So I was thinking the other day...
What makes a lie a lie? Which of the following are lies?
1) "Dude, I must have had 50 of those dinner rolls."
2) "Danger? That's my middle name."
3) " That meal cost me an arm and a leg."
4) " How do I get big muscles? Well, ya know, steroids kinda help...."
See, we recognize the first statement as an exaggeration, and not to be taken seriously. The second and third statements use a figure of speech easily understood by most Americans, and not to be taken literally. The last statement though, you aren't so sure. Am I joking or being serious? If I leave you thinking I'm serious, have I told a lie? Especially if later you found out I don't use steroids, and that my big muscles are simply through hard work, would you think I had lied to you? Did I?
Or does it really depend on the speaker's motives, regardless of how the other person interprets it? If I intentionally try to deceive someone with a statement, it's a lie, and if I am simply trying to be funny, that makes it simply a joke?
Hmm, penny for your thoughts?
1 comment:
that's a really interesting question. Is an exageration a lie? I think scripture tells us that everything always is a heart issue but can you truly have a good heart when you are lying? James talks about how important it is to watch our words, is joking about the steroids actually a looseness that we shouldn't have... I dunno, I don't think so, especially because it is humor, but I think it does depend on the person receiving it, do they understand? Do we try to impress them by exaggerating? What's the point of the joke?
I'll end with a quote from Grudem (posted on my blog the other week):
"Why are people in our society, sometimes even Christians, quite careless with regard to truthfulness in speech? Why do we not very often realize that the greatest harm of all that comes from lying is the fact that God Himself is dishonored? Do you need to ask God's help to more fully reflect his truthfulness in speech in any of the following areas: promising to pray for someone; saying that you will be some place at a certain time; exaggerating events to make a more exciting story; taking care to remember and then be faithful to what you have said in business commitments; reporting what other people have said or what you think someone else is thinking; fairly representing your opponent's viewpoint in an argument?"
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