Have you ever lied to avoid awkward situations?

There is no deceit without a purpose, but purposes vary. The news agency 24.kg decided to ask respondents if they ever had to lie to avoid awkward situation and what is their attitude to people who deceive without batting an eye.

Boris Kubaev, Deputy Education and Science Minister of Kyrgyzstan:

Frequently we deceive ourselves. However I try not to deceive others and more rarely – to be deceived. Lie is the most awful thing in human relations and no purpose can justify it. I accept only white lie, for example, you can deceive a child and give a pill to cure him.

I do not consider deceivers as people, at least, as regards morality and spirituality.

Kanybek Osmonaliev, Director of the State Agency for Religious Affairs under the Kyrgyz government:

I do not remember cases when I had to lie. I in myself can not deceive and strongly do not accept lies. My attitude to people who can easily deceive is negative.

 I would like to tell you a story. When I was a postgraduate, another student had forged facts of an experiment. When it came to my knowledge I made critical statement at the academic council. I believe that it was good a lesson for him.

Elvira Narbaeva, student:

Sometimes I have to deceive. Usually such situations happened when I was a teenager, I had to lie not to upset my parents. Now I have quitted that practice.

I condemn deceivers but divide them into categories depending on purpose of their lie. There are some pathological liars, they can not live without lies, and can be forgiven because they were born with it. There are also people who deceive on purpose with mercenary motives, to gain profit. They are swindlers. I think that such people should be punished under the law.

Tolo Isakov, Director of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspectorate of the Kyrgyz Republic:

Frankly speaking I surely had to deceive. We are all human. I think that one can deceive a child, wife, colleagues. The other question is for what purpose. One can lie for the sake of a person, for good consequences. But some people deceive deliberately in order to harm.

Narbai Tashtanbaev, lecturer at the Kyrgyz National University:

I am an honest person and have never lied and do not accept it for any purpose. It is my principle. As a teacher I believe that one has no right to deceive a person. I think that it is inadmissible with relation of morality and conscience.

My attitude to liars is rather negative.

Almaz Rysbekov, lawyer:

I used to lie to people. In fact, not always people can understand a true cause of an event, a decision. Sometimes I have to misinform people in order to avoid awkward situations. But as for me, I prefer to hear the truth whatever it is.

I treat liars with discretion.