Should a Christian ever lie?
Key passages:
God hates lying. Proverbs 16:6.
Jesus suggested that it was appropriate to break the "rules" if it involved a greater good or need. Mark 2:23-28 (Jesus' disciples are eating grain on the Sabbath, and Jesus cites David eating the priests' consecrated bread when he and his men were hungry to justify the practice).
I've heard a pastor go so far as to say that if the Nazis came to your door, and you were hiding Jews, you would be obligated as a Christian not to lie about it. I've also read Bonhoeffer say that this thought is 'grotesque,' and that you should tell a 'robust lie.'
About Me
Blog Archive
-
▼
2006
(51)
-
▼
October
(11)
- Is it more Christian to be a socialist or a capita...
- Greek: why bother?Evangelicals have a fetish for N...
- Against Ministry GimmicksI hate it when Christians...
- Fretting sheep; faithful ShepherdI often worry tha...
- Does God care about every detail of my life? Does ...
- Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by all that life enta...
- Hasn’t the overall influence of Christianity been ...
- I can't seem to pray for myself. I feel as if ever...
- Should a Christian ever lie?Key passages:God hates...
- Amazing Grace:Zechariah 3Clean Garments for the Hi...
- Amazing passage:Zechariah 3Clean Garments for the ...
-
▼
October
(11)
Blinks
- Amazing Grace: faith and art
- Between Two Worlds
- Chrisendom
- Conviction of Things Not Seen (Spirituality made practical)
- Cost of Discipleship (An Orthodox twist)
- The Davy Tales
- Get Religion, religion in the press
- Katie Beaton's Comics
- The Lange Family
- Less than the Least(Evangelical law professors)
- Marks of Authentic Mission
- My writing
- Myopic Pilgrim (This AmeriChristian Life, hosted by Ira Jack)
- N State Travellers
- Of First Importance (Quotes on the Gospel)
- Opinions Nobody Asked For
- Smlwoman's Weblog
- Ugly Evangelical
- What Would People Think? (If They Knew I Was a Liberal Jesus Freak)
5 comments:
There are only a few commandments that are acceptable to break when life is at stake. Those are: murdering, idolatry, profaning God's name. I think that's it. Obviously if one has to lie to protect one's own life or the lives of others, then do so. The pastor you mentioned is therefore full of it.
When life isn't at stake? Good question. It's for discussions like this that Jews have the Talmud. Here's one of my favorite passages about lying:
Rabbis Hillel and Shammai are arguing over whether a man should lie and tell an ugly bride that she is beautiful on her wedding day. Shammai argued no, citing the prohibition against lying. Hillel argued yes, because a bride is always beautiful on her wedding day.
Naturally, Hillel won the argument. Take from that little anecdote what you will.
typo alert - I mean there are only a few commandments that are not acceptable to break when life is at stake.
Jeff- thanks for the Talmud commentary. I also notice that you bring up the spectrum:
From 'life at stake' to 'feelings at stake.'
So, most people will probably say 'yes, lie to the Nazis about the Jews hiding in the attic,' but what about in less drastic circumstances.
Conceal the truth when life is at stake. No other loophole for this commandment, except for the weak.
Even charity used as a cover corrodes the commandments.
Am I right to think that the Talmud is full of discussions about what to do when one command seems to violate another? For example, is it okay to save your donkey stuck in a ditch on the Sabbath?
I guess ideally we wouldn't have to lie whether the bride is beautiful or if dinner tasted good. We would speak all things in love; we would hear all things in love.
Incidentally, when someone asks me my opinion on something or someone they love and I want to spare their feellings, I say, "That is a [movie, woman, dinner, etc.]"
Post a Comment