Is It Ok To Tell A Little White Lie Even If..

[Guest Called]

Tess, Hey, here are the thoughts I promised to get to you. I realize that we are probably going to disagree and you know what? That is fine. I will not say anything more on this thread, because I feel I have made my position clear and if I go any further it will just be me in my flesh wanting to be right and THAT is wrong. So, that being said, I will try and answer your questions....

Rahab hides the Spies and lies to the king's men (Joshua 2:1-24)

You will get no argument from me. Rahab did hide the spies and she lied to the kings men. Now, was Rahab justified in lying? No, it is clear that lying is a sin. There have been several explanations as to why her lying is not mentioned in this passage. It could be that God forgave her, because of her faith, that she was deceiving the enemy which was normal and acceptable in wartime, because Rahab was not a jew, so therefore she could not be held responsible for keeping the moral standards of God's law.

* Hebrew midwives lied to Pharoah in order to protect baby boys (Exodus 1:15-21)

A lie was not necessarily the best way to answer Pharoah, but God blessed them, not because they told a lie, but because they were protecting children

* David pretended to be insane (I Samuel 21:2, 13)

* David lied about who he had been fighting (I Samuel 27:10)

Both of these instances were in war time, which like I said earlier was considered acceptable at the time

* God Himself gives Samuel permission to deceive Saul:

The LORD said to Samuel,

[Guest Amaze]

After reading all these posts, I have a question. I do believe that telling a little white lie is sin and that you shouldn't lie at all, but what if you are at a family gathering at Christmas and you exchange gifts and one or many of the gifts you receive from family members is something you don't like, how do you go about handling that situation, when the whole family is gathered around watching gifts being opened? With the family members being gathered around, when you open each gift, you are put on the spot as to how you react to each gift you receive, because you have so many observers. So how do you keep from embarassing someone in that situation that gave you a gift you don't like, without saying something that could be a little white lie, in order to show good manners?

Kat

You accept is with graditude.....

it is not the gift that matters.....

it is the meaning or the thought behind the gift that is what matters....

that the person presenting it loves you enough to present you with a gift that they thought you might like.....

accept it, and thank them..... you dont have to lie about it,

you can even say:

***********

it is something that you never expected.....

***********

that is not saying you like it or dont.... and if you were not expecting it, then that also would not be a lie.... be loving towards them, and accept the gift.....

accepting it dont mean you ahve to use it.....

if you need to respond to each gift, lump the gifts together under a blanket statement:

*******************

they are such wonderful gifts, and the most precious gift is that we are all able to be here to share this time together, to share our love for each other and that to me is the most wonderful gift given this day......

*******************

we have to keep in mind, what is pleasing to God..... not us..... if we are more concerned about what man says or thinks, and not what God desires, then we are not pleasing God,

mike

we have to keep in mind, what is pleasing to God..... not us..... if we are more concerned about what man says or thinks, and not what God desires, then we are not pleasing God,

1Jo 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

pleasing God and pleasing man are the same thing in this instance.

Edited August 20, 2004 by Amaze

[Guest Amaze]

Jhn 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

This scripture speaks of the intent of ones own heart. It is love for another. In this thread, the intent is the same when one hides true feelings about something and says something else to someone to keep from hurting them. This also is love, to sacrifice one's own feelings to keep from hurting someone else's.

I believe compassion, love, understanding, and one's own sacrifice are the indicators of ones heart when "white lies" are told to keep from hurting another. How could anyone possibly justify compassion, love, and understanding in their heart, if you just..."told it like it is"... without regard to what this 'naked' truth made your brother or sister feel? To me, hurting someone else in this manner is far worse than telling them something other than what you honestly feel.

And to those, that say...I would say it this way or that way without directly addressing the issue....You kid your friends, and I'll kid mine, but let's not kid each other here....you are doing the same thing you said you don't want to do...you are IMPLYING that everything is ok to another, when, really, we both know in your heart it's not. And that, is a "white lie".

Edited August 20, 2004 by Amaze

[Marilyn777]

Jhn 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

This scripture speaks of the intent of ones own heart. It is love for another. In this thread, the intent is the same when one hides true feelings about something and says something else to someone to keep from hurting them. This also is love, to sacrifice one's own feelings to keep from hurting someone else's.

I believe compassion, love, understanding, and one's own sacrifice are the indicators of ones heart when "white lies" are told to keep from hurting another. How could anyone possibly justify compassion, love, and understanding in their heart, if you just..."told it like it is"... without regard to what this 'naked' truth made your brother or sister feel? To me, hurting someone else in this manner is far worse than telling them something other than what you honestly feel.

And to those, that say...I would say it this way or that way without directly addressing the issue....You kid your friends, and I'll kid mine, but let's not kid each other here....you are doing the same thing you said you don't want to do...you are IMPLYING that everything is ok to another, when, really, we both know in your heart it's not. And that, is a "white lie".

Totally Awesome Amaze---Two Thumbs Up I love the points you made they make alot of sense to me. Thanks for sharing. :hug:

[Guest Amaze]

Thank you Marilyn, that was very kind. I believe that Tess', kitkat's and Koppens responses were awesome also, in my opinion.

[Guest kitkat]

This scripture speaks of the intent of ones own heart. It is love for another. In this thread, the intent is the same when one hides true feelings about something and says something else to someone to keep from hurting them. This also is love, to sacrifice one's own feelings to keep from hurting someone else's.

Thanks Amaze!! What you have posted in this thread speaks volumes. Referencing your quote above, I think there are those that handle a situation operating in love in a mannerly way like Shadow said in his post, and they have spoken the truth and spared the feelings of others, where embarassment may be involved if the truth was spoken, but at the same time I have to wonder when anyone says they never lie, even tell a "white lie" about anything to spare someone hurt or embarassment, etc., if they are really being honest with themselves and with God when they say that. I can't help but call that one into question. Is there really anybody that is that perfect? Just my opinion.

Kat