Compromising Professions

[Biscuit]

How "far" should one be willing to go in their job or profession in doing something that may (or may not) be pleasing to God. This is hard to explain, so here are some examples:

1) You are a cashier at Waldenbooks and check out a Playboy or Playgirl magazine for someone.

2) You are a cashier at a convenience store and check out beer for someone.

3) Your boss just asked you to work the Sabbath for overtime to help him out of a bind.

4) You are a paralegal. Someone calls for the lawyer you work for. He asked you to tell the caller that he is not in the office. Will you lie?

5) As a science teacher, you are asked to teach evolution. Will you? What if you must teach it or be fired?

6) As a pharmacist, you are given a prescription for a "morning after" or abortion pill. Will you dispense it?

7) This question is only for those who still observe the food laws (yes, some here still do). You are at a Burger King and sell sausage (pork) and eggs to someone. Or at a grocery store and sell bacon or catfish to someone. Is this OK even if you are not eating it?

8) You monitor for shoplifters at Wal-mart. You just noticed your neighbor's son slip a DVD under his coat. Do you do your job and "get him"?

9) As a preacher, you are asked to marry a couple and you heard through the rumormill that the girl is pregnant. Do you marry them? Better yet, would you marry a gay couple?

10) As a sign maker, you are asked to paint a sign which will go in the front yard of a psychic to draw in business for her. Will you do it? Will you refuse even if the boss threatens to fire you?

11) Your co-workers listen to rock music (which is offensive to you). Will you turn a deaf ear or confront them, at the risk of being alienated?

There are many other examples, but you get the idea. How far should one go? Or are some of these examples too small or frivolous to even consider? :hug:

[Guest LadyC]

1) You are a cashier at Waldenbooks and check out a Playboy or Playgirl magazine for someone.

if you took a job at a store that sold such magazines, you have the responsibility to ring up the purchase. if you feel that compromises your christianity, then find another job.

2) You are a cashier at a convenience store and check out beer for someone.

alcohol is not forbidden in scripture. why would that be a compromise? a better question, would you sell it to someone you knew was an alcoholic, or to someone you knew was a recovering alcoholic? and in any case, if you felt it compromised your faith, get a new job.

3) Your boss just asked you to work the Sabbath for overtime to help him out of a bind.

yes. sunday night services are available and many churches offer saturday services. working on the sabbath includes cooking and changing cat litter boxes. so if you are trying to be true to the laws of the sabbath, you're already breaking them.

4) You are a paralegal. Someone calls for the lawyer you work for. He asked you to tell the caller that he is not in the office. Will you lie?

"i'm sorry, he's not available at this time, may i take a message?" is not a lie. it IS proper procedure though.

5) As a science teacher, you are asked to teach evolution. Will you? What if you must teach it or be fired?

i'd be fired either way, because IF i taught the theory of evolution, i would balance it by ALSO teaching about creationism.

6) As a pharmacist, you are given a prescription for a "morning after" or abortion pill. Will you dispense it?

yes. if you feel it compromises your faith, find a new job. you knew when entering that profession that you would be required to dispense drugs you did not agree with.

7) This question is only for those who still observe the food laws (yes, some here still do). You are at a Burger King and sell sausage (pork) and eggs to someone. Or at a grocery store and sell bacon or catfish to someone. Is this OK even if you are not eating it?

i don't observe the food laws. but if i did, it would NOT be my job to make others observe those laws.

8) You monitor for shoplifters at Wal-mart. You just noticed your neighbor's son slip a DVD under his coat. Do you do your job and "get him"?

i'd bust him even if it was my OWN son.

9) As a preacher, you are asked to marry a couple and you heard through the rumormill that the girl is pregnant. Do you marry them? Better yet, would you marry a gay couple?

a pregnant girl, yes. i do believe God would prefer for the man to marry the girl he knocked up than to abandon her and the child. a gay couple? absolutely not... and if i were a member of a church that did, i would find a new church.

10) As a sign maker, you are asked to paint a sign which will go in the front yard of a psychic to draw in business for her. Will you do it? Will you refuse even if the boss threatens to fire you?

slightly different scenario than other positions, since the liklihood of making a sign for a psychic is not very high. in that case, i would refuse. there are other employees available to do the job, and if there aren't, there are other jobs to have.

11) Your co-workers listen to rock music (which is offensive to you). Will you turn a deaf ear or confront them, at the risk of being alienated?

it's not a christian's job to monitor anyone else's choice of music. if it is loud enough to disturb you, ask that it be turned down. if they don't, take your complaint to your boss.

now a question of my own. has anyone here ever been fired for expressing their faith in the work place?

i have.

[artsylady]

1) You are a cashier at Waldenbooks and check out a Playboy or Playgirl magazine for someone.

I wouldn't work at a porn store of course, but I guess you can't turn down a job at a place like that just for the odd customer who would buy such a thing.

2) You are a cashier at a convenience store and check out beer for someone.

No problem.

3) Your boss just asked you to work the Sabbath for overtime to help him out of a bind.

No, although I know a lot of people who feel they have to work Sunday (nurses, docs) and I don't question their convictions.

4) You are a paralegal. Someone calls for the lawyer you work for. He asked you to tell the caller that he is not in the office. Will you lie?

Wow. That's a tough one. Hmmm.... Wow. I'd close my eyes. "Well, I don't see him right now. Maybe he's not here. Can I take a message and have him call you?" lol.

5) As a science teacher, you are asked to teach evolution. Will you? What if you must teach it or be fired?

I guess I'd just put it in perspective. Ex. "Most, but certainly not all scientists believe in the theory of evolution which states that..."

6) As a pharmacist, you are given a prescription for a "morning after" or abortion pill. Will you dispense it?

I'd walk away and let another pharmacist take over. If I was the only one, I'd probably start giving advice about all the bad after effects of this pill and try to discourage the use of it. If that didn't work I guess I'd just pray.

7) This question is only for those who still observe the food laws (yes, some here still do). You are at a Burger King and sell sausage (pork) and eggs to someone. Or at a grocery store and sell bacon or catfish to someone. Is this OK even if you are not eating it?

Doesn't apply to me.

8) You monitor for shoplifters at Wal-mart. You just noticed your neighbor's son slip a DVD under his coat. Do you do your job and "get him"?

I might just go and say 'Hey Ralph, how ya doing? Hey did you get a copy of the new Justin Timberlake CD yet?'

9) As a preacher, you are asked to marry a couple and you heard through the rumormill that the girl is pregnant. Do you marry them? Better yet, would you marry a gay couple?

Yes to 1, no to 2.

10) As a sign maker, you are asked to paint a sign which will go in the front yard of a psychic to draw in business for her. Will you do it? Will you refuse even if the boss threatens to fire you?

If it's my own business no. I had this dilemna before and I passed it to a coworker.

11) Your co-workers listen to rock music (which is offensive to you). Will you turn a deaf ear or confront them, at the risk of being alienated?

Also had this dilema but it was country music. (Hope RGR doesn't read this) Yes, I tolerated the music no problem. If it was really bad satanic type rock, I'd pray in my head.

[Guest LCPGUY]

O.K. How about this real world example that bothers me. I think about it and pray about it but haven't come to and conclusions yet.

One of my best clients repairs medical equipment. His biggest and best (fast) paying customers are Family Planning and Planned Parenthood. They both perform abortions.

Question: Is it wrong for me to work for him knowing that some of my income from him comes from his indirect involvement with abortions?

What think yee?

John

[artsylady]

I guess I'd just put it in perspective. Ex. "Most, but certainly not all scientists believe in the theory of evolution which states that..."

In some places you are free to also teach creationism, which of course I'd do and flatly state that it was my belief.

If you can get fired for teaching creationism, I would make a point of telling one or two students my REAL beliefs on the side and hope that word would get around. While you do have to teach evolution, I think you can sneak in ways to show the creation theory, without actually teaching it. I think I'd put out a lot of questions to the students as well to find ways around it, like asking them "Do you believe in evolution or creation", or state flat out that "I'm not allowed to teach Creationism, although many scientists see it as a better theory" I'd probably say "If you want to learn about creation on your own, here's a website..." I'd do everything in my power to get the message to kids that there is another better theory out there because 1) I'd probably need the job and 2) If they fired me, they'd only replace me with someone who is more than willing to teach only evolution as fact.

[Guest LadyC]

i think that if you are not directly involved in the repair of abortion clinic machinery, then you are not involved. what your client does in his business is between him and God.

what exactly is the nature of your business relationship, if i might ask?

[artsylady]

One of my best clients repairs medical equipment. His biggest and best (fast) paying customers are Family Planning and Planned Parenthood. They both perform abortions.

Yikes. What disgusting organizations.

At least some of that money is going back to God if you tithe. I don't think that it's your dilema. That blood is no way on your hands imo.

(I know! You could fudge all of their equipment constantly malfunctions! - lol)

[Guest LCPGUY]

i think that if you are not directly involved in the repair of abortion clinic machinery, then you are not involved. what your client does in his business is between him and God.

what exactly is the nature of your business relationship, if i might ask?

Lady,

I am their computer/technology/network guy. I maintain their computers and write business related programs for them. I also build them computers from time to time, but the bulk of my work is programming.

Your Brother in Him,

John

[artsylady]

I am their computer/technology/network guy.

My husband does that same kind of techy stuff. Don't ask me for any more detail than that though, 'cause that's all i got to say about that!

[godrulz]

Motive is a key to virtue or vice.

Fish live like fish, and dogs live like dogs. We are in the world, but not of the world. We cannot expect a sinner to act like a Christian (music, lifestyle, etc.). Is there a way to be in the world without compromising? If someone listens to bad music we are not guilty for that.

There are no black and white answers. We need principles based on wisdom and character. Conscience is only as good as we inform it with truth vs flesh.

Prayer, Word, wise counsel may help us make these difficult decisions. God will be faithful to open doors, but maybe we are to eat with sinners and be a witness without condoning sin or compromising our convictions.