Don't you hate it when people say don't do something without telling you why? Brick is a porous material that holds moisture. If you paint it, the paint forms a nonporous layer that prevents any moisture still in the brick from evaporating. That moisture will cause the paint to bubble, crack, flake and peel. You'll be painting it every few years. It's an expensive and onerous chore that you can avoid by working with the brick rather than trying to change it. You can get a color wheel, for little money, and match the lightest color of the brick for your main house color, the darkest color of the brick for your trim, and use the white as an accent to brighten up. It's a beautiful home!