When is it acceptable for Christians to tell lies?

[McBell]

Hi Mestemia, Is this present world we live in filled with "GOOD" actions toward all of its inhabitants?? Far from it. As long as wickedness is indulged in, people will continue in their wicked ways toward one another. Proverbs 14:12 says it in this fashion, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death."
Also, mankind has lost the distinguishing characteristics between that which is "Good" and that which is "bad/evil". It is called doing one's own thing.
Isa.5:20-23, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto [them that are] wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! ...Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!"

The daily news is filled with examples of man's corruption and injustice to one another. And much of it is done in the name of "for the most good".

Nice sermon.
Have you gotten enough of the preaching out your system to actually address the point?

 

[sincerly]

Bearing false witness against thy neighbour
is slander. specifically.

Wow. Everyone who has ever told their elderly mom she looks great when she doesn't
is headed for the lake of fire and brimstone.

Hellfire Christianity is such a bizarre construct/story/mythology.

Hi UV, "Lying"/"Bearing false witness" has these other meanings than just slander.


lie1
noun falsehood, deceit, fabrication, fib, fiction, invention, deception, untruth, porky (Brit. slang), pork pie (Brit. slang), white lie, falsification, prevarication, falsity, mendacity I've had enough of your lies.

verb fib, fabricate, invent, misrepresent, falsify, tell a lie, prevaricate, perjure, not tell the truth, equivocate, dissimulate, tell untruths, not speak the truth, say something untrue, forswear yourself If asked, he lies about his age. give the lie to something disprove, expose, discredit, contradict, refute, negate, invalidate, rebut, make a nonsense of, prove false, controvert, confute This survey gives the lie to the idea that Britain is moving towards economic recovery


Related words
adjective mendacious
like mythomania
Quotations
"There is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it" [William James Varieties of Religious Experience]
"The lie in the soul is a true lie" [Benjamin Jowett Introduction to his translation of Plato's Republic]
......
"The broad mass of a nation.... will more easily fall victim to a big lie than to a small one" [Adolf Hitler Mein Kampf]
.......
"It contains a misleading impression, not a lie. It was being economical with the truth" [Sir Robert Armstrong (during the `Spycatcher' trial)]
"A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet, strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie" [C.E. Montague Disenchantment]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

UV, True Christianity is about the preservation of one's life "IF" one will abide by the simple "Love GOD" and "Love one's fellow Beings".

 

[Nakosis]

Hi UltraViolet, Yes, Ex.20:16, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour."
Prov.6:16-19, "These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. "
Matt.19:17-19, "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and [thy] mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Rev.21:8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death".

How do you feel about movies? Movies that are fiction is a lie. How about coloring one's hair, so they appear younger? How about telling someone everything will be ok when you know it won't just to encourage them to keep going?

If you think someone is stupid, fat or ugly should you tell them that because it is the truth?

Good and truth are not the same thing. Sometimes the truth will do more harm then good.

None of that excuses people who's only intent is to cause real harm to others. However you can't think in absolutes like that. It is not always good or better to tell the truth.

Good is relative. What is good for one may not be for another. People who think in terms of absolutes like truth or good and evil are likely to cause more harm to the world then good.

 

[sincerly]

How do you feel about movies? Movies that are fiction is a lie. How about coloring one's hair, so they appear younger? How about telling someone everything will be ok when you know it won't just to encourage them to keep going?
If you think someone is stupid, fat or ugly should you tell them that because it is the truth?

Hi Nakosis, In those scriptural verses I posted, Did you see any which even hinted along the lines you gave as examples in the above??? No! However, with this comment is the point which those verses are addressing and is on target.

None of that excuses people who's only intent is to cause real harm to others.

The bearing "false witness against".

"Parables" are used in the Bible to illustrate the truth of a matter.

Good and truth are not the same thing. Sometimes the truth will do more harm then good.

I don't think I equated "Good and Truth" as being the same. AbsoluteTruth(unadulterated with falseness) can be informative of a situation in either terms of "good' or "bad".

However you can't think in absolutes like that. It is not always good or better to tell the truth.

Good is relative. What is good for one may not be for another. People who think in terms of absolutes like truth or good and evil are likely to cause more harm to the world then good.

"Good and Bad" or relative to the situation/matter at hand, but Truth remains the same. In what instances is it Not good to tell the truth.?