In today's world, people often try to conceal the truth because sometimes knowledge of explicit facts is experienced as a threatening encounter with pain, illness, or even inevitable death.

The Hidden Truth: Fear, Mystery, and Moral Responsibility

In today's world, people often try to conceal the truth because sometimes knowledge of explicit facts is experienced as a threatening encounter with pain, illness, or even inevitable death. This inner fear of both physical and emotional pain gives rise to a desire to avoid negative responses and leads many to choose an illusory tranquility rather than face the harsh consequences of their actions. In addition, there is the notion that certain truths should be kept within mysterious confines and remain inaccessible to everyday understanding, which further intensifies the sense of mystery and danger. The unknown always provokes anxiety, as its potential to overturn the familiar world compels us to contemplate the deep, often repressed aspects of human existence. Finally, moral duty and responsibility towards society demand openness: concealing errors or sins can accumulate hidden harm that subsequently undermines trust and leads to destructive consequences in interpersonal relationships. Thus, the issue of hiding the truth is driven not only by irrational fears but also by the desire to preserve a certain spiritual value of information, which, in its hidden facets, reflects our internal weaknesses as well as the need for moral honesty to sustain society.

What could be the reasons for hiding an answer, and why is it perceived as something frightening?

The answer may lie in several aspects. Firstly, as noted in one of the sources, many people tend to hide an answer or the truth due to a deep fear of illness, death, and pain – both physical and emotional. This fear is so powerful that it prompts them to avoid negative responses, as the awareness of potential consequences (illness, punishment, pangs of conscience) is perceived as something extremely unpleasant and terrifying. This is expressed in the following quote:
"And it is perfectly known to Satan that modern man is afraid of illness. That he is afraid of death, because he is mischievous and knows: he will have to answer for everything – a fact he sometimes subconsciously understands. Therefore, he wants to prolong his wretched existence as much as possible. In general, man is afraid of pain, not only physical but also emotional. Thus, it is not surprising that many hide negative responses or the truth." (source: link txt)

Secondly, there is the idea that certain secrets or truths should remain hidden and wrapped in mystical enigmas. Such sacred concealment grants the information a status that is special, almost inaccessible to ordinary understanding. This evokes feelings of anxiety and dread, because the unknown is always seen as something threatening, capable of altering our established worldview. The following passage illustrates this:
"And not only in our likeness, incapable of directly reaching the comprehensible through contemplation and bound by the habitual and akin order of reasoning—where the images available to us present, before that which is contemplated, an unsightly and supernatural multitude—but also in that mystical declarations are most suited to remain hidden through ineffable and sacred enigmas, and to deem the sacred and concealed truth of transcendent minds as inaccessible to the masses." (source: link txt, page: 68)

Finally, another aspect relates to moral and social responsibility. As emphasized in one of the classic texts, omitting mention of a sin, mistake, or shortcoming can lead to greater danger: concealed truth accumulates harm that can later shatter trust and bring about profound spiritual and societal upheavals. Here, concealment is seen not merely as an attempt to avoid punishment, but as a potentially destructive factor that exacerbates an individual's internal shortcomings and those of their community:
"For a sin kept silent is a festering harm in the soul. Just as we do not call someone a benefactor who harbors harmful elements in the body... — thus, obviously, to conceal sin is to prepare death for the afflicted. ... Therefore, do not hide sins from one another, lest brotherly love turn into fratricide." (source: link txt, page: 46)

Thus, the reasons for hiding an answer may be rooted in deep-seated fears (fear of pain, fear of inevitable death and unpleasant consequences) as well as in the desire to preserve a kind of mystical, sacred information that is deliberately meant to remain inaccessible to the masses. This concealment is perceived as frightening because it hints at the presence of something that people do not wish to see or acknowledge – whether it be deep internal vulnerability, moral failing, or unexplored aspects of existence that possess the potential to disrupt the established order.