integrity and truthfulness

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have they ALWAYS been considered vices in the NT world. I'm thinkin they always have been but I'm an uber slow learner

Phrases like: "the awful truth," "brutal honesty," "sweet lies," and "too honest" exist, but you never hear "sweet honesty." It's not polite to tell the truth, unless you're telling someone that their fly is unzipped or something of that nature.

Don't kick yourself, though, because it isn't polite to let people in on the fact that it's exceptionally difficult to be both polite and honest. I used to think it was impossible, but I've backed off that a bit. Most people won't bother to put in the work.

Integrity: No, it's a good thing, but, in some circles it can backfire because the slimier ones seem to take it for weakness. However, I believe that a person who sticks with their integrity will be recognized for it and win out in the end. Even if they don't get more money and prestige than others, a good (honest) life is a reward in itself.

Truthfulness? That's a double edged sword in NT land. Sometimes people don't want to know the truth. Sometimes it's better not to say anything. But that's different than trying to mislead someone for personal gain, which is never good to do. The ones who do are usually found out and brought down, like the political scandals we see in headlines.