Situation Ethics

[Guest]

I would like to see some responses to some hypothetical situations. One is a classic.

Situation One

Picture yourself as a Christian in Nazi Germany. Jews are being rounded up and taken to camps. You have decided to take a Jewish family under your protection, by hiding them in your home. There is a knock at your door. You open it and see it is the Gestapo, doing a sweep of your neighborhood. The man in charge asks you:

[ayin jade]

Ok, I will bite.

Situation 1

We are to obey the law of man except where it conflicts with the word of God. Saying yes would mean the death of those Jews in your home, therefor it would go against Gods word.

I would lie to save the Jews in my home. Even if it was a sin, I would still lie to protect life.

Situation 2

You didnt have the option I would have taken. Which is to encourage the friend to tell her parents, to encourage her to stop having sex, and maybe ask an adult for advice.

Situation 3

I would try and convince the girl to tell her parents and to stop having sex or to let me tell them. I would take on the roll of a mentor of sorts. Failing that, as a parent, I would probably rat on the girl, unless I had promised my daughter that I wouldnt.

Situation 4

First, I wouldnt have promised quite the way that you posted it. I would have worded my promise in a way that I would also have a loophole to report a crime, and with the child knowing that its a loophole. My promise would likely have been not to talk without the childs permission too. I would convince the child that its important to tell about this, and show the child why such a thing isnt the childs fault. I would get the child to therapy, and hope that the therapist would uncover what happened so that it would be reported .... see that is why your phrasing isnt something I would have done. By your phrasing, I couldnt even take the kid to therapy to heal him out of concern that it would lead to breaking of my promise that no action on my part would hurt the abuser. I would probably also go to the abuser, try not to cause him bodily harm, and tell him in no uncertain terms that he better quit his job there, and not harm another child, to get therapy for himself.

In the last 3 situations you posted, the key thing is to communicate. By talking things through, you can usually convince someone to get the help they need.

[nebula]

I would probably also go to the abuser, try not to cause him bodily harm, ....

Sorry, but I had to chuckle at that.

Gotta admit, it is honest, though.

[mrs]

Is it ever right to lie?

I mean frankly if someone asked where my sister was with intent to kill her I would lie....but are we supposed to?

[Guest]

Is it ever right to lie?

I mean frankly if someone asked where my sister was with intent to kill her I would lie....but are we supposed to?

That is, I believe, the whole point of this situation - to put you in the position of having to choose between lying, a sin, and protecing innocent life. I could make lots of comments on this concept, but I am interested in seeing how others might deal with these situations and see what reasons they give for their choices, especially if they can find strong scriptural support for those the choices they make. I don't want to poison the well here, with my thinking.

[Marnie]

Situation One:

Lie. I wouldn't think twice about it. Them I'd ask for forgiveness after.

Situation Two:

I'd suggest she stop; tell her it's a bad idea. Beyond that..I'd be tempted to rat her out to her parents. But, I dunno, she'd likely deny it to them and they'd believe her, naturally. And be out one friend. There's no way to come out ahead on this one.

Situation Three:

I am the mother of the girl who was confided in, right? That's tough, because it's technically hearsay. How do I know the kid isn't telling tales to impress my daughter? Kids lie all the time about things. However, what I'd likely do is have a heart to heart with my daughter, explain my expectations of her, why her friend's behavior, if true, is wrong and dangerous and encourage her to talk to her friend, remain her friend, but practice good sense and don't do what she's doing. To be honest, my daughter and her welfare is my primary concern.

Situation Four:

Being the PARENT in this situation, I would NOT promise a 12 year old anything like what you posted. That's ridiculous. You never give your child the "upper hand" in any situation. And my son would be raised knowing that. He would also be raised knowing that he could confide in me or his father anything because we are his parents and he has nothing to fear from his parents.

[Guest man]

1. I'd lie to anyone to save a life.

2. E other.....I'd tell her I wouldn't say anything, but if anybody asks....

3. E other.....I'd talk to her about the sin side of what was happening with her friend and then we'd have a long talk about Venereal Disease.

4. Going to the cops is the only option. Then I'd call every parent that had a child who had contact with that person.

[patricia1]

situation one:

absoulutely say No I do not have jews in my house...being ready to suffer any consequence.

situation two:

invite the girl for dinner and have us all sit down to have a sex talk. (with my daughter too) The girl can be lying to look cool (which many 16 yrs old do) My first concren is her physical safety and second is the rape issue.

situation three: same as above

situation four:

has already happened...I let the pastor handle it. Parents had no idea and it was a school teacher.

16 yr old children do not have the reasoning power nor ability to make just judgements.

When God talks about liars not getting imto heaven He is dicussing a 'lying heart'.

If i accidently kill someone in self defense or defending my daughter do I have a murderous heart? No!

[Openly Curious]

I would like to see some responses to some hypothetical situations. One is a classic.

Situation One

Picture yourself as a Christian in Nazi Germany. Jews are being rounded up and taken to camps. You have decided to take a Jewish family under your protection, by hiding them in your home. There is a knock at your door. You open it and see it is the Gestapo, doing a sweep of your neighborhood. The man in charge asks you:

[jesussaves]

#1. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a clever answer that would satisfy the question without lying. While the scripture below applies to the persecution of the church, we can still ask the Lord to give us what to say when we need such help. He could even blind the eyes of the Nazi to the Jew he might be looking at right in the room. Our God is able to deliver us out of temptations the enemy will try to trap us in. ..but if we do sin...He is faithul and just to forgive if we confess it to Him. His mercy is new every morning.

Luke 21

14Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

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#2. I don't know what I would do other than pray for my friend and have a talk with my parents and ask their advice.

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#3. After regaining my own composure...going to the Lord and crying out my heart to Him, asking Him to give me the right attitude and words...put my arms around my daughter, tell her I love her and want only the best for her. Then open up our Bibles together and studying what the Lord has to say on the subject...let her know the Lord loves her and only wants the best for her even more than I do...pray together.

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#4. DO NOT break your promise to your child...but DO go to the youth pastor WITH the pastor.

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These are real situations many parents are faced with everyday. The temptation to fall apart may smack some in the face. Satan is out to steel, kill and destroy...cling to Jesus! But please know, if you do fall apart...the Lord will pick you up and bring healing to all involved. His love and mercy are unfailing.