Most people think they have a good handle on their ethics, and could make the right decision in crucial matters, or "it will all work itself out."
It surprised me recently how some answered the following scenario. Listening for self-preservation over self-sacrifice, utilitarianism and relativism over ontological Christian ethics. In the scenario below, was the Captain wrong?
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In 1842, a ship struck an iceberg and more than 30 survivors were crowded into a lifeboat intended to hold seven. As a storm threatened, it became obvious that the lifeboat would have to be lightened if anyone were to survive. The captain reasoned that the right thing to do in this situation was to force some individuals to go over the side and drown. Such an action, he reasoned, was not unjust to those thrown overboard, for they would have drowned anyway.
If he did nothing, however, he would be responsible for the deaths of those whom he could have saved. Some people opposed the captain’s decision. They claimed that if nothing were done and everyone died as a result, no one would be responsible for these deaths.
On the other hand, if the captain attempted to save some, he could do so only by killing others and their deaths would be his responsibility; this would be worse than doing nothing and letting all die. The captain rejected this reasoning.
Since the only possibility for rescue required great efforts in rowing, the captain decided that the weakest would have to be sacrificed. In this situation it would be absurd, he thought, to decide by drawing lots who should be thrown overboard. The captain made the decision of who was left behind so that others could survive.
As it turned out, after days of hard rowing, the remaining survivors were rescued and the captain was tried for his action.
Most people think they have a good handle on their ethics, and could make the right decision in crucial matters, or "it will all work itself out."
It surprised me recently how some answered the following scenario. Listening for self-preservation over self-sacrifice, utilitarianism and relativism over ontological Christian ethics. In the scenario below, was the Captain wrong?
It's interesting to note he must of thought himself to be of great importance because he didn't consider casting his self over board to help the others.
It's interesting to note he must of thought himself to be of great importance because he didn't consider casting his self over board to help the others.
Some of the answers:
1) He was the Captain, knew the waters best, and was the best chance of survival for the remaining survivors (though that doesn't explain the crew)
As the story has it, this was pre-planned, and when they knew it had to be done, the crew executed the orders -- through a brother and sister overboard, and the other sister who demanded to suffer the fate of her siblings as well.
The jury gave the defendant six months of jail, while even many extolled his heroism. There certainly is not black and white here, but which is most correctly in-line with Christian principle?
Has anyone seen the movie Sophie's Choice (Meryl Streep)?
It's based on the novel by William Styron. Streep plays a polish woman sent to the Auschwitz death camp. On arrival, she is "honored" for not being a Jew by being allowed a choice: One of her children will be spared the gas chamber if she chooses which one.
Abraham is often accused of not trusting in God when he lied about Sarai being his sister. In fact, he did this at least twice.
In Jeffrey's example, the movie, Sophie's Choice, Sophie lies about her faith and her Jewishness in order to save the life of her family. Is this acceptable? If telling a lie will save your life, should you? Does it depend what the lie is?
Regarding the boat, I assume I might have explained the situation and asked for volunteers, but that would have meant some committed suicide to save others. On the other hand, everyone might have taken turns in the water yet connected to the boat, or someone might have been tossed overboard during the storm. I'm not sure the captain was wrong, but he had a horrific decision to make, definitely. No choice would have been easy for him or those watching.
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Originally Posted by Jeffrey
In Jeffrey's example, the movie, Sophie's Choice, Sophie lies about her faith and her Jewishness in order to save the life of her family. Is this acceptable? If telling a lie will save your life, should you? Does it depend what the lie is?
If someone denied their Christianity to save their family's lives, would that be acceptable? How many martyrs are extolled for refusing to deny Jesus and being killed as a result? How many times have we been warned that if we deny Christ, He'll deny us? Yet I've wondered... if saying you're a Christian means getting killed, isn't that statement kind of suicidal? If your profession means others will die, is that murder? I don't know the answer to your questions.
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What we make of the Bible will never be as great a thing as what the Bible will - if we let it - make of us.~Rich Mullins
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.~Galileo Galilei
Anyone else want to weigh in? If you were on the jury, how would you respond to the charges of homicide brought against the Capt?
I would hope the jury would hear good instructions from the judge, regarding special circumstances as allowed by law. I don't know what those provisions are specifically, but I'm pretty sure this kind of thing (though less dramatic) comes up in criminal cases quite often. (Baron, where are you?!)
But the thread is about Christian ethics, not law. I think under Christian ethics, a.k.a. morality, as found in God's word, the captain sinned. He broke the commandment thou shalt not kill. If all he had to go by was the Bible, that is. On the other hand, he could have asked God what he should do. Maybe he did! God tells people to do lots of different things that seem to go against things in the Bible. He even did that in the Bible!
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Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I would hope the jury would hear good instructions from the judge, regarding special circumstances as allowed by law. I don't know what those provisions are specifically, but I'm pretty sure this kind of thing (though less dramatic) comes up in criminal cases quite often. (Baron, where are you?!)
But the thread is about Christian ethics, not law. I think under Christian ethics, a.k.a. morality, as found in God's word, the captain sinned. He broke the commandment thou shalt not kill. If all he had to go by was the Bible, that is. On the other hand, he could have asked God what he should do. Maybe he did! God tells people to do lots of different things that seem to go against things in the Bible. He even did that in the Bible!
It sounds to me like the captain was damned if he did and damned if he didn't because no matter what he did he would kill people.
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, but what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?
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