Does God mind?

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EnglishChick

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2021
673
349
63
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England UK
#1
If you go out at night or on holiday and leave a light on, curtains drawn etc in order to convince burglars you are at home when you are not, is that lying and does God mind?
 

cinder

Senior Member
Mar 26, 2014
4,328
2,361
113
#2
I don't think I've ever done that, but I don't think such a deception is wrong. No one can possibly be hurt by it (at least there's no harm beyond a higher electric bill and the poor criminal doesn't get as much money as he otherwise might have from his criminal activities). I'm trying to think of a comparable Bible story but can't think of one off the top of my head that seems to fit. And then of course there's the really nit picky details you can get into like what if you leave the light on not to make burglars believe you are home but to make them more visible so if they come nearby they are more likely to be caught. Or leave the lights on so you can see your way when you get back after dark etc.

So on questions like this i usually resort to the ultra practical which is, is leaving the lights on to deter criminals when you go out really your greatest potential sin and the area that most needs work right now? If it is I'd like to know how you overcame all the other sins that beset the rest of us (even the normal reasonably good people), if not it's probably best to focus more on the things that have greater moral weight and clearer answers.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,948
8,185
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#3
For some reason I'm reminded of that scene in the first Home Alone, where the boy is running a whole party to fool burglars. Some human-shaped cutouts are running back and forth on a toy train while he's moving others by pulling ropes.
 

EnglishChick

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2021
673
349
63
42
England UK
#4
For some reason I'm reminded of that scene in the first Home Alone, where the boy is running a whole party to fool burglars. Some human-shaped cutouts are running back and forth on a toy train while he's moving others by pulling ropes.

Lol 😀😁😂
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,177
113
#5
If someone really wanted to burgle your property at night they would light or no light. They would have been casing the joint for weeks anyway.

Most burglaries happen during the day when nobodys home or sometimes it hapoens right under your nose eg with people pretending to be contractors
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,177
113
#6
what deters most burglars would be a dog, but apparently the way burglars get around that is to feed the dog a big juicy steak and then that dog becomes their best friend and lets them burgle the house.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,177
113
#7
Lying would be telling someone you are home when you are not.
For somee to lie, they have to not tell the truth.

leaving the light on and curtains drawn at night is what most people do whther they home or not because they dont want the house to get cold and come home to a dark house.

if going away and nobody is there you would tell your neighbours to look after your house for you or get a housesitter, or you get one of those timers otherwise you are wasting a lot of power keeping the lights on at night and then it becomes day you dont need the light (and have to open the curtains again)

You dont go on facebook and tell everyone you going away though that is not wise.

basically its better to have a gate that shut then leave it wide open and also locks on windows or at least dont leave them wide open. What is there that people would take anyway?

Sorry I just picture someone who is a bit paranoid and doesnt take proper precautions. You can install cctv cameras and everything but that can be over doing it!
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,738
13,406
113
#8
If you go out at night or on holiday and leave a light on, curtains drawn etc in order to convince burglars you are at home when you are not, is that lying and does God mind?
Sometimes, no, and I doubt it.

Wisdom includes hiding the truth to foil fools.