Skyler
Puritan Board Graduate
During the recent discussion on the Bible's condemnation of lying universally or situationally, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the population of the board seemed relatively evenly divided as to whether or not lying was in fact condemned universally.
With that in mind, I have a question for those who hold that lying is always wrong.
Matthew Henry's commentary on 1st Samuel 21--specifically the last portion, where David pretends to have gone mad in order to escape from Achish's men--suggests that his action was excusable because it was a military tactic. My question is, what sort of deceptive "military tactics" (if any) are permitted, and when? Only during times of war, or are they acceptable during times of peace in certain situations?
The specific example I'm thinking of would be the US Witness Protection Program. Is it right or wrong for witnesses to assume a new identity and effectively pretend to be someone they're not?
Sorry about creating another legalistic "right or wrong" thread, but it's an ethical dilemma I'm running into in one of my storylines. And I want to know what the "right" thing to do would be so as to properly administer consequences.
With that in mind, I have a question for those who hold that lying is always wrong.
Matthew Henry's commentary on 1st Samuel 21--specifically the last portion, where David pretends to have gone mad in order to escape from Achish's men--suggests that his action was excusable because it was a military tactic. My question is, what sort of deceptive "military tactics" (if any) are permitted, and when? Only during times of war, or are they acceptable during times of peace in certain situations?
The specific example I'm thinking of would be the US Witness Protection Program. Is it right or wrong for witnesses to assume a new identity and effectively pretend to be someone they're not?
Sorry about creating another legalistic "right or wrong" thread, but it's an ethical dilemma I'm running into in one of my storylines. And I want to know what the "right" thing to do would be so as to properly administer consequences.