The family is well hidden, but if you say lying is always bad, then by your ethical standard you must answer "Ja" and the family you have hidden will suffer a horrible fate at the hands of others.

Most people will say "nien", because they will argue that it is an extreme example and an exception should be made.

So, we establish, however, through this example that exceptions can be made, therefore it is not an absolute, therefore the absolutist standard of the GHGG isn't held true. Now we have a new question: where is the line? If the absolute standard doesn't hold, what is the standard?

We are then left with "lesser harm", consequentialism. So if you believe in consequentialism, yes, there are plenty of times when it's okay to lie

MrOracle · Answer

While I overall believe that the truth - even the cold, hard, harsh truth - is better the majority of the time, there ARE times when the truth just isn't appropriate for the situation, because it might be needlessly cruel or cause someone unneeded anxiety at a bad time. Some people can handle the truth in those situations, but some definitely cannot, and so sometimes it IS kinder to tell a white lie.

Here's the difference: the lie must be for the recipient's benefit, not your own, or it's immoral and wrong.

sawno · Answer

Yes, in my case there was a period where I even had to lie to myself out of self protection for my health. Evil people were trying to force me into the wrong treatment, so I had to lie that my current one was effective. It wasn't effective because i had to deal with a therapist I didn't get along with at all but it was better than being forced to destroy myself.

The consequence of that was that it took me a year to unscrew my brain and see the truth again. I did win the battle, but still dealing with all the damage they caused. But a year later I had at least processed all the mental issues that stemmed with having to lie that hard to where I could admit to myself again that the treatment was completely ineffective and I should ignore everything they said.

IslaTheWitch · Answer

I don't lie... in general, I find it stupid. If I did something I shouldn't do, not important if it was planned, or I was simply stupid, the proper way is to apologize and fix the problem, if possible. I decline to answer the question if I don't want to share something. In the worst case, I would drop the information but wouldn't alter it.

ApplePie409 · Answer

Bubbles talks about Plato's "Noble LIe."

https://www.youtube.com/embed/AiT-TO4syoo

Imagine you find yourself in a children's hospital, and some rug rat asks you if they're going to be OK? But you know they're terminal, and don't have much time left. I don't know about you, but I'm going to lie like a rug.

Dinklex3 · Answer

I’ve lied plenty of times. Not for “good” reasons or “bad” reasons or “valid” reasons, who determines that? lol.

I lied all the time at work when people asked me if I had anything going on with a certain person. “Are you and ______ together?” “ Nope 🙂”

“Did you spend the night at _______ house?” “Nope 🙂”

“Do you know if (some gossip BS shit)” “Nope 🙂”

Sometimes it’s just more convenient. When it has to do with someone’s private information, some gossip BS, or can get someone in trouble (depends on what it is of course)… I’ll lie straight to your face. No guilt 🤷‍♀️

Of course honesty with friends and family is a bit different. Otherwise, I don’t have to be 100% honest with you/strangers and I don’t expect people to be 100% honest with me.

I didn’t vote.

Catguy92 · Answer

I think the classic example is of lying to the Nazi's about hiding Jewish people in your basement.

Of course since you brought up the Bible. Rahab also lied about hiding spies who were from Israel and was praised for it in the book of James.

TommyMountainFigure · Answer

If a child has been in a severe car accident and the mother is in hospital due to go in for a cancer operation. She asks where is her daughter is because she wants to see her before the op..

I'd make up a believable excuse but, sorry there is NO way on this earth I would tell her the truth!

JacobJordan · Answer

Well the Bible is an acronym that means Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Was originally just a serious of things about being a good person, friend, neighbor, husband, wife etc. Was claimed by a certain group and converted into a religious text. Soooo the entire thing is a lie. That being said yes sometimes lies are fine however if you intend to lie do not have moving parts. The more moving parts the more likely it is to fail

OtterMan68 · Answer

to protect a life. People lied who hid Jews in WWII

Asb_Samson · Answer

I just can say that one can lie if he has threat to death only. Other things or requirements only truth can resolve easily.

At3mis24 · Answer

Sometimes, a little lie can save your life, but this should not happen often

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Lier, lier? Sometimes, you GOTTA tell a white lie.

Wiredone · Answer

I lied once when I was a kid and got caught. I don't remember what I lied about but I will never forget what happened when my parents found out. There are no good reasons for lying as far as I'm concerned

Anonymous · Answer

Yes. Men lie to women all the time because women can’t really handle the truth of what men really think or want to say. Women say they want honesty but when men are honest now we’re assholes or jerks, were mean, etc.

handsomelad70 · Answer

There are SOME valid reasons:To maintain or mend a relationship, perhaps to diffuse workplace issues, and a few I'll likely remember later.

Juxtapose · Answer

If the Nazis ask where you are hiding the jews, you better fucking lie.

strateguy632 · Answer

i don't remember that. can you quote the source for me?

AngryCarl · Answer

If I'm forced to give you information under duress I think it's fine to lie.

LunarEclipse433 · Answer

I have lied to avoid people pain. Not saying it is right but I hate seeing people suffer

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, I lie on my taxes all the time. Why should I pay from my meager income when corporations and ass wipes like Trump and politicians don't pay shit? I pay 28% and corporations pay 0 % ? Screw that.

justabuddy · Answer

Sometimes you want to... but it usually causes more problems than it cures.

KarinMcDonald · Answer

Not all truths need to be told.

FreyaRed · Answer

Deception is part of the nature

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

Not ot me there isn't the truth is always the best way to go

MaxUsefull · Answer

just for save your own life or the others

shortster · Answer

Honesty is the best policy

DreamLife7 · Answer

Yep..

Jay-_- · Answer

Critically depends.

austinbooth · Answer

Not at all.

Are there ever valid reasons to lie?

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