Ethics question

[Tenka]

Yes, I would dress the wounds. However, that enemy solider isn't going against the law and me helping the soldier isn't helping him break more laws.

Wait, you would aid a man actively involved in trying to destroy or conquer your country but not an illegal immigrant or prostitute?
By your previous logic, isn't helping him condoning and assisting his attack of your nation?

Helping people is good, but if helping them makes it easier and gives them more of an excuse to do wrong and encourages others because they know they will get help, is it really a good thing? I don't think so.

The examples I gave aren't simply helping people, the assistance could well be saving their lives.
What they do with that life is not your responsibility, you aren't helping them commit crimes, you are preserving their life and health.

It may not be our problem w/ enforcing the law, but it is our responsibility to do what is in our power to uphold the law.

In what way do you have a responsibility to uphold the law? When a militia is formed?
You have a duty to adhere to the laws of your country, to follow them. You don't commit a crime yourself by leaving jugs of water in the desert or by distributing condoms.

 

[DailyBlessings]

Though I do not see those situations as at all comparable (I don't think immigration should be illegal in the first place, in the "Land of the Free") In both cases the actions are both commendable. Refusing to help someone out when they are in need will not turn them their sin, it will just hurt everyone concerned.

 

[DailyBlessings]

This one I'm torn on. I think the more appropriate response would be for me to help these women find a better job, and help them in whatever way I can. Giving them condoms may help them have "safe" sex, but it's also condoning what they do and does not assist with the root problem.

Well, why can't you do both? Helping someone out is not condoning their lifestyle, it's just helping them out. I don't think we really have the right, as fellow sinners, to decide who deserves our aid.

 

[Erock83]

What do you think of leaving food and water for illegal border crossers from Mexico? or distributing condoms to prostitutes working illegally?

Well I live in Phoenix AZ, and the border is hotly debated for obvious reason. If you are not for the SW or not even form the good ol’ USofA I’ll be first to tell you that cities like PHX have been, are, and will continue to be built on the back of migrant labor. We should be thanking these wonderful selfless people, not trying to be hateful to them. Secondly in PHX the un-employment is floating around .7% to 1.2%, the majority of SW cities are the same way. There is no lack of Jobs and migrants legal or otherwise are not a threat to jobs, period. I’m living proof of that I work 7 days a week open to close, I simply can’t find help, yet there are people with enough hate that would tell you there is a problem. Sure lets round them all up and deport them all, and watch the economy of the SW take a header that would make the stock market crash of 1929 look like a small natural correction.

One Love.

 

[Lilly of the Valley]

Wait, you would aid a man actively involved in trying to destroy or conquer your country but not an illegal immigrant or prostitute?
By your previous logic, isn't helping him condoning and assisting his attack of your nation?

The examples I gave aren't simply helping people, the assistance could well be saving their lives.
What they do with that life is not your responsibility, you aren't helping them commit crimes, you are preserving their life and health.

In what way do you have a responsibility to uphold the law? When a militia is formed?
You have a duty to adhere to the laws of your country, to follow them. You don't commit a crime yourself by leaving jugs of water in the desert or by distributing condoms.

There are various causes for war...not just destroy or conqure.

Perhaps it isn't a crime, but it does encourage the people to do the crimes. They know they will get provision in doing what they ought not do. If someone was murdering people, and they were hungry and needed to eat a quick meal to kill more folks, you'd give them food to help them in killing folks?

 

[Yusuf Evans]

Well, why can't you do both? Helping someone out is not condoning their lifestyle, it's just helping them out. I don't think we really have the right, as fellow sinners, to decide who deserves our aid.

Giving a prostitute a condom is not giving aid to anyone. I offered to help them with doing something better besides living on the streets hooking. There's a difference. Notice on my response when I said I would give the illegal immigrants water and bread? I also said I would help wounded enemy combatants in wartime.

 

[Tenka]

There are various causes for war...not just destroy or conqure.

Example? what scenario do you envisage in which a foreign nation conducts a just and legal war on yours?

Perhaps it isn't a crime, but it does encourage the people to do the crimes. They know they will get provision in doing what they ought not do.

Look at it this way, immigrants dying in the desert and being arrested doesn't discourage them from trying. Women contracting AIDS, herpes etc. and spreading it is not discouraging them from continuing to work that way.
It is not the policy in my country to let people die because they are doing something they shouldn't be doing. We even send the SES (state emergency service) to rescue base jumpers who get caught on cliffs where they aren't supposed to be jumping.

If someone was murdering people, and they were hungry and needed to eat a quick meal to kill more folks, you'd give them food to help them in killing folks?

Like an enemy soldier?
I specifically listed the two original examples because they didn't pose a threat to others. You have changed the premise, it is no longer the same situation.

Giving a prostitute a condom is not giving aid to anyone.

Rubbish, you help prevent them contracting any number of diseases that simply. You only have to look to Brasil to see what effect it can have.

I offered to help them with doing something better besides living on the streets hooking. There's a difference.

Yes, one is realistic the other isn't. While I appreciate your compassion you can't fix everyone's lives, but you can help improve many.

 

[morningstar2651]

What do you think of leaving food and water for illegal border crossers from Mexico? or distributing condoms to prostitutes working illegally?

It sounds pretty impractical to me.

Why feed just an immigrant? Why give condoms to prostitutes only?

 

[Yusuf Evans]

Yes, one is realistic the other isn't. While I appreciate your compassion you can't fix everyone's lives, but you can help improve many.

I can at least try without compromising my Faith.

 

[ebia]

Are we not called to help our enemies? Are we not called to visit those in prison? I don't remember any caveat to those instructions.

Of course it's never hard to find an excuse for not doing the loving thing.

 

[kopilo]

Giving money to a homeless person vs. giving money/ help to someone who is commitings crimes is a different story.

That wasn't the point... as I said I have trouble explaining it..

However would you help an injured soilder if it was illegal and also if it was illegal for that soilder to exists in your country?

 

[ImmortalTechnique]

for instance- the founding fathers and the revolutionary army were all criminals- was it wrong for colonists (British citizens under British law) to help these soldiers, providing them with quartering, food, and being involved in making musket balls, guns, etc?

 

[Tenka]

It sounds pretty impractical to me.

Why feed just an immigrant? Why give condoms to prostitutes only?

Because that's who we are talking about in this thread.

I can at least try without compromising my Faith.

Could you explain that a little? I'm at a loss as to how it would adversely affect faith.

 

[JulySheMustFly]

Nothing wrong with either.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

Could you explain that a little? I'm at a loss as to how it would adversely affect faith.

It's called encouragement of the sin, and that is not a Christian deal. Christ not once encouraged sinners to maintain their lifestyle, but told them to give it up and follow him. He did it for the rich and the poor. The sinner and the saint. Those that followed him gave up their ways. Those that did not, lost their lives.