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Originally Posted by YourHumbleNarrator  You're harboring Jews in Nazi Germany. A soldier knocks on your door and asks whether there are any Jews in your home. Telling the truth means innocent people die. What are you going to do? |
You are providing me with more and more questions which I find myslef unprepared to answer. I need your guidance !
But I'll give it a try.
In this case, it seems that the Nazis have modified the meaning of the English (or German) language. If I say "I cannot tell you that", they will immediately understand that THERE ARE jews, and they will come and kill them. Therefore, it is impossible not to answer "YES" without lying. Answering NO (and lying), is the only way I can avoid answering yes, cause any other diversion would be interpreted as an yes. I would probably answer no, and if I could, kill all the Nazis afterward.
On the other hand, as I said, lying perpetuates the need for lying. If everybody would refuse to lie to save the jews, then the jews would need to become better warriors to defend themselves. They would most likely fail and die, but still, lying to protect them only justifies the fact that they are not strong enough to protect themselves, and therefore (maybe) weakens them in this way.
telling that "there are no jews here" is EQUIVALENT to saying "You will not kill the jews that are here". Only that, the later would obviously not be successful, therefore I would choose the first phrase.
But in a situation where there is freedom of speech, I would tell the truth.
OK, now it is YOUR turn.
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Originally Posted by vMike I think aligning yourself with the principles of truth and peace literally at all times is merely foolish and naive. |
It seems to work for Gandhi in a very practical way.