Do you know what a lie of omission is? I am not sure if it is a Catholic thing - a part of the huge list of sins and shortcomings you can consider when it is time to make amends during Confession - or if it applies to lots of people. A lie of omission is when you do something - or know that there is something you should tell someone about - but you don't tell them.
Like when your mom calls and says how was your trip. You answer that the trip was fine - which is the truth. It was the huge 10 car pile up you were involved in which wasn't fine , but that wasn't a part of the trip exactly. So you didn't tell her something untrue - you just didn't tell her the whole story.
When you don't have the whole story you make assessments and decisions based on faulty information - and that is both disconcerting - and dangerous. It is, for the most part, better to come clean - than to be found out later and have to apologize both for the situation and the withholding of the truth.
Sorry if I am a bit overly maternal today - perhaps it is just the mood I am in - or the fact that most of my days are spent in the throes of mothering. I felt the need to explain this today because I think sometimes people think it is more kind not to tell the whole story - not to burden people - when in fact it is a lie of omission. And that is STILL a lie.
3 comments:
It is still a lie, Intentional or not. Black is black and white is white.
Wow, I was just explaining that to someone yesterday. I have something I am keeping from someone and it bothers me. I guess it is the Catholic upbringing. I was wondering why I felt so guilty about it. Thanks!
Whether it's a lie of omission or one of commission, it's wrong. When we use the expression "I'm partial to ...", it really means I have only a partial understanding of the whole. Some part of it has been omitted or ignored.
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