Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive?

[mcarans]

Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive? What do you think and why?

I give my thoughts here if you're interested:
Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive?

Brief summary: My article examines bearing false witness, lying and evasions and considers whether or not evasions are for loving or deceitful reasons referencing various Bible verses and words of Jesus as support.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive? What do you think and why?

I give my thoughts here if you're interested:
Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive?

I read your thoughts. I agree that it depends on the motivation. We also need to be led by the Lord. People hate evasiveness yet at times they invite it. The classic question, "Does my behind look big in this dress?" that husbands dread. Lord Jesus said let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no". Not much wriggle room there. If we are to be evasive, it needs to be for the right reason and as rarely as possible.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I read your thoughts. I agree that it depends on the motivation. We also need to be led by the Lord. People hate evasiveness yet at times they invite it. The classic question, "Does my behind look big in this dress?" that husbands dread. Lord Jesus said let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no". Not much wriggle room there. If we are to be evasive, it needs to be for the right reason and as rarely as possible.

The verse that surrounds the statement let your yes be yes is in the context of oath keeping, not whether or not your going to say something that will hurt someone's feelings needlessly.

You can always, always turn something into a compliment, and avoid the insult.

Meeting someone at church who is wearing a horrendous dress? Compliment what you DO like about them - "wow I love that necklace" - instead of being needlessly hurtful.

When you lead with a compliment, no one fishes for any..

Wife asks you if her rear end looks big in these jeans? Don't say yes and walk away for her to cry, say you think it makes her rear end look awesome! (let's hope you like your wife's rear end regardless of situation) if she presses the issue tell her it's not you she needs to be asking because you'll never have a different answer, so attractive she is to your eyes.

That's not "being evasive" it's just not being hurtful. it's also not being dishonest - it's being truthful. .

Are there times you feel led to tell an uncomfortable truth? Then do so prayerfully, privately, with and in Christ.. making sure it's the right thing to do first.

 

[Hazelelponi]

...

Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive? What do you think and why?

I give my thoughts here if you're interested:
Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive?

Is that an external link? Can you give a synopsis?

I got more about your potential OP from a respondent than from your OP.. I don't like following unknown external links..

 

[mcarans]

...



Is that an external link? Can you give a synopsis?

I got more about your potential OP from a respondent than from your OP.. I don't like following unknown external links..

Have you heard of Medium, the online publishing platform where I posted my article?

 

[Hazelelponi]

Have you heard of Medium, the online publishing platform where I posted my article?

I'll leave the thread.. I was asking for a synopsis... not for you to make me feel more comfortable with your external link that I won't be following..

It's usually polite to offer more than a link when your creating an OP.

 

[mcarans]

I'll leave the thread.. I was asking for a synopsis... not for you to make me feel more comfortable with your external link.

It's usually polite to offer more than a link when your creating an OP.

It is not clear from your answer whether or not you have heard of Medium, so you successfully evaded answering my question.

My article examines bearing false witness, lying and evasions and considers whether or not evasions are for loving or deceitful reasons referencing various Bible verses and words of Jesus as support. I've added this to the OP.

 

[public hermit]

Interesting subject. The first thought that comes to mind is: What obligation do I have to answer another's questions? As you point out in the article, Jesus was certainly evasive (in the wide sense of the term). I think part of the reason for that is he often knew the intention of the interlocutors (e.g. we are told he knew if a question was legitimate or a test).

Sometimes, when we are evasive it is because we know the intention of the interlocutor. If, for example, we know that the question is a set up, then we might be evasive as a way of not engaging. Is that the best way to respond? Who knows?

As has been pointed out, sometimes we offer evasive answers to avoid flat out lying. It depends on the situation, but I am not sure this is always an immoral thing to do. Again, it goes back to my obligation towards interlocutors. Just because someone asks me a question, am I obligated to answer or provide a clear answer? I don't know. Am I being evasive if I simply refuse to answer? How does that differ, in essence, from giving an evasive answer that doesn't answer?

Well, that's about the most evasive response I could give to your question. If it was not helpful, maybe it will serve as an example of morally neutral evasiveness.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Is it wrong for Christians to be evasive? What do you think and why?

What did Jesus do ? And why ?

 

[Gordon Wright]

Jesus spoke in parables (philosophical esotericism) and sometimes refused to answer direct questions. He also said something about pearls and swine.

 

[mcarans]

Jesus spoke in parables (philosophical esotericism) and sometimes refused to answer direct questions. He also said something about pearls and swine.

Yes I mentioned Jesus parables and evading of questions from religious leaders in the article. His motives were obviously not negative or selfish.

 

[mcarans]

Interesting subject. The first thought that comes to mind is: What obligation do I have to answer another's questions? As you point out in the article, Jesus was certainly evasive (in the wide sense of the term). I think part of the reason for that is he often knew the intention of the interlocutors (e.g. we are told he knew if a question was legitimate or a test).

Sometimes, when we are evasive it is because we know the intention of the interlocutor. If, for example, we know that the question is a set up, then we might be evasive as a way of not engaging. Is that the best way to respond? Who knows?

As has been pointed out, sometimes we offer evasive answers to avoid flat out lying. It depends on the situation, but I am not sure this is always an immoral thing to do. Again, it goes back to my obligation towards interlocutors. Just because someone asks me a question, am I obligated to answer or provide a clear answer? I don't know. Am I being evasive if I simply refuse to answer? How does that differ, in essence, from giving an evasive answer that doesn't answer?

Well, that's about the most evasive response I could give to your question. If it was not helpful, maybe it will serve as an example of morally neutral evasiveness.

If someone asks a question and you have no reason at all to believe that they have ill intent then I think the right thing to do is to answer truthfully. I think that evasiveness can breed distrust so it's better to avoid it as much as possible.