What is bad about a white lie!

[Richie_2uk]

What is bad about a white lie! This is not a question but a statement.


What does God say about lying? If you are a habitual liar, where will that get you? Stop and think for a moment about the nineth commandment. If mankind was able to eradicate even this one sin, do you know what a better place this world would be?

Try to imagine just for a moment what a different place this world would be if just one of the Ten Commandments was kept by all of mankind-just one kept perfectly out of the ten. Perhaps we could imagine what a different place this would be if there was no murder in our society, or maybe how nice it would be to do away completely with adultery.

It's in the news a lot these days. What if everyone truly honored his father and mother? Wouldn't it be nice if no one ever stole from his or her neighbor? Not to mention, of course, honoring God and keeping the Sabbath day holy, if everybody was keeping the Sabbath at this time. Let's start with just one of the Ten Commandments, the 9th commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." In other words, don't lie.

Once again, in the news a lot these day, people won't tell the truth. We see that each of us is guilty when it comes to the 9th commandment, and we need to be on our guard as a result.

Stop and think for a moment about this commandment. If mankind was able to eradicate even this one sin, we know what a better place this world would be, don't we? Even our children, perhaps, will listen up and learn some things and learn to improve along these lines as well.

What does God say about lying? well it's pretty straightforward. There is not too much gray area when it comes to this because God says, "Don't lie," period! There are no ifs, ands, or buts. Stretching the truth or exaggerating maybe pushing the lying envelope over the limit as far as God is concerned.

Deut. 5:20 - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

That sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Now, we're all familiar with the cute stories that parents tell their children about the Easter bunny, Santa Claus, the tooth fairy. Do you think that's stretching the truth just a little bit? Lying to our children has become an accepted practice. Even an acceptable practice, something you're expected to do! But it even goes further than this. We find it infecting most aspects of human life. So imagine this, the thought and possibility that everyone in the whole world would always tell the truth, would never bear any kind of an even small false witness. It's almost overwhelming, if you could think just how far that would go. It would profoundly change the way our whole society operates. Unfortunately, that's not the case; and often we can't trust what our neighbor says.

The Bible, the scriptures gives some pretty stern warnings about lying.

Prov:6:16-19

These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

So a white lie is a lie no matter how you deny it, or how you tell it differently or how you stretch it or cover it.

 

[4enlightment]

God detest someone that lies to hurt another, but God said to make our yes be yes, and our no be no; but God see if you lied to not harm someone, he will take that into consideration. Like if a ninety-nine year-old lady believed in her own heart that she look like an thirty year-old woman, and she had came up to you looking so proudful, and asking you to guess how old does she look; would you tell her the truth and crush a poor little old woman's heart, or would you tell her that she doesn't look a day over twenty-five? God isn't blind, He see all things.

 

[Jackson123]

It little bit confusing. I remember one of the bible story when people run and hide in the well, there is a lady and the lady cover the well withe something and when people who want to kill them come ask if she saw 2 man, the lady lie and said no.

 

[4enlightment]

It little bit confusing. I remember one of the bible story when people run and hide in the well, there is a lady and the lady cover the well withe something and when people who want to kill them come ask if she saw 2 man, the lady lie and said no.

2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

 

[4enlightment]

As it says that God is a Just God and which He know how to judge.. God is the only one that can judge, because He have seen everything we have done, and why we have done it; He is all knowing.

Job 38:2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?

3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone—
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
8 “Who shut up the sea behind doors
when it burst forth from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment
and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 when I fixed limits for it
and set its doors and bars in place,
11 when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
here is where your proud waves halt’?

 

[Ugly]

So to say every lie is wrong, regardless of intent would mean to plan a surprise party would be wrong. Because you may have to lie to the person to keep them from discovering the secret.
What about lies of omission? Have you ever chose to not tell someone something that you knew might hurt them? Did you withhold truth? Is this a sin?
God looks at more than the actions, but God considers the heart behind the actions. God knows the difference between a man who kills someone in self defense vs a man who seeks to kill. Both have the same result, but the hearts intent is vastly different.
Some people get so caught up in sin as an act, but sin starts in the heart before it comes out of a person.

 

[ForthAngel]

Habitual liars or those who try and hide their sins, or else use those lies to hurt or manipulate others are in sin. White lies to save someone can be avoided in most hypothetical situations. Withholding the truth without speaking a lie would be just as effective in most situations I would think.

There are however a couple of examples in the bible of lies being used as a means of protection and here is one of them:

Genesis 12

[SUP]11 [/SUP]And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

[SUP]12 [/SUP]Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

[SUP]13 [/SUP]Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

[SUP]14 [/SUP]And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
[SUP]15 [/SUP]The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
[SUP]16 [/SUP]And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
[SUP]18 [/SUP]And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

[SUP]19 [/SUP]Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

But Lies of malicious intent are, as the OP states, an abomination. Jesus also says this about those devoid of the truth and those who reject the truth:

John 8

[SUP]42 [/SUP]Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. [SUP]43 [/SUP]Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. [SUP]44 [/SUP]You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. [SUP]45 [/SUP]Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! [SUP]46 [/SUP]Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? [SUP]47 [/SUP]Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

 

[Richie_2uk]

So to say every lie is wrong, regardless of intent would mean to plan a surprise party would be wrong. Because you may have to lie to the person to keep them from discovering the secret.
What about lies of omission? Have you ever chose to not tell someone something that you knew might hurt them? Did you withhold truth? Is this a sin?
God looks at more than the actions, but God considers the heart behind the actions. God knows the difference between a man who kills someone in self defense vs a man who seeks to kill. Both have the same result, but the hearts intent is vastly different.
Some people get so caught up in sin as an act, but sin starts in the heart before it comes out of a person.

I can see were you coming from, and your point about saying a little white lie to cover up a surprise party, and so on, but no matter how people cover it, its still a lie according to God's word. Perhaps if you want to surprise someone with a surprise party, perhaps people can divert the person, away from the area, and perhaps ask if he or she could help with something that you genuinely doing, and ask him/her to help to past time. that way you not lying persay, you just diverting that person away from the surprsie party or surprise what ever.

But I dont make the rules, what it says in the bible, says. and people will try to get a way round things to cover up there wrong doing, So perhaps you should ask God whther a white lie is a lie? a Lie is a lie not matter how anyone changes the matter. We all do it, I know, but at the end of the day, a lie is a lie no matter how big or small, white or black, or what ever way you look at it.

 

[dcontroversal]

What is bad about a white lie! This is not a question but a statement.


What does God say about lying? If you are a habitual liar, where will that get you? Stop and think for a moment about the nineth commandment. If mankind was able to eradicate even this one sin, do you know what a better place this world would be?

Try to imagine just for a moment what a different place this world would be if just one of the Ten Commandments was kept by all of mankind-just one kept perfectly out of the ten. Perhaps we could imagine what a different place this would be if there was no murder in our society, or maybe how nice it would be to do away completely with adultery.

It's in the news a lot these days. What if everyone truly honored his father and mother? Wouldn't it be nice if no one ever stole from his or her neighbor? Not to mention, of course, honoring God and keeping the Sabbath day holy, if everybody was keeping the Sabbath at this time. Let's start with just one of the Ten Commandments, the 9th commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." In other words, don't lie.

Once again, in the news a lot these day, people won't tell the truth. We see that each of us is guilty when it comes to the 9th commandment, and we need to be on our guard as a result.

Stop and think for a moment about this commandment. If mankind was able to eradicate even this one sin, we know what a better place this world would be, don't we? Even our children, perhaps, will listen up and learn some things and learn to improve along these lines as well.

What does God say about lying? well it's pretty straightforward. There is not too much gray area when it comes to this because God says, "Don't lie," period! There are no ifs, ands, or buts. Stretching the truth or exaggerating maybe pushing the lying envelope over the limit as far as God is concerned.

Deut. 5:20 - You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

That sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Now, we're all familiar with the cute stories that parents tell their children about the Easter bunny, Santa Claus, the tooth fairy. Do you think that's stretching the truth just a little bit? Lying to our children has become an accepted practice. Even an acceptable practice, something you're expected to do! But it even goes further than this. We find it infecting most aspects of human life. So imagine this, the thought and possibility that everyone in the whole world would always tell the truth, would never bear any kind of an even small false witness. It's almost overwhelming, if you could think just how far that would go. It would profoundly change the way our whole society operates. Unfortunately, that's not the case; and often we can't trust what our neighbor says.

The Bible, the scriptures gives some pretty stern warnings about lying.

Prov:6:16-19

These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.

So a white lie is a lie no matter how you deny it, or how you tell it differently or how you stretch it or cover it.

Not keeping your word makes one a liar as well......those who habitually lie are not being led by the Spirit of God, but rather are following the father of lies for sure!

 

[Ugly]

I can see were you coming from, and your point about saying a little white lie to cover up a surprise party, and so on, but no matter how people cover it, its still a lie according to God's word. Perhaps if you want to surprise someone with a surprise party, perhaps people can divert the person, away from the area, and perhaps ask if he or she could help with something that you genuinely doing, and ask him/her to help to past time. that way you not lying persay, you just diverting that person away from the surprsie party or surprise what ever.

But I dont make the rules, what it says in the bible, says. and people will try to get a way round things to cover up there wrong doing, So perhaps you should ask God whther a white lie is a lie? a Lie is a lie not matter how anyone changes the matter. We all do it, I know, but at the end of the day, a lie is a lie no matter how big or small, white or black, or what ever way you look at it.

I love it when people automatically assume i haven't 'asked God' because i disagree with them. I went through this issue as a teenager, with youth pastors and bible studies. 20 years later nothing has changed. So i feel confident in what i'm saying. There is a difference between a person who does an action and a person who lives in their actions. Lying for a surprise party is not the same as a person who lies for selfish gain on a regular basis.
And you're right. The bible says what it says, that God looks to the heart. A point which you left out. But great accusatory tone suggesting if i see things differently i'm trying to 'get a way round things to cover up wrong doing'. You have this all neatly stacked and worded and (the sin of) omitting aspects of the bible so that if anyone disagrees with you they're a sinner trying to get away with sin.
I see no point in returning to this thread if that's all you have to say.

 

[Atwood]

What Is White about a Bad Lie?

Lying is one power that men have, but God does not.

 

[dcontroversal]

Re: What Is White about a Bad Lie?

Lying is one power that men have, but God does not.

I agree...By two immutable things..ONE BEING it was/is impossible for God to lie!

 

[Karraster]

lies begot lies.....translation: Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. :/

 

[Richie_2uk]

I love it when people automatically assume i haven't 'asked God' because i disagree with them. I went through this issue as a teenager, with youth pastors and bible studies. 20 years later nothing has changed. So i feel confident in what i'm saying. There is a difference between a person who does an action and a person who lives in their actions. Lying for a surprise party is not the same as a person who lies for selfish gain on a regular basis.
And you're right. The bible says what it says, that God looks to the heart. A point which you left out. But great accusatory tone suggesting if i see things differently i'm trying to 'get a way round things to cover up wrong doing'. You have this all neatly stacked and worded and (the sin of) omitting aspects of the bible so that if anyone disagrees with you they're a sinner trying to get away with sin.
I see no point in returning to this thread if that's all you have to say.

I didnt assume Ugly, Just saying. and saying without pointing finger, It was a general explanation, not an accusation. Just saying a lie is a lie not matter how ANYONE Covers it up. I didnt say or I dint not assume you hadnt ask God, there is no quote to say that I did. So who is assuming? Anyways ugly God bless Bro. All I was saying was a lie is a lie no matter how big or small, or how you paint it, a lie is a lie at the end of the day.

 

[john832]

Ah now wait, in just about every other thread here, people keep telling me the Law is done away. Help me out here...