In the "gray areas" truth is mostly a matter of perception on the part of the hearer.
If I don't want to hurt your feelings or harm the reputation of someone els and to do so I make the truth walk a highwire and your perception of truth and the truth I am making dance differ... oh well. I am not responsible for what you extract from my words.
You are responsible if your intent is to cause the hearer to believe something that differs from what is actually the truth.
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Jesus wrapped truth inside parables, that those hearing would not hear. Was he being deceptive? Yes, he was.
Jesus spoke ONLY the truth in every parable he ever told. His intent was NEVER to deceive. The hearers NEVER went away believing something that wasn't true. They merely went away ignorant of the truth.
Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
You are responsible if your intent is to cause the hearer to believe something that differs from what is actually the truth.
Jesus spoke ONLY the truth in every parable he ever told. His intent was NEVER to deceive. The hearers NEVER went away believing something that wasn't true. They merely went away ignorant of the truth.
Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
My point exactly let's say truth has 10 levels. If I tell a level 2 truth with the intent of disguising level 8 truth... have I sinned?
Jesus told them parables to mask the ultimate reality of a truth, this could be seen by purists as a deceptive practice.
Someone call a philosopher...quick.
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Last edited by John Atkinson; 03-05-2010 at 02:55 PM.
What does the bible say about lying should be the question. It is amazing how much lying church folks will do.
Have you ever smiled at someone when the last thing in your head was to smile? We all have moments when our body language does not match our thoughts, that also is a lie... But to some folks out on the street if you gave them an honest expression they would push you in the gutter.
The clear example from Scripture is that it is permissible to lie when protecting human lives. The Hebrew midwives lied and God rewarded them, Rahab lied and God rewarded her for it. Moses lied or at least deceived pharaoh, Elijah lied when he said there were no other prophets left.
Some people just can't handle anything that isn't black and white.
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"Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow." ~Aesop
The clear example from Scripture is that it is permissible to lie when protecting human lives. The Hebrew midwives lied and God rewarded them, Rahab lied and God rewarded her for it. Moses lied or at least deceived pharaoh, Elijah lied when he said there were no other prophets left.
Some people just can't handle anything that isn't black and white.
Are you thinking of Elijah's statement on Horeb, "I alone am left?"
I don't quite take it that he was "lying" - perhaps exaggerating as a means of expression his own sense of desolation. Or it could have been that he actually did think that he alone was left of the prophets.
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