What exactly is lying?

[zippy2006]

If I did lie by telling him, "Done," before I actually did it, should I have texted back, "Will do," instead?

A lie is something like telling someone, "This is true," while knowing it is false.

So it depends how you and your husband understand your response, "Done." For example, if you and your husband both unambiguously understand that response as meaning, "I have now completed the task," then you would be lying. But you and your husband probably don't understand it that way.

I think it is good to be careful with our language, but even in common parlance "Done," when said in that context, is often seen as an abbreviation for, "Consider it done," which is not a lie.

I think we need a light-hearted fluff thread now and then.

We haven't had such a serious thread since the Philosophy Forum shut down.

 

[zippy2006]

I smiled and answered, "No, ma'am."

I see this as a lie. In fact we usually call it a lie, that is, a white lie. What does that mean? It means that it is a lie with a special characteristic. What is that characteristic? The characteristic is this: it's a lie that is okay to tell.

This raises the philosophical question: even if lies are wrong, are white lies wrong? Or differently: is every lie wrong? And at that point the internet rulebook says that we have to start talking about Nazis.

 

[durangodawood]

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Lying is purposely deceiving.

So is camouflage "lying"?

 

[d taylor]

So is camouflage "lying"?

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And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

 

[timothyu]

Lying according to the Jewish encyclpaedia, you know, the roots of Christianity

LYING - JewishEncyclopedia.com

Complete contents the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia.

www.jewishencyclopedia.com

 

[durangodawood]

Lying according to the Jewish encyclpaedia, you know, the roots of Christianity

LYING - JewishEncyclopedia.com

Complete contents the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia.

www.jewishencyclopedia.com

Its says:
"The Shammaites declared it sinful even to lavish, at the wedding-feast, laudations on a bride which are not in harmony with the truth, as, for instance, to call her beautiful when she is ugly "

Seems kind of harsh.

 

[Chesterton]

Lying according to the Jewish encyclpaedia, you know, the roots of Christianity

LYING - JewishEncyclopedia.com

Complete contents the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia.

www.jewishencyclopedia.com

The Jewish Encyclopedia should not be considered authoritative for anything.

In the Old Testament, 2nd chapter of Joshua, we read of Rahab, who lied to conceal two of Joshua's spies. She is later praised in the New Testament book of Hebrews 11:31.

We cannot be overly legalistic. Bottom line, if some bad men are looking to kill an innocent man, and they ask me where he is and I know where he is, I'm going to lie to them and tell them I don't know.

 

[Bradskii]

Its says:
"The Shammaites declared it sinful even to lavish, at the wedding-feast, laudations on a bride which are not in harmony with the truth, as, for instance, to call her beautiful when she is ugly "

Seems kind of harsh.

Father of the bride: 'Isn't my daughter a picture of beauty?'
Father of the groom: 'Um...I'll take the fifth, thanks'.

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

I was thinking, logic is a funny thing. Maybe I was telling the truth when I told the lady I didn't give up my seat. I had been standing for a moment or two, and she didn't see the empty seat until I pointed it out to her. At that point, it was no longer MY seat. I had vacated it. "Move your feet, lose your seat." So no, I didn't give up MY seat for her.

I mentioned this thread to my husband, so now he knows I hadn't yet turned on the faucet when I texted back, "Done," but that I then did it immediately. He ventured no opinion on whether or not that was a lie, but he did say, "I'd let that slide." He and I make it a strict policy never to lie to each other, so if he's "letting it slide," I take it that he doesn't consider it a lie.

Hubby and I then had a brief discussion on John 7:8-10. Jesus told His brothers to go on up to the Feast of Tabernacles without Him; He's not going. In verse 10, after they had left, He did go, without their knowing it. You can't tell me Jesus lied. Some versions include the word "yet," as in, "I am not yet going," which would explain it. Surely He must have had His reasons for not letting them know He did go, but to somebody not digging very deep, it might look like a lie.

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

Father of the bride: 'Isn't my daughter a picture of beauty?'
Father of the groom: 'Um...I'll take the fifth, thanks'.

All brides, and all babies, are beautiful, even if they look like a spotted hyena's behind.

 

[durangodawood]

Father of the bride: 'Isn't my daughter a picture of beauty?'
Father of the groom: 'Um...I'll take the fifth, thanks'.

Age old "wisdom" in action.

 

[zippy2006]

Hubby and I then had a brief discussion on John 7:8-10. Jesus told His brothers to go on up to the Feast of Tabernacles without Him; He's not going. In verse 10, after they had left, He did go, without their knowing it. You can't tell me Jesus lied. Some versions include the word "yet," as in, "I am not yet going," which would explain it. Surely He must have had His reasons for not letting them know He did go, but to somebody not digging very deep, it might look like a lie.

That is a famous and difficult verse for Christian philosophers.

 

[timothyu]

Surely He must have had His reasons for not letting them know He did go

Bond, James Bond. God's ways are not our ways, so why try and interpret them from our viewpoint. Jesus said He did only the will of the Father, so even He would not question what sense it made.

 

[stevevw]

I think it also depends on where the person is at and perhaps their past history. If you asked a son who was always on video games and unreliable I don't think their word is as valued as someone who usually does what they say.

I think their good intention and integrity buys some credibility and flexibility lol.

 

[Niels]

From my perspective, lying carries connotations of antisocial dishonesty. Most things that people do to look good or save face aren't lying as far as I'm concerned. I don't see much of a difference between somebody who wears a wig and somebody who wears nice clothes, for instance. The wig and the clothes both serve a similar purpose. To help the person look or feel good about themself. Likewise, if you forgot to do something and then do it before I find out it's unlikely that I would think of you as dishonest or antisocial. Perhaps a bit forgetful but not a liar.