Ok – it’s been a little over a week but here’s another ethical debate… and as mum requested I’ve made this one more likely to impact upon our lives [sic]
The sheriff in a southern town is guarding the courthouse against a mob that is about to storm it by force, in order to capture a black prisoner and lynch him even before his trial. If the mob is frustrated, many people may be killed in the ensuing riot. Should the sheriff deliver the prisoner to the mob?
Andy Hoyland
4 Responses to “Almost Weekly Ethical Debate 2”
Ali Johnson
February 3, 2010
No. He should go out and say take my life instead of this mans!
Kate
February 3, 2010
Well clearly no. That would be unjust.
And justice is important. And I think God thinks so too.
Andy Hoyland
February 3, 2010
Hmmmm… you both seem to have forgotten the important question here. If a tree falls over in a forest and there’s no one around to hear it does it still fall over?
Jonny Evans
February 4, 2010
Andy,
Cheesy Christian-don’t-follow-me-follow-Jesus-bumper-stick-type-person response is: God would be in the forest to hear it… so it does still fall over! hehe
I like Ali’s response, although I’d be concerned that they’d kill the man anyway once they’d kill me… so I’d probably try to defend him.
Anyone ever see Costner’s Wyatt Earp film (clevery named “Wyatt Earp”). He has this exact problem and his response was awesome. I’d quite like to respond in that way – partly because I’ve always wanted to be a cowboy.