The Truth vs. the "White Lie"

The Truth vs. the “White Lie” Lying in a marriage is a slippery slope and trust is a delicate thing. I have told my children that a thousand truths can be destroyed by just one lie. Once those truths are destroyed, it is the lie that will typify you. The truth is extremely powerful as well, because you can try to bury it, but you can't kill it. Sooner or later someone is going to dig it up. The truth is an awkward subject that our spouses believe they want to hear no matter what the answer is, that is, until their feelings are hurt and the husband learns how to employ the “white lie.” Husbands have, and will continue to struggle with, the decision of choosing to tell their wives the truth or a “white lie” to protect a spouse’s feelings. When deciding to tell the truth or using a “white lie”, husbands must consider three things: can dishonesty help a marriage, could any relationship survive complete honesty, and what can a husband do if caught telling a “white lie?” First, is it possible to have a loving relationship with your spouse without some degree of dishonesty? The philosopher Saxe once said, “Deception serves as a social-lubricant which safely separates romantic partners from their negative thoughts.” When a wife asks if a metallic blue dinner dress, with the knee length hem, and baby blue sequins, makes her look fat, how should the spouse respond? Does the husband tell the truth and say, “No, it’s your love of chocolate covered bon-bons and lack of exercise that makes you look fat.” Otherwise, does he tell her a “white lie” and say, “The dress is an ugly color,” to avoid hurting her feelings. The cruelest thing that can be done to someone doesn't always contain deception; namely, it involves the truth. Whenever a husband is asked, “What do you think of my new hair cut?” Does he tell his wife the truth and tell her it resembles a bush from the Oahu Botanical Garden’s? In contrast, should she be told a “white lie” that it looks different