Is it sinful to lie to cover up a surprise?

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VeronicaM

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If I’m planning a surprise for a family member or friend, is it sinful to lie to keep it a secret from that person until the surprise is ready?
 
In your scenario, you are not intending to deceive in order that another be led into error. I do not think your friend’s notion of truth (and thus their relationship with the will of the Lord) is negatively affected at all by the fact that you told him/her that there is not a party for him/her, when in fact, there is.

It is therefore, not lying.

therefore, not sinful.

Have fun at the surprise party.
 
VeronicaM said:
If I’m planning a surprise for a family member or friend, is it sinful to lie to keep it a secret from that person until the surprise is ready?
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That’s not a lie.
A lie would be something you would be doing to hurt, injure, insult that person. You are doing the opposite.
 
I once lied to my brother to cover up a surprise. Felt awful. I don’t recommend it to anyone.

😦
 
I was subject of a surprise party once.

When the party was over I remarked that they all were able to lie to me so well.

I don’t get many surprises anymore.
 
Don’t lie. Tell the truth without giving it away. There is always another option to lying.
 
Avoid any such occasion as would necessitate having to lie to keep the secret. If that’s impossible, just keep your mouth shut and change the subject, even if the secret comes out :D.
 
If it is sinful (the consensus, implied/explicit, appears to be “yes” ) is it mortally sinful?

Or rather, is it grave matter (given the conditions provided in the OP)?
 
VeronicaM said:
If I’m planning a surprise for a family member or friend, is it sinful to lie to keep it a secret from that person until the surprise is ready?
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no why would you think so?
it is probably imprudent and may result in more problems than you realize, but that does not necessarily make it sinful. If you did it to me for instance, knowing that I have often said how much I hate such surprises, it could be at least uncharitable. But not every ill-considered act is sinful

It is discussions like this, which are invariably on the wrong forum that give us the reputation for promoting scrupulosity.
 
As usual on these types of threads, we have about a dozen totally contradictory answers. It must drive the poor OP (not just on this thread but on all similar questions of morality raised on this board) nuts! Can anyone provide an authoritative answer for this specific scenario?
 
twf said:
As usual on these types of threads, we have about a dozen totally contradictory answers. It must drive the poor OP (not just on this thread but on all similar questions of morality raised on this board) nuts! Can anyone provide an authoritative answer for this specific scenario?
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It would help if the OP clued the thread in to the specific means they are attempting to put into place to achieve what is unarguably a “good” end- a party for someone!

Personally, I am not a fan of surprise parties. A person who is to be honored should be allowed to prepare for that honor so they do the honor, and those who honor them, justice in the entire scenario.
 
I should be a little clearer: I’m referring to a good surprise, such as a party or a special gift.

And the person highly suspects that you’re planning something and keeps asking questions.
 
VeronicaM said:
I should be a little clearer: I’m referring to a good surprise, such as a party or a special gift.

And the person highly suspects that you’re planning something and keeps asking questions.
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Then in this case you simply don’t answer. You can turn the subject without answering. And you can say something like, “all your questions are awfully pesky!” with a smile. Then you haven’t outright lied and you haven’t confirmed either.

I would also recommend that you stop being so mysterious in your actions so that the person in question stops wondering so much! 🙂
 
If it is, then logically it follows that it is a sin to tell children that Santa Claus delivered those presents that appeared under the tree.
 
Richard320 said:
If it is, then logically it follows that it is a sin to tell children that Santa Claus delivered those presents that appeared under the tree.
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Given that it can easily cause a child to think, “hmm, so they lied to me about Santa… wonder how that applies to this whole Catholic Church business? What about Jesus? God? Salvation? What if it was all just a lie that someone never figured out?”.

Given that: dot, dot, dot.

I’d rather just tell the kid I gave him presents and keep him focused on Christmas, as well as clue him in to who Saint Nicolas really was for a greater appreciation of his faith. Only fallout of that is he might, in encountering a kid at school who is trashing Jesus, punch him in the mouth. 🙂
 
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