The Tendency to Turn All Sorts of Things into Ethical Matters

[Ken]

So if a violent thief points a gun at you and says your money or your life you the moral thing to do is to give your life. The immoral thing is to hand over your wallet?

Or if he goes to steal your car etc. Surely it is not moral to ransom your own life but not another's.

That hardly stands to reason. I agree with Ernie.

Actually, the more accurate equivalent would be if a violent thief points a gun at your young daughter's head and asked for your wallet.

[Josh]

So if a violent thief points a gun at you and says your money or your life you the moral thing to do is to give your life. The immoral thing is to hand over your wallet?

Or if he goes to steal your car etc. Surely it is not moral to ransom your own life but not another's.

That hardly stands to reason. I agree with Ernie.

Actually, the more accurate equivalent would be if a violent thief points a gun at your young daughter's head and asked for your wallet.

Would you give them $17 million? You seem to think it’s somehow ethically justified to fund and arm violent criminals. I don’t think missionaries and missionary organisations should do this.

[Ken]

So if a violent thief points a gun at you and says your money or your life you the moral thing to do is to give your life. The immoral thing is to hand over your wallet?

Or if he goes to steal your car etc. Surely it is not moral to ransom your own life but not another's.

That hardly stands to reason. I agree with Ernie.

Actually, the more accurate equivalent would be if a violent thief points a gun at your young daughter's head and asked for your wallet.

Would you give them $17 million? You seem to think it’s somehow ethically justified to fund and arm violent criminals. I don’t think missionaries and missionary organisations should do this.

I don't have $17 million. But I would do my best to raise $1 million if my wife and child were being held captive by criminals in a foreign country and that was what it was going to take to get them freed.

[Josh]

Actually, the more accurate equivalent would be if a violent thief points a gun at your young daughter's head and asked for your wallet.

Would you give them $17 million? You seem to think it’s somehow ethically justified to fund and arm violent criminals. I don’t think missionaries and missionary organisations should do this.

I don't have $17 million. But I would do my best to raise $1 million if my wife and child were being held captive by criminals in a foreign country and that was what it was going to take to get them freed.

If it meant a million dollars in the pockets of people who will use that money to hurt and oppress other people’s wives and children, no, I wouldn’t do that.

[ken_sylvania]

Would you give them $17 million? You seem to think it’s somehow ethically justified to fund and arm violent criminals. I don’t think missionaries and missionary organisations should do this.

I don't have $17 million. But I would do my best to raise $1 million if my wife and child were being held captive by criminals in a foreign country and that was what it was going to take to get them freed.

If it meant a million dollars in the pockets of people who will use that money to hurt and oppress other people’s wives and children, no, I wouldn’t do that.

Would you give your wallet if demanded by a thief under threat of violence?

[Josh]

I don't have $17 million. But I would do my best to raise $1 million if my wife and child were being held captive by criminals in a foreign country and that was what it was going to take to get them freed.

If it meant a million dollars in the pockets of people who will use that money to hurt and oppress other people’s wives and children, no, I wouldn’t do that.

Would you give your wallet if demanded by a thief under threat of violence?

It would depend on what’s in the wallet. Back when I lived in places where mugging was somewhat normal, I didn’t carry cash with me, and neither did many other people.

[ken_sylvania]

If it meant a million dollars in the pockets of people who will use that money to hurt and oppress other people’s wives and children, no, I wouldn’t do that.

Would you give your wallet if demanded by a thief under threat of violence?

It would depend on what’s in the wallet. Back when I lived in places where mugging was somewhat normal, I didn’t carry cash with me, and neither did many other people.

If there was $10.00 in the wallet?

[Ernie]

If there was $10.00 in the wallet?

Depending on the quality of the wallet, the wallet itself may be worth at least $2.

[Josh]

Would you give your wallet if demanded by a thief under threat of violence?

It would depend on what’s in the wallet. Back when I lived in places where mugging was somewhat normal, I didn’t carry cash with me, and neither did many other people.

If there was $10.00 in the wallet?

It would depend on the effect on my fellow man of giving $10.00 to a violent criminal would be. Part of being our brother’s keeper and loving our neighbour means not funding and arming violence.

$1,000,000 in Haiti and $10 in DC are very different situations. Discernment and good stewardship are called for.

[Ernie]

In that case, am I understanding you to say that the amount we give to others' demands in a particular situation is on a spectrum?
At one end of the spectrum it may be ethical. At the other end it is unethical?
And at some place in the middle of the scale it gets really gray? And it would take wisdom or Spirit guidance to know what to do?
Or is the point on the scale very black and white from your vantage point?