When did this supposed lie take place? It's really not clear from the story that...

ThrustVectoring · on Sept 9, 2014

If Dad knew he had a child and didn't tell Mom, that's why they got divorced and it's the lie's fault.

If Dad didn't know that he had a child, and found out along with Mom, then the divorce is the fault of good-old-fashioned Puritanism.

I assumed it's the first - but regardless, airing out "I had a child who was born at %date" isn't something that ruins relationships by itself.

_3u10 · on Sept 9, 2014

Withholding information that wasn't asked for is generally not considered lying. Which is why everyone is calling it a 'secret'.

It sounds like the big contention was that he wanted to contact his son, not that the son existed.

jacquesm · on Sept 10, 2014

That's tricky ground you're on there. That's usually called 'lying by omission', you are technically not lying because you have uttered no untruths but you are morally in the wrong because you are withholding information that the social contract in force would expect you to disclose.