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Years ago my pastor said something and it always stuck with me. He said something along the lines of "God does not want you to sin so that you can do something right." I think that applies here. God does not want you to lie so that you can potentially help your Spanish speaking neighbors. God is Holy and never asks us to sin so I don't see why he would approve of it here. Anyway, what you did was in the past so don't sweat over it. If a similar situation happened again, I would say something like "I'm sorry, but that's not my business to say."
Well said.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
When someone asks you if you like thier new haircut or if they look heavy - and you don't like their new haircut or they do look heavy - do you tell them the truth?
Personally - I think it's perfectly fine to lie about certain things. Life is not black and white. I think someone brought this up before - if you were hiding Jews during WWII - would it be better to lie about it or tell the Nazis the truth? I'm not saying you should lie willy nilly - but use your head! God gave us brains for a reason! So we could use them!
It's so easy for people to talk smack...until they are faced with the same situation and I would even go so far to say that anyone who would willfully hurt someone else's feelings in that way is truly and profoundly ignorant. Anyone who thinks their god would punish or not be pleased with someone for sparing someone else's feelings or for saving someone else's life through a lie...isn't any god I would ever follow.
Most of us want desparately to be nice, and that is a very good thing. It has amazed me over the last couple years how many ways the Bible does, indeed, say, "BE NICE!" It is commanded!
However! There are times when someone is persistent in wanting to know things that they have no business knowing -- thing about you personally, things about neighbors, things about friends, things about coworkers, things about acquanintances. Sometimes their persistence is evidenced by their continual one-time prodding or their constant returning with questions. That is when we have to understand where our "be nice" stuff should be concentrated. And it should not be toward the nosy one!
It is all right sometimes to be blunt and say, "That is none of your business."
Agreed. There are times when the only way to deal with someone is by being frank, which they will probably interpret as being rude. However, if they would quit being busybodies, then we would not have to be frank with them.
You did precisely the right thing. The pack of whores who call themselves our 'government' have put you in a situation where it is no longer safe to be civil (and truthful) to people who show up at your door. There is an ongoing cold war against The American People. You are under no obligation to become a casualty.
How wonderful it would be if we could all tell the truth like Corrie Ten Boom's sister did, when they were sitting at a table concealing a trapdoor, beneath which were men hiding from the Nazis. She said to the Nazis,"Why they are right beneath this table", and let go with an hysterical laugh. It worked. The Nazis went away.
Unfortunately, life does not work that way, most of the time. You could have been pushed back into your home, robbed and murdered. They could have scammed YOU, after gaining your confidence. With all the governmental regulatory and investigative agencies sapping our tax dollars, there should not be an immigrant problem, and there should not be any scam artists running around, either. But there are.
Don't give it another thought. You did the right thing.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I really appreciate them all, and I'm at ease with how the situation was handled. I don't believe I would consider myself a "liar", but rather I messed up and told a lie out of concern for the privacy and potential safety of my neighbor. If I'm to love my neighbor as myself, I would hope that my neighbor would likewise have the same concern for me in return. I have not felt any deep burden of guilt about it, but nevertheless I understand that I should respond differently should it ever happen again.
You are free to continue this discussion if you wish, and I will certainly follow it.
You had no idea what these people wanted, or what they were up to, good or bad. You were merely protecting the identity of your Hispanic neighbors.
Sounds like they gave no reason for wanting to find someone that spoke Spanish, and you did the right thing.
I gave up reading the nonsense people were posting in response after two or three. You were under absolutely no obligation to provide information about neighbors without any reason at all. People use all sorts of ploys for nefarious deeds, they could have been drug dealers, hit men, bill collectors.
Well, at the risk of bumping my own post, I just want to say again I appreciate the responses I've gotten. However, I think this is pretty much going to be my last post here in the Christianity/Religion forum. When I came to the Religion section of this website, it was for a specific reason, and I think if I've gotten close to settling that matter. So I really have no further interest in debating with anyone or discussing various Christian subjects. Take care and God bless!
EDIT: Samyn, if you're reading this, I received your rep message and accept the apology. If I've misunderstood you in any way, please accept my apology in return.
Last edited by shyspider; 09-15-2010 at 03:35 PM..
In John 18: 25-27....``And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself... They said therefore unto him. Are you thou also one of the disiciples .. He denied it and said I am not..... One of the servants of the high Priest being his kinsmen whos ear Peter cut off saith ..Did not I see you in the garden with him .... and Peter then denied again and immediately the roaster crewed.......See Jesus disiciple Peter lied to strangers and Lord Jesus eventually forgave him after Jesus rose from the dead and gave Peter a gift of Holy Spirit, the Apostle....... See the abuse of lying is in the commandment of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20: 16...Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour.........
Rats, Shyspider. I wish you wouldn't go. I have enjoyed you where I have seen you here.
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