The Road Less Traveled
    A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth
M. Scott Peck, M.D.

Withholding Truth

- Lying
    - 2 types: white lies and black lies
    - White lie: not in itself false, but leaves out a significant part of the truth
    - White lie no more excusable than a black one
    - Withholding information is the most common form of lying
    - White lying: considered socially acceptable to avoid hurting people's feelings
- Withholding information
    - Generally rationalized on basis of loving desire to protect and shield
    - Result is not protection, but deprivation
    - Serves as cover up of desire to maintain authority over others
- Valid withholding of information
    - There are situations where parents should not necessarily be TOTALLY open with children
    - When person is not ready for openness or truth
- Rules for withholding truth
    1) Never speak falsehood
    2) Withholding information may be potentially a lie, and requires a moral decision
    3) Decision to withhold information should never be based on personal needs
    4) Withholding should be based on needs of person from which info is being withheld
    5) Assessing needs of another is done wisely only when acting out of genuine love
    6) Primary factor in assessment of needs: capacity of other person to utilize truth for personal spiritual growth
    7) Our tendency is to underestimate ability of someone to use truth for personal growth
- Rewards of life of honesty & dedication to truth
    - Rewards are great
    - Be secure and proud in knowledge that you have not contributed to confusion of the world
    - Energy required is less than what is required for secretiveness

We should be very careful when withholding the truth from someone.     This should only be done as an act of love, when we feel that the truth will not aid in another's personal growth in any way (i.e. they are not ready for the truth).