Little White Lies in High School

When I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, the Nazarene church was very strict: no movies, no dancing, no eating out on Sunday, no shopping in a store that sold alcohol, and absolutely no lying. 

Lying wasn't as bad as going to a movie, but it was still bad enough to send you to Hell for all eternity.  Our Sunday School teacher told us to be especially careful of four situations where people thought lying was justified.  It was not.

1. "White" lies that you tell to avoid hurting someone's feelings.

If Mom asks "How do you like my brocolli and lima casserole?" and you don't like it, say so. Don't lie just to avoid hurting her feelings.

2.  "Kidding," lying as a joke. 

If your friend asks "What's the homework assignment?", don't answer "To eat fried worms."  Don't try to be funny.  Tell the truth.

3. Misdirections, lies that are technically true. 

When the Sunday school teacher asks if you have witnessed to anyone (told them about Jesus) since last week, and you haven't, don't say "I talked to some of my friends."  Obviously you did talk to your friends during the last week, but you are not answering the question. 

4. "Necessary" lies that you tell to avoid something that you think is worse. 

During the Tribulation, when they round up and shoot all the Christians, if someone asks "Are you a Christian?", you must answer "Yes.."  Better to die right away and go to Heaven than live a few more years and go to Hell.  .

I appreciated this list of types of lies, since I was lying all the time.

   

1.  My parents, teachers, and friends were constantly asking "Is there any girl in your class that you like?".or "Is there any girl at church that you like?", and by around 9th grade,  they began asking with intensity, fervor, and a look of joyful anticipation. 

"No" was not an acceptable answer. It didn't mean "no," it mean that I didn't trust them enough to reveal my secret crush.

So I picked a girl at random and named her.  A little white lie to avoid hurting their feelings.

2. Whenever a new girl appeared in class or at church, or a girl broke up with her boyfriend, they pushed me at her.  "Don't be shy!  Ask her out!"

I couldn't tell them that I didn't want to date her, or any girl, for that matter.  So I waited a believable amount of time and said "I asked her out.  She said no." 

Just kidding.

3, In high school, on
Tuesday nights (the night you call for Saturday dates), I would get a constant interrogation from my parents "Who are you going to call?  Why haven't you called?  It's getting late!"

So I called a male friend and asked him to 'hang out."  Then I reported back:   "I made a call."

"Do you have a date?"

"Yes."  Dates refer to any plans, not just romantic ones, right?  Misdirection.

4. My friends were constantly asking "Isn't that girl hot! Doesn't she have nice breasts?  Wouldn't you love to get her in the sack?"

If I said "No," they wouldn't believe me.  Or maybe they would, and discover that I was the only boy on Earth who was not interested in girls.  I couldn't even imagine the consequences.  Psychological tests.  A mental hospital.  Or maybe medical tests, dissecting me to see what went wrong. 

So I said "Sure, she's totally hot." 

A necessary lie to avoid something worse.