IS LYING SINFUL?
When I was a little girl, I stole a cookie. I was never caught, but it still bothers me that I stole a cookie when I was specifically told I couldn’t have the yummy treat. Then, when it became obvious someone had taken the cookie, I lied to cover my stealing. When does lying become sinful? Are there big lies and little lies? Are little lies forgivable? Are little white lies sinful? How little is little? Just how big a lie is really big? Do lies turn into actual sins against God? Black stars on our entrance exam to Heaven? Is lying a little sin, or just a transgression of humanism and choice against oneself? Is there ever a time when there’s no turning back the stigma of lying? When we’ve crossed the line into a fantasy world? I believe little white lies are told by us all to protect certain people and to save face rather than hurt someone with the truth. We’re aware we are lying, but we compensate for the little white lie by telling ourselves we are protecting someone from pain or embarrassment. Maybe those little white lies might take a hundred or so before they become a black mark on our records and turn into a sin. I also feel telling repeated lies can become habitual, which could also be dangerous. My grandmother used to tell me, “One lie becomes two, two becomes three, and on and on, until there’s no way to dig ourselves out of the hole.” I’ve known people who truly don’t know the difference between telling a lie and telling the truth. They’re habitual liars and even though their lying problem may stem from early childhood, I believe their stolen lies compound and became habitual. Maybe lying has become easier than to tell the truth for some people. So, I ask you. Is lying sinful? Does it lead to sin? Is lying a forgivable sin?