# Liars, lying, and lies in Great Debates

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liars-lying-and-lies-in-great-debates/430812>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [December 21, 2007, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liars-lying-and-lies-in-great-debates/430812 "2007-12-21T06:55:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liars-lying-and-lies-in-great-debates/430812/1 "2007-12-21T06:55:15Z")

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The misunderstood, (and perhaps, misapplied) rule that the phrase “You are a liar” may be treated as the equivalent of “Your statement is a lie” is hereby suspended.

“You are a Liar” will be treated, henceforth, as a personal insult subject to the normal sanctions of insult in Great Debates.

The permanent record in this rule is posted at [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=9294639&highlight=liar#post9294639](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=9294639&highlight=liar#post9294639).

This thread will be stickied for a week, then allowed to drop off.

Comments may continue to be posted in [Should “Liar” Be Permissible In GD?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=447653)

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**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liars-lying-and-lies-in-great-debates/430812/2 "2008-01-08T17:11:19Z")

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As a further addendum to the above:

Questioning or disputing the accuracy of another poster’s statements–“I don’t think that’s right”, “That’s incorrect”, “You are mistaken”, or even “That’s not true”-- is what Great Debates is all about. However, questioning the intent of another poster in making an arguably false statement–e.g., “You are a liar”, “You are lying”, “That is a lie”, “That’s not true and you darned well know it isn’t true”–is crossing the line into attacking the other poster rather than attacking the other poster’s arguments, and will be considered a violation of the rules of the forum.

If you absolutely must, [the BBQ Pit](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=5) is available to discuss the inflammable state of another poster’s pants. In addition, if dishonest posting rises to the level of [trolling](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7696935), it should be reported to the Moderators. (Be advised that merely being utterly wrong-headed about whatever the topic is, and failing to be convinced by your brilliant, well-cited, perfectly reasoned arguments, will not necessarily get the other poster warned for trolling.)