Whilst I think that lying should be avoided unless there is a good reason for it, I don't think it's as simple as saying that lying is always wrong and telling the truth is always right.
I agree that lying can be extremely unpleasant, especially when done to be hurtful, to cause trouble or to cover up something selfish the liar might have done. However, I personally think the main things to take into account when trying to decide whether to tell the truth or to lie are:
- does someone have a right to know the truth (e.g. with infidelity)?
- will telling the truth serve any kind of purpose (e.g. answering honestly when a friend asks if an outfit suits them so that if the answer is no they can find something that looks better)
- which will cause more harm?
For instance, whilst I want to be truthful I also don't want to upset people unnecessarily, so if it comes to a choice between a harmless white lie or hurting people by telling the truth, I would choose the former. In fact, I think it is sometimes overlooked that the truth, just like lies, can be used intentionally to cause harm, but some people find it easier to justify doing this with the words, "I'm only being honest".
Breaking confidences, getting people into trouble out of spite and verbal bullying (such as name-calling) can all involve honesty but I don't think that makes them any less unpleasant and I resent honesty being used to try and make malice seem more morally justifiable. 
In extreme cases, lying can even be noble, such as concealing the whereabouts of Jewish families in Nazi Germany.
(Right: the biblical Rahab who lied to protect two Israelite spies)
You can read about Rahab's story here: http://www.askmoses.com/en/article/254,2114844/Rahab.html#articlepage
An article on the notorious liar Jeffrey Archer (left) can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/dec/09/archer.politics
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