4 Kinds of lies (#1 & #2)

J. Douma's The Ten Commandments has been an indispensable tool for our study of God's commands here at EPC. Douma discusses 4 kinds of lies. I'll post 2 here today and 2 again later this week.

Malicious lie (mendacium perniciosum): Intended to deceive for persona gain, harmful to our neighbors. A clear violation of the 9th Commandment, which literally reads:

"You shall not be a lying witness against your neighbor." (Ex 20:16)

Jocular lie (mendacium iocosum): Amusing "untruths," tall tales, fishing stories, many story-jokes (A priest and a rabbi did not actually walk into a bar).

What happens when truth is mixed in to a jocular lie? Proverbs 26:18-19 addresses this:

"Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and deathis the man who deceives his neighbor and says, I am only joking!"

As Douma writes,

"when humor is designed to deceive and deride our neighbor, that is no longer...joking. Humor turns sour and the joke becomes a lie." (Douma)