What did Christ say about lies? Is there a white lie?

White lie. The Bible is about lies

There are other places Holy Scripture, where the lie is clearly visible. For example, Rahab the harlot hid the Jewish spies in Jericho, and then became a Jew herself and entered the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Also, an Israeli woman hid David’s people in a well from the persecution of Absalom and said that they had gone to another direction. Or Davilo pretended to beg... Or remember the wise men who hid the birthplace of the Messiah Jesus from Herod...

Or look at this Bible story:

Exodus 1 chapter

« 15 The king of Egypt commanded the midwives of the Hebrew women, one of whom was named Shiphera, and the other Puah, 16 and said: When you midwife the Hebrew women, then watch the birth: if there is a son, then kill him, and if there is a daughter, then let him live.

17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt told them, but let the children live. 18 The king of Egypt... said to them, “Why are you doing this thing, leaving the children alive? 19 [They] said to Pharaoh: The women of the Hebrews are not like the women of Egypt; they are healthy, because before their grandmother comes to them, they are already giving birth.

20 For this reason God did good to the midwives»

These cases describe the obvious lies of “God’s” people. And with the approval of the Lord. And this despite the fact that there is a direct commandment from God:

"Do not lie or deceive each other"(Lev. 19:11)

At first glance, we see a contradiction. However, if you read the commandment and think about it, you will see that the commandment speaks of something else. You need to understand why this or that commandment was given by God in order to apply it correctly in your life.

In this commandment, God gives the command not to lie or deceive “one another.” That is, you can’t lie to Everyday life to the people around you. The Apostle Paul spoke about this:

“Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, every one of you, to your neighbor, for we are members of one another.”(Eph. 4:25).

We need to understand that all the commandments were given by the Lord for our own good.

A lie cannot be a part of life and an element of the character of a true believer. In these cases, the person himself cannot essentially grow in God and improve his character; this is simply not possible due to his inherent lies. In addition, it’s bad for all the people who live next to a person who is a liar. Hence the commandment prohibiting lies!

It’s another matter when a person once told a lie while saving someone. In this case, he does not lie, violating the commandment, because we are not talking about lying in communication with his friends and relatives. Here a person hides the truth that another person, including a potential adversary (enemy), does not need to know. After all, this information could seriously harm people, and perhaps even cost them their lives.

At the beginning of the article, just such examples are considered. Dabil pretended to be a fool, that is, he deceived King Achish, being in his right mind, in order to save his life (see 1 Samuel 21:13). In Joshua 2, Rahab told lies to the servants of the king of Jerechon, hiding the spies (scouts) of the Israelites. In 2 Samuel 17, a woman saved David's friends by telling a lie about where they were going.

Moreover, the Bible describes cases when God Himself calls to tell lies, or rather to hide the truth. Let us remember the case of Moses mentioned in the question. It was God who told him to tell Pharaoh a lie, or rather a minimal part of the truth, which essentially hid the truth, that is, misled Pharaoh. God, through Moses, told Pharaoh to let His people go into the wilderness to serve (sacrifice) Him (see Ex. 8:1,20; 9:1,13). But was this the purpose of leaving Egypt? Of course not! The goal was to escape from slavery. That is, the goal was hidden from the pharaoh, and a safe excuse was presented instead. Similar example we see in the story of David's anointing. God ordered the prophet Samuel to tell King Saul that he had come for a sacrifice and even take a heifer for truthfulness (see 1 Samuel 16:1-5). If Samuel had told the truth that he was sent to anoint David as king, Saul would have killed him. Therefore, God Himself suggested to Samuel such a plan to mislead Saul’s servants.

Many here will justify God and say that He did not call for deception, but only hid the truth. This is partly true. But still this is complacency. As an example, a similar situation can be cited from modern life. Let's imagine that the husband wanted to cheat on his wife and told her that he went fishing. Yes, he went fishing for an hour, and then headed where he intended - to his mistress. In this case, it seems the husband told the truth - he asked for time off to go fishing. But we understand that in general this was a lie, since its main goal was different. And fishing was just an excuse.

Let's look at another illustrative example. Let's imagine Soviet times. The NKVD comes to a believer and demands to give up the names of all believers. Naturally, in this case, the truth will do great harm. After all, believers will be sent to the Gulag, where they can die... What to do: tell the truth or lie that you don’t know their names, and perhaps hide the believers under torture?!

In this case, the answer is obvious: one-time "white lie" will actually save people!

So the lies in the Bible of God's people must be looked at in light of the context and meaning of the commandment. Let us recall that the commandment prohibits lying to loved ones and friends, namely everyday lies in a person’s everyday life. This means that the commandment does not prohibit telling lies to an enemy or adversary. But here you don’t need to reassure yourself by inventing enemies and adversaries for yourself in everyday life. That is, in no case should you seek an excuse for yourself by calling everyday or selfish lies “white lies.” The Lord hates such lies and will punish the deceiver:

“The wicked man, the wicked man, walks with lying lips, winks with his eyes, speaks with his feet, makes signs with his fingers; deceit is in his heart: he plots evil at all times and sows discord. But his death will suddenly come, he will suddenly be broken - without healing.”(Prov. 6:12-15).

Moreover, a lying person will not enter the kingdom of heaven:

“And nothing unclean will enter into it [the Heavenly Jerusalem] and no one devoted to abomination and lies"(Rev. 21:27).

“Blessed [happy] are they who keep His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter into the city [Heavenly Jerusalem] through the gates. And outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and untruthful"(Rev. 22:14-15).

So, when justifying ourselves and our actions, it is very dangerous to consider every lie, even the one that we consider necessary, to be “a white lie.”

Valery Tatarkin

I. Definition of the term

1. Terminology of the Old and New Testaments
IN Old Testament The two most commonly used words mean lie and deceit:
Hebrew noun lie, which is used in the Old Testament - " sheqer»: Zechariah 13:3 « ...you should not live because you tell lies in the name of the Lord».
Hebrew verb lie - « kazabh»: Job 34:6a « Should I lie to my truth?»; Micah 2:11 « If any flighty man had invented a lie and said: “I will preach to you about wine and strong drink,” then he would have been a pleasing preacher for this people»;

IN New Testament most often used in this meaning Greek word « pseudos" The meaning of this word is translated as follows: “to speak falsely,” “to invent (fabricate),” “to make false statements.” John 8:44 « When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own, for he's a liar and father lies ».

2. What is a lie?

Definition of the term: A lie is a deliberate distortion of the truth. However, it should be noted that lying is not limited to just words.

A whole life lived in favor of false principles can be a lie; a life lived hypocritically;
Idol worship is also a lie;
A false value system and a worldview built on it are also false.
Self-deception and pretense are common lies.
False hopes and expectations are also lies;
Hypocrisy, flattery, duplicity and double life are also examples of lying.
Denying the divinity of Jesus Christ is a lie: 1 John 2:22 « Who's the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, denying the Father and the Son».

3. Origin of lies

A lie is the opposite of truth and never comes from truth:
1 John 2:21“I wrote to you not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, as well as what every lie is not from the truth" If lies do not come from God, who is Truth, then where did lies come from?

The origins of the appearance of lies go back centuries and are directly related to the personality of Satan, whom the Word of God calls a liar and the father of lies: ( John 8:44 « Your father is the devil; and you want to do the lusts of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks his own, for he's a liar And father of lies »; Acts 5:3 « Satan to put a thought in your heart lie to the Holy Spirit and hide from the price of the land?»).

The story of the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 is an illustration of how Satan is not just a liar, but the father of lies. This is also the first example of a lie, the evidence of which is preserved for us in the Holy Scriptures.

But this is not the only example of lies in the Bible.

II. Examples of Lies and Deception in the Bible

There are many examples of lies in the Bible: lies for good and lies for evil; the lies of the righteous and the lies of the wicked; male and female lies. Let's take a look at just a few of these examples:

1. Abraham:
Genesis 12:10-13 « And there was famine in that land. And Abram went down to Egypt to live there, because the famine had increased in that land. When he approached Egypt, he said to Sarah his wife: behold, I know that you are a woman, wonderful view; and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, “This is his wife.” and they will kill me, but leave you alive; tell me that you are my sister, so that it may be good for me for your sake, and so that my soul may live through you», Genesis 20:2 « AND Abraham said about Sarah his wife: She is my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah»;

2. Isaac:
Genesis 26:6-7 « Isaac settled in Gerar. The inhabitants of that place asked about his wife, and he said: This is my sister; because he was afraid to say: my wife, lest they kill me, he thought, the inhabitants of this place are for Rebekah, because she is beautiful in appearance»,

3. Jacob:
Genesis 27:22-24 « Jacob came to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “A voice, the voice of Jacob; and the hands, the hands of Esau. And he did not recognize him, because his hands were like the hands of his brother Esau, shaggy; and he blessed him and said, Art thou my son Esau? He answered: I»;

4. Midwives in Egypt:
Exodus 1:15-19 « The king of Egypt commanded the midwives of the Hebrew women, one of whom was named Shifra, and the other Puah, and said: when you midwife the Hebrew women, then observe the birth: if there is a son, then kill him, and if there is a daughter, then let him live. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt told them, and left the children alive. The king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them: why are you doing such a thing as leaving children alive? The midwives told Pharaoh: Jewish women are not like Egyptian women; they are healthy, because before the midwife comes to them, they are already giving birth».

5. Michal - David's wife:
1 Samuel 19:11-17 « And Saul sent servants to David's house to guard him and kill him until the morning. And Michal his wife said to David, “If you do not save your soul this night, you will be killed tomorrow.” And Michal let David down from the window, and he went and ran away and was saved. Michal took the statue and laid it on the bed, and at its head she put goatskin, and covered it with clothes. And Saul sent servants to take David; But Michal said: he is sick. And Saul sent servants to examine David, saying, Bring him to me on the bed, to kill him. And the servants came, and behold, there was a statue on the bed, and at the head of it was goatskin. Then Saul said to Michal, Why are you doing this? deceived me and let my enemy go so that he could run away? AND Michal said to Saul: he told me: let me go, otherwise I will kill you»,

6. David:
1 Samuel 21:10-15 « And David arose and fled that same day from Saul, and came to Achish king of Gath. And his servants said to Achish, “Is this not David, the king of that country?” Was it not to him that they sang in round dances and said: “Saul killed thousands, and David killed tens of thousands”? David put these words in his heart and was greatly afraid of Achish, king of Gath. And he changed his face before them, and pretended to be mad in their eyes, and drew on the doors, and drooled over his beard. And Achish said to his servants: You see, he is a crazy man; Why did you bring him to me? Are I not enough crazy people that you brought him to play the fool before me? will he really come into my house?»

7. Rahab the harlot:
I. Joshua 2:3-6 « The king of Jericho sent to say to Rahab: hand over the people who came to you, who entered your house, for they came to spy out the whole land. But the woman took those two people and hid them she said them: People definitely came to me, but I didn’t know where they were from; when at dusk it was time to close the gates, then they left; I don’t know where they went; chase them quickly, you will catch up with them. And she took them to the roof and hid them in sheaves of flax laid out on her roof.».

A lie is a distortion of the truth or, in other words, a lie hides the truth. The purpose of hiding the truth different people different. And the above examples indicate this. Of all the examples of lies, the lies of the midwives in Egypt and the lies of the harlot Rahab are justified in hiding the truth. In both cases, their lies kept God's people alive.
In other cases, lies are used to cover up weakness or sin. As for the lies of Ananias and Sapphira, described in the 5th chapter of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, the Word of God calls their lies, first of all, a sin against God Himself: Acts 5:3-4 « But Peter said: Ananias! Why did you allow Satan to put in your heart the thought of lying to the Holy Spirit and withhold from the price of the land? What you owned was not yours, and what was acquired by sale was not in your power? Why have you put this in your heart? You lied not to men, but to God " This lie cost them their lives.

The Holy Scriptures are replete with examples and illustrations of human lies and their consequences. The Bible Gives Examples different types lies:

In the case of the seduction of Eve by the Serpent, we are talking about a lie, which is half the truth ( Genesis 3).
Cain's lies Genesis 4:9 is an example of an evasive answer to a direct question.
Jacob's deception of his father Genesis 27:19 is an example of a deliberate and planned lie.
The lie of Joseph's brothers in response to their father's question about their younger brother V Genesis 37:31-32 is an example of the depth of depravity of human hearts, which deliberately indulge in lies and deception.
Even good people often give in to the urge to lie. The story of Peter's denial is an example of a lie supported by an oath, because Peter swore that he did not know Jesus ( Matthew 26:72).

III. The root "lie" in compound words

On the pages of Holy Scripture there are often compound words, one of the roots of which is the word “lie”:

1. "False Witnesses" (pseudomartus).
False witnesses are people who swear falsely and give false testimony.
Matthew 26:59-60 « The chief priests and elders and the entire Sanhedrin looked for false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, and found none; and although there is a lot false witnesses came, they didn’t find it. But finally two came perjury " False witness is prohibited by the 9th commandment of God's Law ( Exodus 20:16 « Don't say false testimony against your neighbor»).

2. "False prophets" (pseudoprophetes).
False prophets are people who prophesy falsely in the name of the Lord God.
Matthew 7:15 « Beware false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves». Jeremiah 23:16-26 « Thus says the Lord of hosts: do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they deceive you, they tell you the dreams of their hearts, and not from the mouth of the Lord... How long will this be in the hearts of the prophets, prophesying lies, prophesying deception your heart?»

3. "False teachers" (pseudodidaskalos).
False teachers are teachers who teach false, unbiblical doctrines.
2 Peter 2:1-2 « There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be among you false teachers who will introduce destructive heresies and, denying the Lord who redeemed them, will bring upon themselves quick destruction. And many will follow their depravity, and through them the way of truth will be reproached».

4. "False brothers" (pseudadelphos).
False brothers are wicked people who have crept into the midst of believers and pretend to be brothers and sisters in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 11:26 « ... many times I was on travels, in dangers on rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from fellow tribesmen, in dangers from pagans, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the desert, in dangers at sea, in dangers between false brethren ». Galatians 2:4-5 « ...but to the false brothers who crept in, who secretly came to spy on our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us, we did not yield for an hour or submit, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved among you».

5. "False apostles"(pseudapostolos).
False apostles are people who claim to be messengers of God when they are false brothers, false teachers and false prophets.
2 Corinthians 11:13 « For such false apostles, crafty workers, disguise themselves as apostles of Christ».

6. “False Christs”(pseudochristoi).
False Christs are the wicked who claim to be Christ, the Messiah promised by God to God's people. False Christs are people who pretend to be intermediaries between God and man.
Matthew 24:24 « For they will rise false christs and false prophets, and will show great signs and wonders, to deceive, if possible, even the elect». Mark 13:22 « For they will rise false christs and false prophets and will show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect».

IV. God's attitude towards lies

All of the above indicates that lying is a universal sin.

1. Lying is a universal sin
Lying is a sin of which all humanity is guilty: Psalm 57:4 « From birth the wicked have departed; from the womb they have gone astray, speaking lies.».
All people, without exception, are guilty of the sin of lying. You may very rarely tell lies and you may not like to deceive anyone, but that does not make you innocent of lying. One man said that he had never deceived anyone. But in response to the question: “Have you ever found yourself in a situation where someone called you on the phone, and you asked in response to say that you were not at home?”, he smiled guiltily and said: “Yes.”
So we are all guilty of lying. This is part of our old Adamic nature that the believer in Jesus Christ must get rid of: Colossians 3:8-10 « And now you put everything aside: anger, rage, malice, slander, foul language of your lips; don't tell lies to each other, putting off the old man with his deeds and putting on the new who is renewed in knowledge in the image of Him who created him».

2. God's attitude towards this sin

God's attitude towards this sin is very clear throughout both the Old and New Testaments:

A. God hates lies
Proverbs 6:16-19 « These are the six things that the Lord hates, even seven that are an abomination to His soul: proud eyes, lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that forges evil plans, feet that quickly run to crime, false witness who tells lies and sows discord between brothers». Proverbs 12:22 « An abomination to the Lord - lying lips and those who speak the truth are pleasing to Him».

B. The righteous are called...

Hate lies ( Proverbs 13:5 « The righteous hate false word and the wicked disgrace and dishonor himself»);
Avoid lies and reject lies ( Zephaniah 3:13 « The remnant of Israel will not commit iniquity, they won't tell lies, and no deceitful tongue will be found in their mouth, for they themselves will graze and rest, and no one will disturb them», Ephesians 4:25 « Therefore, rejecting lies, tell the truth each one to his neighbor, because we are members of each other»);
Do not show respect to liars and do not seek their favor ( Psalm 39:5 « Blessed is the man who puts his hope in the Lord and does not turn to the proud and to evading lies »; Psalm 100:7 « No one who acts deceitfully will live in my house; teller of lies will not remain before my eyes»);
Pray for deliverance from this sin ( Psalm 119:29 « Get away from me path of lies and grant me Thy law», Psalm 119:2 « God! deliver my soul from lying lips, from tongue of the evil one »).

B. Wicked, according to God's Word,

They love lies ( Psalm 51:5 « …You you love more evil than good more lies rather than telling the truth»);
They resort to her help ( Psalm 61:5 « They planned to overthrow him from above, resorted to lies; They bless with their lips, but curse in their hearts»);
They are looking for her ( Psalm 4:2b « ...as long as you love vanity and look for lies »);
Listen to her ( Proverbs 17:4 « The wicked listens to the lips of the wicked, liar listens to the tongue of evil»).

3. Punishment for lying
Lying is a sin. And every sin is punished. The Lord punishes lies very severely: Proverbs 6:12-15 « The wicked man, the wicked man, walks with lying lips, winks with his eyes, speaks with his feet, makes signs with his fingers; deceit is in his heart: he plots evil at all times and sows discord. But suddenly his death will come, he will suddenly be broken - without healing».

Moreover, the Bible warns all liars that...

Liars will not inherit the Kingdom of God: Revelation 21:27 « And nothing unclean or no one devoted to abomination and lies but only those which are written in the Lamb's book of life»; Revelation 22:14-15 « Blessed are those who keep His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and to enter into the city through the gates. And outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and does injustice »;
Liars will be cast into the lake of fire: Revelation 21:8 « But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars have their fate in the lake burning with fire and brimstone. This is the second death»;
Liars face destruction: Psalm 5:7 « You you will destroy those who tell lies; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and treacherous" This destruction will come from the Lord!
There will be no mercy for liars: Proverbs 19:5 « False witness will not go unpunished and who tells lies, will not be saved ».
A liar is denied access to communication with the Lord: Psalm 23:3-5 « Who will ascend to the mountain of the Lord, or who will stand in His holy place? The one whose hands are innocent and the heart is pure, Who I did not swear with my soul in vain And didn't swear falsely, - he will receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from God, his Savior».

We have found that lying is a universal sin of which all humanity is guilty. A person lies in childhood, in adolescence, in adulthood, in old age. A person lies with or without reason. A person lies deliberately and spontaneously. Each of us knows that lying is not good, but, nevertheless, words of untruth periodically come out of our mouths.

In theory, everything is so simple and clear: don’t lie. But in practice the situation is much more complicated. What do we do? We suggest that you try to create for yourself an environment and atmosphere in which you would not have to lie. Lies are the closing and opening links in the chain of our sins. A lie either covers up the sins we have already committed, or is the first step towards committing another sin. Try not to do anything for which you will be ashamed before the Lord God, people and yourself, and then you will not find yourself in situations the way out of which is possible only through deception. Try not to sin or do things that you would have to cover up with lies.

One of the eternal “damned” questions is whether white lies are acceptable? For Judas, the truth is destructive, but lies are sometimes necessary. It is absolutely necessary. To say that she is a savior would be wrong. Indeed, in a situation when a person with a club runs up to you, there is another option for behavior - to be a martyr of the truth and answer: “ There was a man here, I know where he is, but I won't tell even if I have to die" The only question is, is everyone capable of this?

The great German philosopher Immanuel Kant, who lived in the 18th century, wrote a short article that is still relevant today: “On the imaginary right to lie out of love for humanity.” As can be seen from the name, Kant considers the right to lie to save oneself a false right, a pseudo-right. However, the thoughts expressed there, on the one hand, are so paradoxical and even absurd, and on the other, so logical that philosophers are still arguing about this article.

“Restless old man Immanuel” (as Kant was called by the “father of lies” Woland himself in “The Master and Margarita”) proves that the ban on lying is absolute and has no exceptions at all. To illustrate the absoluteness of such a prohibition, Kant considers the following situation. Let's imagine that enemies have captured your city, and a friend who fought with them is hiding at home. Enemies knocked on your door asking if he was there. From Kant's point of view you... have an obligation to tell the truth: “Yes, he is here.”

After all, as Kant believes, “truthfulness in testimony, which cannot be avoided in any way, is a person’s formal duty towards everyone, no matter how great the harm that will result from this for him or for anyone else... Such a distortion, which therefore should be called by lying, I violate the duty in general in its most essential parts ... I contribute to ensuring that no testimony (evidence) is given any faith at all and that, consequently, all rights based on contracts are destroyed and lose their force; and this is injustice towards all of humanity in general.” (I. Kant. On the imaginary right to lie out of love for humanity // Collected works in 8 volumes. Volume 8. P. 257.)

For ordinary common sense, Kant's position sounds provocative and simply absurd. How am I supposed to hand over my friend to the enemy, hand him over? However, the absence of fear of going against common sense is one of the signs of a real philosopher.

After all, if I lie, Kant thinks, I will thereby give a precedent that it is generally possible to lie, and next time someone will resort to lying, referring to me, but in a completely different situation, and so the gates will be opened to deception and meanness by no one something, namely me.

But is Kant right? Indeed, in this case, truthfulness in front of attackers will simply be betrayal towards a friend.

Regarding the requirement to “be truthful (honest) in all testimony,” Kant, in his article on the “alleged right to lie,” says that this is “a sacred and unconditionally commanding commandment of reason.” But it is worth paying attention to the fact that this is precisely a “commandment of reason”, and not of the Bible, because among the Mosaic Commandments there is actually no commandment “thou shalt not lie.” In the Bible, the Ninth Commandment, if quoted exactly, is: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). It is easy to see that this prohibition on lying is not just formal, “out of reason,” but also substantive. Not just “don’t lie,” but don’t lie to your neighbor so as not to harm him.

Thus, it cannot be said that Kant reproduces precisely the biblical commandment. Yes, and in the Bible there are also cases that we can characterize as “white lies.” For example, the episode with the harlot Rahab in the book of Joshua. It is interesting that the situation there is almost the same as in Kant’s article. Rahab had people hiding, but she lied about their whereabouts to their pursuers sent by the king of Jericho: “The king of Jericho sent to say to Rahab: hand over the people who came to you, who entered your house, for they have come to spy out the whole land. But the woman took those two people and hid them and said: “As if people came to me, but I did not know where they came from; when at dusk it was time to close the gates, then they left; I don’t know where they went; chase them quickly, you will catch up with them. And she took them to the roof and hid them in sheaves of flax laid out on her roof.” (Joshua 2:3-6)

It is interesting that, according to Kant, Rahab should have surrendered the Jewish intelligence officers to the enemy.

Here is another similar example from the Old Testament: “The king of Egypt commanded the midwives of the Hebrew women, one of whom was named Shifra, and the other Puah, and said: when you midwife the Hebrew women, then observe the birth: if there is a son, then kill him, and if it’s a daughter, then let her live. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt told them, and left the children alive. The king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them: why are you doing such a thing as leaving children alive? The midwives said to Pharaoh: The women of the Hebrews are not like the women of Egypt; they are healthy, for before the midwife comes to them, they are already giving birth.” (Exodus 1:15-19)

Thus, we see that the behavior of the Old Testament heroes in these cases contradicts the formal Kantian requirement to never lie, including in order to save a friend from death.

Also in patristic literature there are judgments that contradict the formalist understanding of the prohibition of lying. Same John Climacus, on the one hand, specifically refers to the example of the harlot Raava and says that it can seem very tempting to a liar. After all, “the weaver of lies apologizes with good intentions, and what really is the destruction of the soul, he considers as a just cause.” However, literally in the next words, he suddenly says the following: “When we are completely clean from lies, then, if opportunity and need require, and then not without fear, we can use it.” That is, it turns out that sometimes, very rarely, and only in case of spiritual purity can a person resort to it - but with the fear of God.

Also Abba Dorotheos, for example, says: “Whoever wants to change a word out of necessity should not do it often, but only in exceptional cases, once in many years, when he sees, as I said, a great need, and this is something that is allowed very rarely, let him do it with fear and trembling, showing God both his will and necessity, and then he will be forgiven, but he still receives harm.”

What's the matter? Of course, the ban on lying in Christianity is absolute. A lie is a deliberate distortion of the truth, an evasion from God. Her personification is the devil, he is “a murderer,... a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). As John Climacus says in his Ladder, “none of the prudent will consider a lie a minor sin; for there is no vice against which the All-Holy Spirit would pronounce such a terrible saying as against lying. If God destroys “all those who speak lies” (Ps. 5:7): then what will those who sew lies with oaths suffer?”

However, Christianity at the same time is not some kind of strict formalistic teaching; it is not based on logical definitions and abstract principles. As “living water” that gives life, it may seem somewhat contradictory, but this is only from some limited formal point of view. In fact, this is the completeness that contains everything, which is higher than the formal-logical prohibition on contradiction.

And a lie in Christianity is understood not simply as the inconsistency of any statement with the objective state of affairs. You can lie, as the holy fathers said, both in word and in thought and life. That is, in my opinion, the example proposed by Kant should be interpreted as follows: a person would formally tell the truth, but he would certainly lie in action, in reality. This would be a false, treacherous act.

PUSHCHAYEV Yuri

OPINIONS OF PRIESTS

Is the truth always saving? The answer would seem obvious. Lying is a sin, therefore, it cannot be salutary. But is everything so clear? Is the truth always saving?

Let's turn to the Gospel. Judas didn't lie. He did not kiss Peter, saying that it was Jesus, and not Thomas... But the truth, spoken at the wrong time, not for benefit, not for good, is a betrayal and is considered a grave sin. Such truth is a direct path to hell and it cannot be salutary.

And if the truth is not always salutary, it is logical to assume that sometimes it is better to lie than to tell the truth.

To clarify this statement, I will give the following example.

In Soviet times, I was repeatedly summoned to the State Security Committee for “processing” (it was located in the building where the Vladimir Theological Seminary is now located). One day they showed me a list of names and asked if I had baptized the people named there.

If I had told the truth and admitted to performing the sacrament, the people on the list would have been processed at party meetings, deprived of bonuses, removed from the queue for apartments, etc. Therefore, I answered the KGB officer that I did not baptize those named in list, and explained the essence of the problem as follows: “A man is running past me in great fear, I see him hiding in the bushes. Soon another one comes running, with a club in his hands, and asks: “Did anyone run through here?” If I show the wrong direction, the one hiding will be saved. Therefore, I answer: I did not baptize any of the persons you indicated.” He was indignant, but that was the end of the matter.

So, Judas truth is destructive, and lies are sometimes necessary. It is absolutely necessary. To say that she is saving would be wrong. Indeed, in a situation when a man with a club runs up to you, there is another option for behavior - to be a martyr of the truth and answer: “There was a man here, I know where he is, but I won’t tell, even if I have to die.” The only question is, is everyone capable of this?

Archpriest Georgy Gorbachuk, rector of the Vladimir Theological Seminary, rector of the Transfiguration Church at the Golden Gate, Vladimir

Define "lesser evil"

If anyone thinks that “white lies” is a quote from the Bible, then he is mistaken. This is a distorted quote from Psalm 33: “A king cannot be saved by much strength, and a giant cannot be saved by the abundance of his strength. A horse lies for salvation, but in the abundance of its strength it will not be saved” (Ps 32:16–17), in Russian: “A horse is unreliable for salvation.” Lozh - in this case, a Slavic short adjective of the masculine gender (in the Russian Synodal translation it is translated as “unreliable”). We are talking, as we see, about a horse, but the proverb has a completely different meaning. Another example of the use of the same word (and again in the Psalter) is Psalm 115: “But I have died in my anger: every man is a liar” (Ps 115:2), that is, again, “unreliable.” It seems to me that when we are faced with the question “to lie or not to lie” and at the same time various considerations about the good or overcoming some harm incline us in favor of “lying”, we are faced with a classic situation of choosing the “lesser evil”. We know that, in principle, lying is bad, it’s a sin, and for this, one way or another, if it doesn’t gnaw at you, then it pricks your conscience. But there are situations when on the opposite side of the scale (“don’t lie”) there are prospects for even worse consequences. The main question here, as always, is to determine what is the “lesser evil” in a given situation. Is it really true that this particular lie will be a lesser sin and will do less harm than the “womb truth” that a person is ready to “cut” according to full program in any case? Not to mention the fact that it is difficult and uncomfortable for a conscientious person to lie even “for salvation”, even in some small detail, so he often deceives rather ineptly, and in the end this can result in even greater evil.

To specify the problem, it must be said that lying “in one’s own favor” is prohibited, and primarily because it is most often “used” to avoid unpleasant consequences, punishment for a crime, or retribution for any mistake. It is permissible to lie to save the life of a neighbor, hiding him from persecution; sometimes it is permissible to evade the truth when speaking about the diagnosis of a terminally ill person (I emphasize - sometimes, since a lot depends on a wide variety of additional circumstances). In general, if a “white lie” can be justified in some specific rare situations by love for one’s neighbor, then in general it is a very dangerous tool that “blurs” the eye between love for one’s neighbors and some “good” according to one’s own understanding.

Archpriest Alexander Sorokin, rector of the Church of Theodore Icon Mother of God, Chairman of the Publishing Department of the St. Petersburg Diocese, St. Petersburg

False truth

No, I think that lies, no matter how they are served, are unacceptable. The Gospel says that the father of lies is the devil (John 8:44). If we tell a lie, thinking that we are saving someone or something, that is deception. Lies, or in other words deceit, cannot lead anyone to good in any way. Deceit is not accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must try to prevent lies in our speeches or actions.

But, of course, there are situations in life when the truth, spoken to one’s face, can greatly hurt a person and cause pain. In this case, I prefer to simply not say anything, to postpone the truthful conversation until another time. I think that not to say is, in rare cases, still possible way. I would really like not to do this, but in life not everything works out the way you want. Therefore, I reserve this option for myself as a last resort.

Archpriest George Blatinsky, rector of the Church of the Nativity of Christ and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Florence, Patriarchate of Constantinople

Decayed rags of glossy lies

I understand that people who use the expression “white lie” most often mean concealing or distorting the real state of affairs for the sake of peace of mind, for example, for people who are seriously ill or in some other critical situations. In matters where it is unprofitable to reveal the truth, but no one will suffer from ignorance. That is, it does not mean some kind of conscious betrayal, serving the “father of lies and the main liar.”

Such things, alas, are possible in our fallen world, and this is very sad. For example, diplomacy (as diplomacy human relations, and international) is also often a “white lie.” The use of this technique is one of the evidences of the unbearable division of our world. Like the death penalty - a “necessary, unavoidable evil”, killing in the name of the “happiness” of the survivors. And the soul can only grieve and cry for that happy time when it will not be necessary to hide the truth in the decayed rags of glossy untruth.

At the same time, “lying for the sake of deliverance” is evil. A lie is a lie, and you must answer for it as if it were a sin.. For example, the Grand Duchess and Martyr Elisaveta Feodorovna in her Martha and Mary Convent tried to make efforts of the heart to prepare a hopelessly ill person for Christian death, rather than leaving him in the dark about his tragic situation.

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev, press secretary of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, Nizhny Novgorod

You can't lie to God

We live in a world that lies in evil. The laws of sinful tangles often operate in it, where lies beget lies. Christianity offers an option to break the chain of lies - repentance. Another question is to tell a child that he will die soon? Is hiding the truth or not telling the truth a lie? It's a matter of everyone's conscience.

Abba Dorotheos wrote in his teachings that “when such a great need occurs to deviate from the word of truth, then even then a person should not remain careless, but should repent and cry before God and consider such an occasion as a time of temptation.”

I think there's a problem modern people- break the circle of lies in them own life. A person puts on one mask when communicating with loved ones, another at work, another one when surrounded by friends, and, worst of all, he puts on a mask when he starts reading. prayer rule or goes to church. He begins to lie to God and loses himself. In this lie it falls apart own soul. As much as a person develops spiritually, he becomes freed from all lies.

Priest Evgeniy Likhota, rector of the Holy Nativity Church, Brest

For what purpose is the lie spoken?

A lie told once is not a lie itself. Anyone can stumble, get scared, or come under pressure from someone stronger. Lies are indoor installation, an established worldview, or even deliberate service to the “father of lies.” The lie is based on an incorrect life orientation. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish - for what purpose is the lie spoken?

If I hide a person's location from people who want to abuse him, is that a lie? No, because at the core there is a desire to serve the truth. Did underground heroes serve a lie by not betraying their comrades? Will we serve lies if we protect our children from corrupting information? Of course not. But if in the process of raising them we do not correct our shortcomings, but simply hide them by all means, it will be a lie. Will we serve the lie, saving a person who has taken the path of correction from his former connections that corrupt him? No, for example, we have the right to tell old friends that the one for whom we are fighting is not at home or has left.

But can we not tell a person that he is terminally ill? If a person is morally sick, you cannot hide it from him. If a person is physically ill and his days are numbered, he should also be notified of this. He needs to reconcile with God and his neighbors, realize the reality of meeting another world and be prepared for it. And often in this situation, loved ones choose the path of “talking their teeth.” “We deceive him for his sake.” But there is deceit here. To create a calm atmosphere for a person to comprehend the path he has passed and to dispose him to repentance is a big and serious job. And we don’t want to take on this psychological burden as well.

Priest Alexander Ryabkov, cleric of the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki, St. Petersburg

To remain silent for the sake of love

Unfortunately, in pastoral life there are situations when you have to not tell the real truth, but only in those cases when it is more dangerous and destructive than a lie. But no less responsible is the situation when you have to reveal the truth, no matter how unpleasant it may be. The decision to remain silent requires special moral struggles and experiences. I recall the words of Father Pavel Florensky, who noted that even truth, even truth, is antinomic, contradictory.

For there cannot be unrighteousness with God (Job 34:10).

Here you need to have a special spiritual reasoning, a special inner voice of God promoting truth and righteousness, or, as the Apostle John says, here you need a mind that has wisdom (Rev. 17:9).

Archimandrite Alexy (Shinkevich), responsible officer of the Belarusian Exarchate for media relations, Minsk

A lie is something that doesn't exist

For a reflective person, the answer is obvious, no sin (and lying is a sin) can make us closer to God, because a lie is an evil invention of Satan, a lie is, in essence, something that does not exist. Holy Scripture condemns lies in any form: all untruth is sin (1 John 5:17). But when we have to descend from the realm of reflection to the realities of life, then our fallen nature fails. Every man is a liar (Rom 3:4) The Apostle Paul tells us about our nature. There is, however, no contradiction here. If we turn to the Holy Scriptures and the lives of the saints, we will see that in them lies and cunning are either clearly condemned or have disastrous consequences. For example, the Old Testament Jacob, for deceiving his father, had to endure a long wandering away from his home and the hatred of his brother. And the church canons themselves do not exempt from responsibility those who, although out of necessity, sinned by deception (Sequence on Confession. Breviary). It is impossible to say, of course, whether a white lie is possible. But to the question of whether a lie will lead to the salvation of our soul, the answer is unequivocal - no! “Lies close the doors to prayer. A lie drives faith out of a person’s heart. The Lord moves away from the person who lies” (St. Theophan the Recluse).

Hieromonk Nikon (Bachmanov), teacher of the Stavropol Orthodox Theological Seminary, Stavropol

(13 votes: 4.62 out of 5)

Monk Vsevolod (Filipev).

Resident of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, USA. Teacher of patrolology and homiletics at the Holy Trinity Theological Seminary.

Forced lie

At first glance, the question posed in the title of this work seems simple. However this question often takes on such a coloring that a number of serious difficulties arise. It would seem that everything is clear: Truth is good, lies are bad. Indeed, reasonable adherence to Christian truths is always recognized as a virtue, but Christians often face the question: is some small lie always a sin? It has even become customary to call such lies “good deception,” “holy lies,” “white lies,” and so on.

The matter is aggravated by the fact that cases of such lies are sometimes found in the biographies of righteous people. Let's give examples; Rebekah and Jacob resorted to such lies when Jacob fraudulently received his father's blessing intended for Esau (). The monk resorted to cunning to shame the heretic Apollinaris. He fraudulently obtained for a time the heretical Apollinarius books, kept by one woman, and glued all the leaves in them, so that Apollinaris could no longer use his books in the decisive dispute with the Orthodox, as a result of which the latter was disgraced and soon lost his life from grief and great shame1.

Many similar examples can be found in the Old Testament and in the lives of the saints. Based on a superficial understanding of such examples, without trying to study this issue deeper, some Christians (there are also theologically educated among them) come to the conclusion that a lie, intended to save the life of a neighbor or one’s own, instructs a person to the right way, preserve someone's honor, etc. - is morally insane by God to sin. In other words, such a lie is a “lie for salvation,” “a lie that saves.”

True, there has not yet been a person who would write a purposeful theological work defending the “saving lie,” but individual attempts to morally substantiate the “good lie,” found in the works of one author or another, became a frequent occurrence in the 20th century. Thus, in pre-revolutionary times, priest Petrov cited facts in his works that justified forced lies. In particular, he describes a case when one priest hid a woman running towards him with a red flag, armed with a revolver. That priest swore to the officer who arrived soon, placing his hand on the crucifix, that he did not have this revolutionary woman in his house. And this is exhibited by the priest. Petrov, as a “holy lie”2.

Our first parents, deceived by the devil, began to lie to God, to each other, and even to themselves. From then to this day, the devil has successfully continued to deceive most of humanity (). It has gotten to the point that many of the most outstanding liars are known to world history as outstanding and revered personalities. Why does humanity so slavishly bow to lies? Because after the Fall, lies infected fallen human nature and became, as it were, natural for it. Holy Scripture testifies that after the fall, man by nature became a liar: “Every man is a liar”(). Thus, on the one hand, the devil encourages people to lie6, on the other hand, the fallen human nature in itself it is accommodating to all untruths. Let us emphasize precisely any: not only to large and obvious, but also to small, barely noticeable.

But are small and big lies different from each other in nature? Orthodox moral theology answers this unequivocally: small and big lies are of the same nature. When Holy Scripture tells us about the wickedness of lying, it makes no excuses for some minor lies. Otherwise, we would have to admit that there is such a small (or forced, or leading to good) lie that is no longer a lie at all... but what is it, isn’t it? The father of lies, the devil, of course, would like to impose on people an affirmative answer to this question. But let's listen to what Holy Scripture tells us. It claims that “any untruth is sin"(; highlighted - I. V.).

God does not accept lies and never lies Himself (;). Man, created in the image and likeness of God, was not involved in lies, as in any evil. But even after the fall of people, after their expulsion from paradise, God called on humanity to abandon lies, for without this it is impossible to return to God, in whom there is no lie. In the Old Testament period, lying was prohibited and condemned by the Law of Moses. “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ... do not lie and do not deceive one another.”(). But could people, even those belonging to the chosen people, fully fulfill this moral commandment? Obviously, no, just as the whole law could not be fulfilled on our own fallen humanity. However Old Testament prepared favorable soil for the Divine Savior."

On the moral ideal of Christianity

With the coming to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of men, a completely new, unprecedented era began. The Son of God unfusedly united with human nature and thereby renewed and sanctified it. Since then, all the moral commandments given by God to humanity have become, in principle, fulfillable for people renewed and reborn through baptism, for Orthodox Christians. In Christ it is given to us to contemplate and believe in the living Truth (Wed). In the sacraments Orthodox Church we are taught Divine grace, and, being sanctified by it, we are strong to follow the Truth, live the truth and reject lies. This is exactly how the early Christians lived, inspired by the example of the Divine Teacher. After all, Christ Himself, throughout His suffering life, never resorted to even the slightest deceit, although Satan repeatedly tried to persuade the God-Man to lie, “justified” by a good goal. But Christ proved that it is possible to live the truth without resorting to even small compromises with lies, as well as with any evil and sin.

In Himself, in His life, the Lord outlined for us a bright, crystal-clear ideal of Christian morality. Orthodox Christians have been marching toward this radiant divine ideal for two millennia. But this ideal was especially fully embodied in their lives by the early Christians: the apostles and their disciples, who strove with all their might to fulfill the Savior’s commandment about the need for personal honesty ().

In order to understand how seriously the first Christians treated the issue of truth and lies (in particular, forced lies), it is enough to cite the case of the Apostle Peter’s three-fold denial of Jesus Christ (). It is clear that the Apostle Peter in the shower did not renounce the Savior, he renounced only in words, that is, he was lying, for the sake of a seemingly plausible goal: wanting not to be captured by the guards and to continue to follow Christ. And what? - The abdication of the Apostle Peter entered the history of the Christian Church as a terrible betrayal, which the Apostle Peter himself realized, and for which he bitterly repented for the rest of his life.

Followers of the God of Truth preferred death to renunciation of the truth. The morality of the martyrs of the first centuries of Christianity inspired the martyrs and confessors of subsequent times, teaching them that “Truth ... must stand above all earthly calculations and prejudices”9. The holy martyr also testified to this, saying that Christians “confessed the truth, and even suffered death for the truth, but didn't want to live by deception”10 (emphasized – I. V.).

6. Look: ; 2 Parallel 18, 21; .

7. See also: Grigory Dyachenko “Practical Symphony”, Moscow, 1903, p. 314.

18. Ibid.

19. “Ancient Patericon”, Moscow, 1899, p. 198.

20. “Works of Bishop Ignatius”, St. Petersburg, 1886, vol. IV, p. 85.

21. Ibid., p. 82.

22. “Works of Bishop Ignatius”, Ed. Sretensky Monastery, 1996, vol. II, p. 203.

23. “Works of Bishop Ignatius”, St. Petersburg, 1905, vol. III, p. 152.

24. The only thing that can be argued against this statement is: misunderstood some, the Savior’s parable “about the unfaithful steward” (). But here is what the Archbishop writes about her. Averky, summing up the interpretation of this parable by the holy fathers. “In the parable of the unfaithful steward, many are confused by the fact that the owner of the estate, by which God undoubtedly means, praised his steward for allegedly... committing fraud... But the master praised the steward not for fraud as such, but for resourcefulness, which he showed when he found himself in distress,” so that we too would show resourcefulness and zeal for the salvation of our souls, facing the threat of eternal torment in hell (Archbishop Averky, “Guide to the Study of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament,” Part I, Jordanville, 1974 G.). 24-a. Righteous Jacob, despite his obvious chosenness by God, because by cunning he appropriated his father’s blessing to himself and was subsequently deceived by his own father-in-law Laban ().

24-b. see footnote 3. It should also be noted that the statement of the arch. John suffers from internal contradiction, for how is it possible to simultaneously invent any lie (obviously intended for one’s neighbors) and at the same time not lie to one’s neighbor?

25. Abba Dorotheus “Soulful Teachings”, Jordanville, 1970, p. 112. (The words inside this quote taken in brackets are inserted for clarity by me - and. B). Let us note that although in the teaching of Rev. Dorofey about lying has the indicated feature, he taught that lying is alien to God and comes from the devil (Ibid., p. 106), and exhorted Christians not to lie (Ibid., “Teaching 9. About what one should not lie” ).

26. Schearchim. “Symphony on the works of St. ”, Moscow, 1996, p. 451.

27. “Ancient Patericon”, Moscow, 1899, p. 198.

28. Schema-archim. John (Maslov) “Symphony on the works of St. Tikhon of Zadonsky”, Moscow, 1996 I, p. 451.

29. Ibid.

29-a. By the word oikonomia, some understand indulgence or relaxation. In the first rule of St. it is translated as “a certain discretion,” that is, as a measure aimed at the benefit of the church (Protoprev. George Grabbe, “Akrivia and oikonomia,” “ Orthodox Rus'”, No. 22, 1978).

The rationale for oikonomia was developed during the period of disputes “between the higher clergy and monastic circles that joined the Studites.” The latter - if we do not go into details and generally outline the main motives of their struggle - defended the mandatory norms of Christian morality for all Christians, including kings. It was then that the highest hierarchy again “put into circulation the principle of “saving economy” or the adoption of such decisions that, although not consistent with absolute justice, prevent the discovery of even greater evil” (F. I. Uspensky “History Byzantine Empire”, Moscow, 1996; highlighted - i. IN.).

However, based on the following words of the Apostle Paul, it can be argued that any economy comes into conflict with New Testament morality, and therefore should always be considered as a forced and undesirable exception. The Apostle writes: “Should we not do evil so that good may come out, as some slander us and say that we teach this way? The judgment against such is just.”(). So, the holy Apostles did not teach to do evil so that good would come out. (Of course, God is able to direct the evil done by people and fallen angels to good // but it does not follow from this that people should intentionally do evil).

Nevertheless, it is a fact of church history, at least since the beginning of the 4th century, that the principle of oikonomia was used periodically in church politics. This is explained by a decrease in the general level of morality in Christian society. But this, in turn, does not mean the abolition of the high Gospel moral ideal, as such.

29-b. And indeed, at the very Lately From among the church people, this true guardian of Orthodox piety, voices began to be heard more and more often calling on official representatives of the Church “the right to rule the word of Truth.” Devotees of Orthodoxy call: “Let us finally call a spade a spade, as the holy fathers did: let us call heresy a heresy, and not “another confession,” a lie, a lie, and not another point of view” (From the appeal of the monks of the Pskov Svyatogorsk Monastery, “ Russian Bulletin”, No. 7-8, 1998). Such sensible voices have been heard before. It is enough to recall the fiery sermon of the layman of the Moscow Patriarchate Boris Talantov, directed against the moral shortcomings of some hierarchs of the Soviet era, the reasons for which he saw in the deep-rooted worldview of “Sergievism.” (Confessor Boris Talantov, who died in prison in 1970, was canonized by the Russian Church Abroad. See “List of New Martyrs” in the “Trinity Orthodox Russian Calendar” for 1998).

30. Canonized by the Russian Church Abroad and the Polish Orthodox Church.

31. Protoprev. M. Polsky “New Russian Martyrs”, vol. II, Jordanville, 1957

32. On this topic, see the articles: Priest. V. A. Cherkasov “On Evil”, journal. “The Helmsman” for 1908 No. 14,20-25; M. Apostolov “A White Lie?”, gas. “ Orthodox word”(Nizhny Novgorod diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate), February issue for 1997; a response to this article is R. Myagkov’s article “A White Lie?”, “Orthodox Rus'” (USA), No. 10, 1998.

A person lies in adolescence, in adulthood, in old age. A person lies with or without reason. In theory, everything is so simple and clear: don’t lie. But in practice the situation is much more complicated. So we are all guilty of lying. This is a part of our nature that the believer in Jesus Christ must get rid of.

1 - The average person is able to recognize a lie 44% of the time.

2 - 68% of women lie about their weight.

3 - Each person will lie on average 88 thousand times over the course of 60 years.

4-24% of men exaggerate the size of their income.

5 - The most common lie is the phrase: “I’m fine.”

6- 44% of people think that events in a story can be exaggerated to make it more interesting.

7 - Satan, the father of all lies, was the first to lie.

8 - A disease in which a person constantly lies is called Munchausen syndrome.

9 - ~ 70 -80% of humanity lies every day.

10 - Many biblical heroes also lied. For example - Cain to God, Abram to Sarah, Jacob to his father, Joseph's brothers to Jacob, the inhabitants of Gibeon to Joshua, Saul to Samuel, people false witnesses about Jesus, Peter about Jesus, Ananias and Sapphira to God, David and the king of Achish, midwives in Egypt and etc.

11 - The Bible says that the tongue is an uncontrollable evil.

12 - Jesus never lied

13- When a person lies, he experiences a whole range of emotions, the most striking of which are fear, delight, guilt and shame.

14- Children begin to lie around the same time they learn to speak. Most often, this lie is not conscious. Children often use the same template to answer all the same type of questions, and their imagination makes them believe what is said.

15 - According to the HeadHunter website, the most liars work in the trade sector - more than 67%.

16 - Islam is one of the few religions that, in some cases, approves of lying. Lying in the name of Islam is called taqiya, and concealing part of the truth is kitma, but most of religions consider lying a great sin. For example, the Christian faith teaches that lying is great sin, for it is said, “No one who acts deceitfully will live in my house; he who speaks a lie will not remain before my eyes" (Psalm 100:7) or - God will not accept liars into heaven=> Rev 21:8,27

17 - Scientists from the University of Hertfordshire have found that men lie more often than women. According to evolutionary psychology professor Karen Payne, the average man lies 1,092 times a year, and the average woman lies 728 times.

18 - When a person lies, the levels of cortisol and testosterone in his blood increase.

19 - A lie detector or polygraph does not fully guarantee lie detection. The device's readings are based on measuring a person's blood pressure and pulse, but among liars there are many people who are able to deceive the detector. However, the study Federal System National Security showed that modern polygraphs are 96% accurate.

20 - A lie is a statement that is obviously not true.