tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post2711379154123767512..comments2023-09-25T11:05:14.371-04:00Comments on The Balanced Center: To Tell the TruthStaying in Balancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14729612779930162079noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-88801609796580990472011-05-29T19:42:32.352-04:002011-05-29T19:42:32.352-04:00Yes, Barbara. We have an obligation, I would thin...Yes, Barbara. We have an obligation, I would think, to oppose evil regimes such as the Nazis, even if it means lying to *them* to save a life. <br /><br />Evan, I agree. I've been recently convicted of the harm of lying by omission. I'm afraid it will take many confessions before that is rooted out of me.Staying in Balancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14729612779930162079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-68504481516404191792011-05-29T19:42:31.829-04:002011-05-29T19:42:31.829-04:00Yes, Barbara. We have an obligation, I would thin...Yes, Barbara. We have an obligation, I would think, to oppose evil regimes such as the Nazis, even if it means lying to *them* to save a life. <br /><br />Evan, I agree. I've been recently convicted of the harm of lying by omission. I'm afraid it will take many confessions before that is rooted out of me.Staying in Balancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14729612779930162079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-47123030881295293052011-05-29T14:35:01.769-04:002011-05-29T14:35:01.769-04:00Being honest with oneself... Not always easy! I wo...Being honest with oneself... Not always easy! I wonder if we often deceive ourselves more than others. That is, we all (yours truly is no exception) tend toward self-justification, wanting to see the best in ourselves and validate what we do or want to do. It's been said that we tend to judge others by their actions while judging ourselves by our intentions. (Ouch, I felt a pang of guilt...)<br /><br />And Kathleen raises a good point about lies of "omission." Not just telling something that isn't true, but misleading others by withholding certain details. I recall reading an article about "couple lies"--lies of omission that married couples tell each other. (Or rather, the things they don't tell each other!) Deception through silence...<br /><br />EvanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-7481709788556038772011-05-29T14:14:10.899-04:002011-05-29T14:14:10.899-04:00The Church has always taught that we need not divu...The Church has always taught that we need not divulge the truth to those who have no right to know. The Nazis did not have the right to know where the Jews were. A person could misdirect them with mental reservations and not be sinning. The example of Corrie's sister is great because it shows pure trust in God. I'm sure the Holy Spirit caused the laughter that made the Nazis give up.Barbara Schoenebergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16951360211636509133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-14798685927956525442011-05-29T13:42:12.387-04:002011-05-29T13:42:12.387-04:00Wow. I don't know that I'd have the guts ...Wow. I don't know that I'd have the guts to tell the truth in that situation myself. I think Truth with a capital T goes beyond a situation like that.Staying in Balancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14729612779930162079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-4312439362324760832011-05-29T10:35:49.718-04:002011-05-29T10:35:49.718-04:00I fret about truth vs. lies--either of omission, o...I fret about truth vs. lies--either of omission, or implication, etc.--more than is probably healthy. There are lies we tell our kids, which make me squirm. A very trivial example being Santa. But there are others, things that don't matter particularly, but still, I feel uncomfortable about it.<br /><br />Thank God I've never been in the situation Michele describes. I do think of a story from "The Hiding Place," by Corrie Ten Boom. The Nazis came to their house looking for hidden Jews, and asked Corrie's sister Betsey where they were. She said, "Why, they're under the table, of course." (Which was the truth; the trap door was beneath the table.) But when they pulled the table back, she started laughing, and they were so angry, they thought they were being made fun of, and they just left. Corrie talks about the horror she felt at her sister telling the truth in such a dire situation. It's stuck with me b/c while I can see the faith Betsey displays, my inclination is to react like Corrie. I still don't know what to make of it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-64662461894613487362011-05-28T09:08:55.459-04:002011-05-28T09:08:55.459-04:00That's an excellent point, Michele. I think t...That's an excellent point, Michele. I think this type of "lying by omission" to save someone's life is not what we are talking about here. <br /><br />To feel compelled to divulge the whereabouts of someone to a corrupt authority would be to think of telling the truth in moral terms, which Father Stephen says is not what Christianity is all about.Staying in Balancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14729612779930162079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13413591.post-40394654259499313222011-05-28T09:01:22.495-04:002011-05-28T09:01:22.495-04:00there is one exception where i will lie, and do it...there is one exception where i will lie, and do it again and again, if it means saving a life. definitely. here is an example of what i mean: a priest, or nun or laity is in danger of being put to death because they are in a country that does not tolerate chirstianity. i know their where abouts, iam told that if i do not divulge their where abouts, it means certain death or imprisonment for me. would i lie to protect their whereabouts, yes i would. you better believe it. i would do that for any human, christian or not. if it meant saving them from certain death, then yes i would.Michelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00550875376593955659noreply@blogger.com