Will the truth ALWAYS set you free?

[-ty-]

Alright. Should we always be truthful throughout our lives, no matter the situation? Or is it sometimes alright to lie to not hurt feelings and protect others? Will the truth always set you free?

 

[Alice]

Well, I'd say no, however I do always try to be honest, especially with myself.

 

[Aorio]

Well, there are such things as white lies, that I believe in some situations are more polite and tactful, even though they're not necessary and technically are lies. Like when someone gets you something for your birthday, and ask you if you like it, you tell them "Yes, I love it! Thank you so much!" Even if it's the most disgusting thing you've ever seen in your entire life. I think that kind of lie is safe, even though it definitely depends on the situation.

Other than that, though, I always pride myself in being honest with myself and everyone around me. It makes life simpler.

 

[-ty-]

Oh yeah, you reminded me Quilava, I meant to also asked, "if you believe that there are times in which it's alright to lie, is there a point in which the lying goes too far? And what is that point?

Yes, self honesty is can be very good. But if you honestly do not like the way you appear, for instance, try not to be TOO honest and resent yourself.

Well, there are such things as white lies, that I believe in some situations are more polite and tactful, even though they're not necessary and technically are lies. Like when someone gets you something for your birthday, and ask you if you like it, you tell them "Yes, I love it! Thank you so much!" Even if it's the most disgusting thing you've ever seen in your entire life. I think that kind of lie is safe, even though it definitely depends on the situation.

Other than that, though, I always pride myself in being honest with myself and everyone around me. It makes life simpler.

totally agree. I am just wondering what you think about a lie that is used to protect someone, but it is much much more than a simple white lie.

Like, if you were hiding Jews underneath your floor boards of your home in Germany during and prior to the Second World War. If an officer came into your home would you risk your own safety by telling them that you were not housing Jews? Or would you get rid of your own anxiety of well-being, and comply by telling them that you were housing a Jewish family?

I don't mean to give you guys such a complex question, but the prompt was just too easy to answer, haha.

 

[Guy]

The way I see it, the truth can hurt just as much as a lie. Of course, this depends on the severity of the what's at stake when confronting someone with the honest truth or a lie. Personally, I see it fine in some situations to lie out of respect and protection. However, in terms of protection, it does depend. Sometimes when you mean to protect someone with a lie, you can end up hurting them in the long run. In that situation, I ask myself, "I am lying to really protect them or am I lying for my own benefit and selfishness?"

I'll be honest and say I've lied before. Sometimes I lied when I shouldn't have, and I'm sure we've all done that at some point in our lives. When it comes to a serious matter though, I'll be honest with myself and the other person. For example: Eighth grade, 2005, I was asked if I cheated on a test; I could have lied, ─ given my clean record I might have even gotten away with it ─ but I manned up and told the truth. I got the punishment I deserved and learned my lesson. I felt a lot better being honest than being paranoid that I would have been busted for lying and received a punishment worse than what it was.

Like, if you were hiding Jews underneath your floor boards of your home in Germany during and prior to the Second World War. If an officer came into your home would you risk your own safety by telling them that you were not housing Jews? Or would you get rid of your own anxiety of well-being, and comply by telling them that you were housing a Jewish family?

In a situation like that, I'm sure whoever decided to put a family's safety in front of their own would have known the consequences of such actions before even doing it. So, to say the least, I would have protected those people and kept my word to them. Meaning, yes, I would lie to the officer and protect the lives of these innocent people. That's what I would consider being a lie of one's protection rather than a selfish demand as I mentioned earlier.

 

[Gymnotide]

I would say that secrets are very necessary, seeing as how something deeply personal and rather striking happened to me earlier this week. It's been fine my entire life, but now that the cat's out of the bag, it's ending up hurting someone more than necessary. Not my problem, though. I really couldn't care less.

 

[Xyrin]

You should always tell the truth unless it's a small lie where the truth would do nothing but hurt somebody feelings. Unless of course you're lying to save somebody like in the Jew scenario.

 

[Gymnotide]

You should always tell the truth unless it's a small lie where the truth would do nothing but hurt somebody feelings. Unless of course you're lying to save somebody like in the Jew scenario.

I disagree completely. I lost a mother this morning because she found out the truth.

 

[Steven]

Well, no. I mean, to say so takes extreme ignorance to how the world works.

Let's do this for example.

Man: HEY! I'M GAY!
Saudi Arabian Government: Oh? Thanks for telling the truth. *shoots in face*
Man: I'm so free! I told the truth and I get shot! YAY!

(Saudi Arabia is not the only country)

 

[-ty-]

I disagree completely. I lost a mother this morning because she found out the truth.

I am not really one to talk, because my mom could care less if I am gay. But, I know it is a difficult situation to have a parent feel less about their child over one attribute. All I can say is that when I came out I felt a sickness in my stomach for a couple months, and then they started to die down completely in a few months. But, prior to telling the truth I was suppressing my own happiness. So, in short term, no it did not feel like I was set free, but in the long term, it definitely did.

BTW everyone, I just used the WWII example because of something outlandish I heard form Christine O'Donnell...as usual. She said that if she had a Jewish family hiding beneath the floor boards, she would not lie to the Nazis, b/c lying is disrespectful, and that God would find a way to save both her and the family. lol.

 

[Xyrin]

Well, no. I mean, to say so takes extreme ignorance to how the world works.

Let's do this for example.

Man: HEY! I'M GAY!
Saudi Arabian Government: Oh? Thanks for telling the truth. *shoots in face*
Man: I'm so free! I told the truth and I get shot! YAY!

(Saudi Arabia is not the only country)

True but not screaming it out and telling random people isn't lying. And of course in that case if somebody asked you it would be quite alright to lie.

I disagree completely. I lost a mother this morning because she found out the truth.

Could you please explain? And if it happens to be something like her finding out a sexuality or religion she should get over it and love you anyways.

 

[Gymnotide]

I am not really one to talk, because my mom could care less if I am gay. But, I know it is a difficult situation to have a parent feel less about their child over one attribute. All I can say is that when I came out I felt a sickness in my stomach for a couple months, and then they started to die down completely in a few months. But, prior to telling the truth I was suppressing my own happiness. So, in short term, no it did not feel like I was set free, but in the long term, it definitely did.

BTW everyone, I just used the WWII example because of something outlandish I heard form Christine O'Donnell...as usual. She said that if she had a Jewish family hiding beneath the floor boards, she would not lie to the Nazis, b/c lying is disrespectful, and that God would find a way to save both her and the family. lol.

Could you please explain? And if it happens to be something like her finding out a sexuality or religion she should get over it and love you anyways.

Sort of unique situation here; hard to explain and irrelevant to the thread prompt (willing, but it'd be nonconducive)--however, it only proves that beneficial lying is subjective for different cases.

 

[Steven]

True but not screaming it out and telling random people isn't lying. And of course in that case if somebody asked you it would be quite alright to lie.

You're living a lie, especially in their culture where you are expected to get married and have kids.

 

[2Cool4Mewtwo]

I would only lie if I have to (in order to get out of trouble :3), Or in a situation where a lying would save my life or something.

 

[Xyrin]

You're living a lie, especially in their culture where you are expected to get married and have kids.

True but it's better than dying. You could always leave or at least try to escape to a 1st world country.

 

[-ty-]

Sort of unique situation here; hard to explain and irrelevant to the thread prompt (willing, but it'd be nonconducive)--however, it only proves that beneficial lying is subjective for different cases.

Exactly, it is, for me, and almost everyone else, a matter of situation.

It is just odd that we are told to never lie by teachers and sometimes parents, but they do not tell us it is ok to lie sometimes.

 

[Steven]

True but it's better than dying. You could always leave or at least try to escape to a 1st world country.

That's not the point of the thread though. The point is that they're not free when speaking the truth.

You can't always leave. Money is not something you can pull out of thin air - and escaping requires connections not everyone has.

 

[Blue Nocturne]

I am not really one to talk, because my mom could care less if I am gay.

Sorry, but before I go further, couldn't. Could indicates at least some level of caring, which doesn't seem to be what you're trying to convey. </Grammar Nazi>


Oh how I've lied! There was Zack, who I was just friends with for quite a while, there was outright denying that I was gay (not entirely a lie, mind). That time I told a friend that I got a A instead of an A* on a very easy exam to protect her feelings... The truth rarely does anything for me to be honest.

 

[Nick]

Lies seem to get me further in life than the truth...