Do you think telling lies is ever justified?

Question

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20060711/D8IQ0I180.html

Answer 1

When asked a question, think if you would want to hear the truth. Always judge by what you would want to hear. If the answer does not affect anyone's safety and would only cause hurt, I believe that it is more important to evade the question (or lie) thank to hurt someone.

Answer 2

We all walk around carrying invisible scales with which we weigh not only right from wrong, but priority against priority.

Telling a lie to protect someone from harm is, I believe, morally defensible, though not in all imaginable circumstances.

Imagine yourself in Nazi-occupied Germany back during the second world war. If you knew that your neighbors were hiding a family of Jews in their attic and a Nazi SS officer asked you on the street if you knew where any Jews were being hidden, the moral thing to do would be to lie. You would be breaking the law. You would also be breaking traditional societal prohibitions against lying. But most people would still consider it moral to lie in these circumstances because saving a life is a higher moral priority than telling the truth.

On the other hand, if your son kills a dozen people and you know this, and you also know where he is hiding out, would it be moral to tell the police that you don't know where he is? Even though you are protecting your son from a possible death sentence if he's caught and convicted, you would nonetheless be guilty of a serious crime. But the law aside, would your lie be moral? I would say no. The need to bring a murderer to justice is a higher moral priority than protecting a family member from danger or harm.

Answer 3

I would say that telling lies is only justified when you're protecting someone else. When I say protecting someone else, I mean like the soldiers who are asked to spill the intelligence...that kind of stuff. I'm not saying it's only okay in that kind of specific situation, I'm just giving you an example. However, I wouldn't get into the habit of lying. Lying is a sin.

Answer 4

I think that lies can only be justified if more people would be hurt by not telling the lie than would be hurt by telling it. For instance, if someone's abusive boyfriend is asking where she is, it would probably be a good thing to say that you don't know, even if you do.

Answer 5

My Bible tells me that we should not lie for any reason. There is no such thing as a little white lie. Lies are lies, no matter what the reason. Just as there is no minor or major sin. One sin is as bad as another in the eyes of God.

Answer 6

sure, sometimes it is the generous and kind things to do.

besides, people tend to perform to the level of the expectations that are set for them. a little encouragement can go a long way - even if it isn't quite the "truth"

Answer 7

I think so. Sometimes you don't want to be honest and tell the truth b/c it might hurt them. So you tell a white lie. Its not going to hurt anyone. Sometimes you just need to lie though.

Answer 8

Little white lies are acceptable when the other person's feelings are at stake.

Answer 9

Yes, if it is to spare hurting someones feelings and is not about a serious issue. When someone asks "how do I look?" that would be an example.

Answer 10

Ha - ha - ha. Lies are continuing construction efforts at edifices due to collapse promptly.