When is it okay to lie to children? One simple answer is "never," and that answer is easy to get behind. Even if the lie is harmless, perhaps concerning the nature of those who visit our homes on certain holidays, I think it's best to not spread lies and erode their trust in those who are supposed to be trustworthy.
Yet, I can imagine some circumstances wherein lying, or at least reframing the truth, may be the morally right thing to do. When a tragedy happens, when something happens that would crush a child's spirit, it might be best to lie, or at least to omit important truths, in order to soften the blow. Sometimes, children aren't ready to handle certain truths. A certain level of maturity is necessary to be able to face such truths with grace. That's why I think it might be wise to not tell them the whole truth, at least not until they're ready to hear it.
I wonder if the same is true for us. After all, we are spirit children of our Heavenly Father. We may not be ready to hear all the truths God would like to teach us. But, if that's the case, would God lie to us? Would He be willing to lie to us to protect us from truths we're not ready to hear? I don't know. But I do know that maturity is important, especially for those who want to prove that they're ready to hear the truth.
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