I don't remember when I learned about it, but I do know I wasn't very good at it until I was 17 and this guy who was in the group of people who became my first friends back when I was 13 taught me how. He actually gave me lessons in it with assignments of different lies to tell and how to tell them. He said it was important to learn how to lie well, and not just for things I was going to use it for right then, like coming home later than my mother told me to or not doing homework or getting out of going somewhere that I didn't want to go. It wasn't that hard and I got very good at it and still am good at it although I only lie when I need to now.
I don't think it's bad, like the poster above said. It can be bad, depending on what you are lying about and to whom, but sometimes it's good to lie about certain things, especially if it prevents hurt feelings. I'm not talking about telling somebody you love them when you don't, or telling a friend that something looks good when they look ridiculous or something like that, but there are times when a lie is much better for everyone involved than the truth. I'm sure the hardliners against lying will disagree with me, but I stand by what I said here. I also don't distrust someone forever if I find out they lied to me about something like some folks here say they do. I'm also pretty sure that everybody has lied at least once, even if it wasn't a big lie or it's something they don't remember doing or it wasn't premeditated.
Someone on here once also said about lying that "lying kills my soul". I don't get that. Also, a question for the zero tolerance about lying people; why does it bother you so very much if somebody tells you a white lie and you never trust them again? I could see being that way if they told you something big but I really don't get it for something small and well meaning like that.
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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.
The link to the forum is
http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com