What Does It Mean To Be Honest?

[Truthabounds]

Honesty affects many aspects of our lives.

There are many ways—though often viewed as innocent and acceptable—in which people do not speak truth.

[naomi24]

Accepting reality is a good start.

[vascop]

Brilliant observation to start 2013 Naomi!

It seems to me that implicit in the question is the idea that honesty is always a good thing and I'm not convinced that it is - and anyway how can you be sure that you are being honest?

[argorstran]

Honesty and reality - one aspect of this is accepting that a person who has a different point of view to yours may not necessarily be wrong - it could well be you who's wrong .

[vascop]

Can't agree with you there argor. Some so-called opinions are not acceptable because they are just that - opinions - with no real thought behind them.
If I said: In my opinion the earth is a flat disc not a more or less spherical object, then that would be an opinion, but one which is not worth the energy wasted uttering it. So I wouldn't accept that as being worthy of respect, and that's just one example.

[vascop]

Have a look here, it's a very short read: http://tinyurl.com/bewpbas

[TobyLaRhone]

Vascop,
argostran said "a person who has a different point of view to yours may not necessarily be wrong - it could well be you who's wrong"
Have you never reflected on another person's opinion and thought "Actually, I see your point"?

[Wharton]

"Man's understanding is not capable of knowing what truth is" - Arcesilaus.

[vascop]

Sorry the full article, still not very long, is here: http://tinyurl.com/9oq26cm

[vascop]

Toby - of course I have. You're misunderstanding what I wrote - sorry if it wasn't clear. If you read the article I have posted a link to then you will understand what I was trying to say.

[modeller]

I think Truthabounds you should define what you mean by 'Honest'.
It is not necessarily saying the truth. The reasons for either depend on circumstanes.

[sandyRoe]

If you told a white lie to save someone hurt or embarrassment could you still consider yourself to be honest?

[naomi24]

Truthabounds, I’ll give you an example. On another thread speaking of the creation of the world, you said //There is no actual time period mentioned in the Genesis account. //

… and I said //Yes there is – 6 days.//

Who’s telling the truth? Perhaps now you can answer your own question.

[argorstran]

in answer to sandyRoe , in my opinion yes you could .

[modeller]

No sandy you are not being honest but you are doing what is right.
That's why I asked for a definition.

[TobyLaRhone]

Vascop - much clearer thank you.

[RATTER15]

No Sandy, a lie is not honest, doing it for the right reasons does not make it honest, just ask the person you lied to, see if they thought it was honest.

[starone]

I know that I have told many lies in my lifetime - to save myself and to save others, but I do not really care, it is too late to do anything about it. However, it is my opinion (I've read your article vascop and am saying this with tongue in cheek) that anyone who says they have never told a lie has immediately told one. Again in my opinion it is impossible to get through life without telling lies, whether for good or bad is a moot point.

[sandyRoe]

Ratter, 'doing it for the right reasons does not make it honest...' But does it make it right?

[NOX]

If everyone was deadly honest all of the time, there would be nothing but misery strife, grief, war and fighting both between countries and in our daily lives.

[vetuste_ennemi]

This seventh day, God's rest day, has progressed nearly 6,000 years, and there is still the 1,000-year reign of Christ to go before its end. (Rev. 20:3, 7) This seventh 1,000-year period of human existence could well be likened to a great sabbath day. . . . In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existence and also the first 6,000 years of God's rest day come to an end? The year 1975. -- Awake! October 8, 1966, page 19
What abounds here, the truth or a lie? And a happy new year to JWs everywhere.