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Originally Posted by Angela  Yes, that's an excellent example. "Cheating" is not real -- it's an interpretation of a real event. So if he denies cheating, he may very well be telling the truth -- |
I agree with what you are saying about cheating, but what I was referring to was an example where someone has done something, then blatantly denies it. We could argue about whether cheating is a lie or not, but I am claiming that the deliberate denial is a lie. Cheating was just an example, perhaps not a very clear cut one.
How about this one: you are standing at the bus stop and the guy next to you quite openly takes your purse. You ask for it back, but he denies taking it, saying he has always owned the purse. A policeman comes along and you tell him what happened. Despite the fact that everyone else at the bus stop saw him take your purse, and the cctv footage confirms it, and your driving licence and passport are inside the purse, the policeman says, 'Well, if he says it's his purse, then it must be. It's his truth, his subjective reality. From his perspective, it's his purse, so move along now'.
Would you say, 'Oh silly me, my mistake. Thank you officer for clearing that up. I feel so much better now!'.
If I do something (for whatever reason), then deliberately deny I have done it, I have lied. You can call it porkies, a fib, a white lie, a terminilogical inexactitude. I may have all sorts of theories and beliefs about why it is not a lie (to protect myself/others, or whatever) and hop like a frog from one lily-pad perspective to another. But, the fact remains - I lied.