Lies and More Lies

Day 72: When, If Ever, Is It Permitted to Lie? (2): Judaism and White Lies

Let's play a quick game of would you rather!
1) Would you rather...
        a) end a conversation and be told "nice to see you"?
        b) or end a conversation and be told "I wasn't looking forward to seeing you today"?

If you chose a), I fully understand. Though the second option may be more truthful, the first option makes for a smoother situation.

2) Would you rather...
        a) be told on your wedding day that your dress or tuxedo doesn't fit you right?
        b) or be told that you are a beautiful bride/grand groom?

If you said b), I'm on your side. A wedding day belongs to the couple getting married and no one's opinion should be interjected in a negative way.

If you've learned anything from our short game, it should be that there are times when it's ok to tell a white lie. If you're in a situation where needless pain or offense would be caused by telling the truth, it's ok to lie. Tell the bride she's beautiful and tell the person you ran into it was nice to see them.

"There are indeed times when a pretty lie is preferable to an ugly truth" (104).

Day 73: When, If Ever, Is It Permitted to Lie? (3): Lies Told for Reasons of Humility, Privacy, and Not to Harm Another

Squirm. Squirm. Squirm.

There are so many times in life where someone asks us what's going on and we don't want to share. Whether it's problems in a relationship, family drama caused by basically anything, or personal problems, there are things in life that people want to keep private. And in all honesty, there are things in life that people shouldn't share unless they trust the person they're telling.

It's ok to lie for the sake of modesty. It's ok to say "I don't know" instead of "I know". That's something I'm really bad about. Oftentimes, I'll say "I know" even when I don't. It's ok to say you don't know even when you do.

It's ok to lie for privacy. You don't have to tell us what's up between you and your husbandwifeboyfriendgirlfriend. That can be a beautifully kept secret, if that's what you want.

And as we cleared up before, it's ok to lie to spare someone's feelings.