honest to God

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Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
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#1
How honest are you?
Just wondering if honesty is a virtue or not. Some people dont place much value on it, it seems.

Ive seen people would rather cheat if they think they will win something, then be honest and seemingly lose.

When you are honest, its people who ordinarily cheat, that are suprised. I dont think they understand anything about being honest.
They might be the ones that justify things by saying if that person doesnt know, it wont hurt them.
But why would you lie to someone? I just think if God already knows everything, what is the point of lying?
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
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#2
I come back to elaborate on my thread a little as was a bit rushed this morning.

I often tell it like it is, and sometimes the truth hurts, which is why I suppose some people lie, cos they think a lie wont hurt the person.
But though sometimes better to say nothing than lie, its more noble to be honest.

For isnt God 100% honest with us? If we need more time, if we are a work in progress, if our edges are dirty and need a clean up.
and if we are honest with God, maybe we are drained and tired and cant go on, wont He understand as His son was human like us too and had to deal with living in this world?

some of the things God says often arent flattering, like for example when he tells the Israelites that he didnt choose them because they were smarter or more stronger than any other people. In fact he chose them cos they were small and weak!

Its satan who lies, deceives and flatters us, makes is think or pretend we are better than everyone else, richer or more powerful.
 

IToreTheSky

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2020
695
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N.Y.
#3
I find I'm too honest with ppl. Sometimes it may come out as too blunt or insensitive.
I've always found that lying just leads to more lying,so why bother?
I'd rather be upfront about myself to others concerning me and/or that other person, situation, etc.
Like you said God knows everything anyways,and I feel in the end either in this life or the next all lies come to light no matter what.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#4
children, I find tend to be honest up to age around 7 then they either clam up or think they can get away with lying. I think maybe that stems from parents keeping secrets or older siblings.

Those that dont want to lie often end up showing emotional disturbance or elective mutes as lying would be too much for them and they cant or are warned not to tell the truth.


In adults, when people say 'to be honest with you' I sometimes do a double take because I then think well does that mean they WERENT being honest with me before? what am I, someone you think you can fool?

I can certainly handle the truth and as christians we can handle the truth as we know the truth! So why would anyone feel they have to lie to a believer?
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,799
8,103
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#5
In adults, when people say 'to be honest with you' I sometimes do a double take because I then think well does that mean they WERENT being honest with me before? what am I, someone you think you can fool?
Somebody please tell lanolin (since she can't see what I'm saying) that when somebody says "I'm being honest with you" that usually means "You're not going to like what I'm about to say, but it's true anyway so you really need to listen to me."

Although to be honest, she's probably not going to listen to anything she doesn't like to hear anyway... :LOL:
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
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#6
I have a girl in my school called Honesty.

I dont have any boys called Pinnochio. But there was one boy whos name was Rage.

I wonder if your name was Christian, would you then have to live up to your name. Are people called Christian always Christians?
 

G00WZ

Senior Member
May 16, 2014
1,313
446
83
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#7
I have a girl in my school called Honesty.

I dont have any boys called Pinnochio. But there was one boy whos name was Rage.

I wonder if your name was Christian, would you then have to live up to your name. Are people called Christian always Christians?
I know a dude whos name is Christian and hes Muslim, and i know another dude whos name is Mohammed and he is a Christian.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
113
#8
I know a dude whos name is Christian and hes Muslim, and i know another dude whos name is Mohammed and he is a Christian.
that could be confusing

well.
I had some rad christian names at school this year

ALong with Honesty, there was Faith, Heavenly, Harmony, Neveah (heaven spelt backwards), Rapture, Blessing, Miracle,
Khristian, Ephesian, Noah, Immanuel and Bob.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
113
#10
haha just checkin you reading your bible! ;)

my favourite name tho was a boy in another school called Lazarus
 

inukubo

Active member
Jun 27, 2019
169
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#11
While honesty is a virtue, sometimes Christians use it as an excuse to tear others down with the truth. However, Ephesians 4:15 calls us to speak the truth "in love" -- Both are absolutely necessary. Operating out of love for others will sometimes mean you shouldn't tell them all of the truth at specific times and sometimes it means keeping your mouth shut completely. You need to think about how the "truth" will received, how you present it, and whether or not it will be beneficial to the person hearing it in that specific situation.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
113
#12
While honesty is a virtue, sometimes Christians use it as an excuse to tear others down with the truth. However, Ephesians 4:15 calls us to speak the truth "in love" -- Both are absolutely necessary. Operating out of love for others will sometimes mean you shouldn't tell them all of the truth at specific times and sometimes it means keeping your mouth shut completely. You need to think about how the "truth" will received, how you present it, and whether or not it will be beneficial to the person hearing it in that specific situation.
all true. some people are rather tactless.
Good thing about God though, is He's seen it all and already knows what you will say anyway so you can just be real with Him. Hes just wanting you to confess it

I think with men, or humans, we feel a bit uncomfortable confessing our weakness to others. Or facing up to it. Yet Jesus takes away our shame.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
113
#13
was reading this novel, it was kinda like a mystery, called 'The bookshop of yesterdays' . some of it made me wanna chuck it in the bin since the main character was so self-absorbed but anyway.

It was about her parents keeping a secret from her as actually she was adopted, her mum died after childbirth or in it and her dad couldnt look after her so basically gave her to his sister and husband to bring up. and so all along her real dad she believed was her uncle, and her mum was actually her aunt.

she goes on this huge quest to find out after her 'uncle' dies. She had no idea she was his daughter or even that he had married.

hmm is this a good secret to keep? Why couldnt the parents just be honest and tell her she was adopted? They said it would make her hate her real father, but if he just couldnt look after her then what could he do anyway?

The other novel I read again 'the sunflower forest' the mother would tell lies and fantastic stories to her daughters to cover up the fact she was raped in a concentration camp, had two sons, lost one and killed one by smothering. After he mum comes clean she then goes on this mental rampage and thinks this random boy is her lost son, and ends up killing him and his parents. Then dies. The daughter is horrified because her mum lied to her. Everything she had known was a lie.

made me think does this happen a lot that your parents dont necessarily lie to you but dont tell you stuff. I know so many who find out later they have half brothers and sisters they had no idea existed, or that they were adopted or were the born out of wedlock. Is it because they think children cant handle the truth and prefer to be lied to?