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I know Buddhists try not to lie by "speaking right." However, sometimes (well more like a lot) the truth hurts peoples feelings. How should a newly conscious person go about doing this?
I know Buddhists try not to lie by "speaking right." However, sometimes (well more like a lot) the truth hurts peoples feelings. How should a newly conscious person go about doing this?
Tell the truth, or don't say anything at all, that's all I do.
It's an interesting point as it's one of the many one of those in the theist Box of Tricks 'Haven't you ever told a lie?'
I don't know exactly how it goes after that but I suspect it is intended to show that every one of us needs to be forgiven and the only way to get that forgiveness is sign up to their special offer for life.
In fact they don't get there because of the OP above. Lies are sometimes neccessary because the plain truth won't do. And again, as with most of the deceits of Theist apologetics, it isn't a lie or not lie choice (1). It is a question of softening the blow or just not saying anything. We use our judgement as to what's the best way to handle a situation.
What would Jesus do when little children came unto him with an execrable drawing? "That's very good" (lie) or "Verily, I say unto you, that is worthless, an abomination. Take it from before me!"
Nope. The lie is neccessary, and that's the lie of the apologetics. They lie and lie all the time and it's no less a lie when they don't know they lie because they say they don't lie when you show them that they do. Someone tell me who has 'The devil for a father' when they are ones who insist on lying, dissimulating, deceiving and ignoring the truth?
So let's ask Buddha.
"Lying adds to you bad Karma. You don't want that. so don't do it."
"Why does it do that? add to the bad Karma, I mean."
"Because it is a Bad Deed."
"Is it?" Is it a Bad Deed to say to my kid 'That's lovely honey' when it isn't? Is it wrong to say "Yes, I really do think you lost weight?"
"Well, no. Clearly if the intention is bad then the deed is bad. If the intention is good then the deed is good."
"And karma knows this...?"
"Let's assume it just logs into the brain and knows whether you think it a good or bad deed."
"So If I think that it is a good deed to kill someone because I believe he deserves it that's a good deed?"
"No because killing is always wrong."
"I see. So Karma has a set of overriding instructions that say that some deeds are good or bad no matter what we think about them?"
"No we know that some deeds are good or bad, even though we try to tell ourselves that they are not, or are."
"So even if we think some act is good, like robbing the rich to feed the starving poor, it doesn't fool Karma because we really know it isn't good?"
"Ah...yes."
"So if we rob someone who robbed the poor so as to give it back, that's a good deed but if we rob someone who earned the money by sweating the poor, that's not, because we know it isn't?"
"You're very good at thinking up far fetched exceptions to test the theory, aren't you?"
"Believe me, Gotama, mate, those far - fetched eventualities crop up all the time. Now answer the question, please."
"We just have to trust that karma knows best."
"That's bit faith -based for you old son. Wasn't your dictum don't believe what anyone tells you, even what you tell them? test and see whether it makes sense?"
if someone asked me if I saw John and i wasn't supposed to say anything, i'd say something like "when? today? why are you asking? what did he do? ha ha " My response turns the conversation on to the questioner and they now are very involved in telling me about their drama.
your imaginary scenario's are a trip! i've never been involved in drama like that! LOL
I know Buddhists try not to lie by "speaking right." However, sometimes (well more like a lot) the truth hurts peoples feelings. How should a newly conscious person go about doing this?
Wife/Girlfriend/whatever: "Do you think I need to lose weight? Does this dress make me look fat? Do you like my new haircut? What are you thinking?"
Sometimes lying can be a good thing. We'll call it stretching the truth if the word lie bothers you.
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