Question
Gramps,
In the Book of Mormon, it is recounted that a previous Lamanite was recruited by the Nephites to trick the Lamanite guards into drinking strong wine, thereby helping rescue Nephite prisoners. He, of course, lied that he was an escaped prisoner. My question then is whether or not lying is sometimes justified, for example, a CIA agent must lie to serve their country.
Spencer
Answer
Spencer,
From childhood, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taught that honesty is essential. The commandment “Thou shalt not lie” echoes through scripture and across the pulpits of Sunday meetings. There is no question that we need to be honest in our thoughts, actions, and comments … Satan is the father of all lies … [and] the Lord commands us … Thou shalt not lie; he that lieth and will not repent shall be cast out. He did not tell us that it was okay to tell a ‘white,’ ‘little,’ for ‘fun’ lie.”
Scriptural warnings associate lying with other gross sins, such as murder and adultery. To lie is as gross a sin as any of the others … because when one tells a lie, it can never do good, but only direct people to that which is not true or which will not happen or leave an unsavory false impression of the character of someone else. This view shows the serious consequences of dishonesty in spiritual and social life.
But is the moral command to be honest always absolute? Or do exceptional circumstances permit, or even require, a different approach?
Every day experiences often muddy the clarity of black-and-white moral rules. What about the call center worker required by an employer to lie to customers, or the parent who struggles over whether to keep the magic of Santa alive? What about lying to save a life in times of war or persecution?
To the call center worker: No one is forcing you to stay or to be dishonest. Whether or not you are dishonest is a choice you make every day. As such, you have the choice to remain or leave… if you feel you are being dishonest, then I hope you will actively seek another job opportunity to find peace within your own heart. This counsel highlights that integrity involves both action and intent. Excuses—no matter how practical or commonplace—do not erase the personal responsibility for one’s choices.
For many, the question of harmless or so-called “white” lies is especially alluring. Consider the issue of Santa Claus. Is it wrong to perpetuate childhood myths?
The consensus? Each family must decide how they will handle it with their own children, monitoring not just words, but also the lessons those words teach. Kids are not what we say, but what we do; and we must set a good example for them to follow.
But what about deception used to shield the innocent or prevent harm? Church history, scripture, and even biblical precedent suggest occasions when withholding truth—or even outright lying—may serve a higher purpose.
The story of Abraham, who described his wife Sarai as his sister to the Pharaoh, is one such example: In order to prevent this from happening, Abraham obeyed the words of the Lord, and as a result, his life was spared … Did Abram speak the truth? Yes. Did Abram speak the whole truth? No. The bottom-line principle invoked is that, sometimes, protecting or preserving life may outweigh absolute transparency—especially when following divine command or revelation.
This complicated dilemma recurs throughout history. During World War II, hiding refugees or buying food on the black market presented moral quandaries. What would Jesus do? We know from the life of our Savior that Jesus trusted in His Father’s love, His Father’s will … He would have prayed to know His Father’s will; once revealed, he would have followed. In all such cases, whatever His Father revealed would be right and obeyed. In essence, the guidance of personal revelation and the alignment with God’s will take precedence during moral dilemmas.
Some situations require discernment between outright lying and skillful manipulation for good. Police stings, parental guidance, and even staged interventions may employ deception for righteous ends. Let’s differentiate between manipulation and bearing false witness: The police are manipulating a situation to attract those who normally engage in such activity … Parents manipulate their children to help them uncover the truth, identify the consequences of lying, and lead lives of integrity … the ends justify the means. While this viewpoint is not universally held, it reflects a pragmatic recognition of intent and outcome in specific cases.
Despite these nuanced considerations, the long-term consequences of dishonesty are clear within Church teaching. Lying destroys trust—a vital element in relationships with others and with God. When you lie, the person who will tell one lie can never be trusted with anything that he says, because if he lies about one thing, one never knows when he may be telling the truth. So it is useless to listen to, or therefore have anything to do with, a person who cannot be trusted to tell the truth.
Sin—especially habitual lying—can create spiritual chains that are too strong to be broken. Being trapped in the snares of dishonesty and misrepresentation does not happen instantaneously. One little lie or dishonest act leads to another until the perpetrator is caught in the web of deceit. This image is both cautionary and illuminating. Even when no apparent harm results, the spiritual toll on the liar can be profound, leading to guilt, loss of self-respect, and a diminished ability to feel the Spirit.
Repentance, here, requires more than a plea to God. When possible, it may necessitate confession, apology, and restitution to those deceived. What would be the harm in telling the person you lied to that it was a lie? Would you be embarrassed? … All of those are very real possibilities, but we need to ask ourselves, are we really trying to change our ways? True repentance is uncomfortable but ultimately liberating.
Church history itself grapples with complex questions of honesty and necessity. For example, Joseph Smith’s denials regarding the practice of plural marriage have drawn scrutiny. Historians suggest that Smith may have felt compelled to use evasive language to protect others and shield his faith community amid legal and social threats—a move reminiscent of biblical precedents. Brian C. Hale wrote: “When contextualized, the denials of polygamy appear to represent a singular behavior, rather than the tip of a prevarication iceberg for Joseph and the other Saints.” The line between divine mandate, personal risk, and truth-telling is seldom neat in history.
Furthermore, early Christian thinkers sometimes justified useful deception or air deception in the administration of church affairs to help [their communities] along or to protect the reach of evil, wicked, and conspiring men. While such reasoning has its critics, it does show how the imperative to do good often interacts in complicated ways with the command to be honest.
For individuals who have lied and feel the pangs of regret, all is not lost. Repentance and the demonstration of integrity in future actions can restore trust and self-respect, though the full resolution of this will take time. The trust can be rebuilt, but only as your actions demonstrate. The journey toward honesty is deeply personal, shaped by both divine guidance and our willingness to make amends.
Ultimately, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to saturate their lives and testimony with truth. Hugh Nibley eloquently warns:
“By the word alone we make a common universe of discourse. So we can easily see why we should watch our words with fear and trembling, and why a lie is the most heinous of all crimes … The person who will tell one lie can never be trusted with anything that he says, because if he lies about one thing one never knows when he may be telling the truth.” The cumulative message is clear: a commitment to honesty is a divine mandate, necessary for real relationships, the building of Zion, and peace of soul. (Hugh Nibley, H. (1979). Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints. In The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (Vol. 13, p. 390). [PDF])
In the end, honesty isn’t just about keeping rules—it’s about becoming a trustworthy soul, someone who can be entrusted by God and loved ones alike. As each of us faces our own dilemmas—big and small—may we have the integrity to both seek and act according to the highest truth.
Gramps
