Would you break your word to do the right thing? Why?

Nifty graphic Sharon. Thank you for your reply! :)

Thatta girl.  

I don't know about that.  If you are not going to keep your word then I think why would you even have given it?  If we don't follow through then we lose the trust of others.  Would you depend on someone you know you can't trust? 

Events change, things happen.   Keeping one's word is important, however we can't control the universe, and there is nothing wrong with modification. 

But we think we are going to modify then to me we don't give our word!   Of course things change and circumstances change but we owe it to those we pledge ourselves to give them the best of us.  So even if the relationship does not work out at least we will have acted honorably towards them.  Otherwise (as I just observed to Sharon)  our word is always subject to our whims of the moment and cannot be taken seriously. 

We are human beings, all of us flawed.   No matter our intentions at the time, we may give our word only to realize that circumstances have since changed beyond our control.   Or perhaps we learned something new since giving our word.    It sounds as if you are basing your replies on a specific incident or incidents.    In a perfect world, we know it all, we can predict future events.  The reality is though, we do not and we cannot.    It's okay to be human, flaws and all.  And, it's okay to make mistakes, even mistakes in judgement.  It's also okay for someone to change their mind. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at December 3, 2018 7:55 PM MST

All of which I agree with completely. Then knowing that why would we as responsible adults even choose to give our word?  If we think we cannot keep it then by giving it we are acting dishonorably. 

Perhaps at the time our good intentions lead us to believe we can follow through with whatever our word was.   As time passes, events change or perhaps we learn something new which changes the way the scenario would play out.  

I can give an example:   Before my dad died, I promised him and mom that my leech brother would not move into their home after he's gone. I suspected that he would try to worm his way in. At that time both parents were relieved and agreed he would not ever live there.     Two months after he died, my mom called to inform me that guess who would be moving in?  Yep, my brother.      My intentions were good and honorable. I meant every word that I said.  Both parents at the time were in agreement. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at December 3, 2018 9:10 AM MST

Does not sound like you really have any control over that turn of events.  Your mother decided to let him in unilaterally and since it was hers you had no say in the matter.  Not sure why they thought that should be your responsibility. I don't see that you broke your word at all unless they expected you would physically prevent him from returning.  Which is too much to expect of anyone. 

Well I can see that some men then would certainly accuse us of having convenience morals. 

I don't believe this is a battle of the sexes thing, and I don't believe in "convenience morals" in this case.  That is sad.   Oh well, time to go work out.   

I was thinking specifically of former president George H. W. Bush who said "read my lips. no new taxes". Yet he did raise taxes to reduce the debt which was the right thing to do. However it is said that he lost his bid for re-election because he did the right thing. Go figger! Thank you for your reply lavender and Happy Tuesday! :)

If you give your word, and you think it is unbreakable, then you are saying you know more than anyone else about what you pledged your word for.

If I give my word to serve someone who I find out is flawed and dangerous?  I take it back.  I was WRONG.

I admit the truth and I apologize and explain to anyone who is involved why I broke my word.

Allegiance is only honorable if you pledge your word to something that matters and is for the good of all including you.

We are human.  We need to keep our word.  I am not saying this lightly.  But to just do it like a sheep, puts you in that category as well.

All reasons to be careful and carefully consider before giving our word!   If you are giving your word just to save your ass then you are not giving it truly or honorably.  If you break your word to save your ass then you are demonstrating that the responsibility you have to others is not important at all to you unless you are deriving something from it yourself.  And that you can alter and change it based upon what you deem good for you at the moment.  What kind of morality is that but the morality of convenience? 

In thinking about this subject I wonder if the main reason we choose to give our word is that we want people like and accept us.  To make connections. So if such connections do not result then we feel it is OK for us to take it back. because the honor is not so important to us as whether or not the connection is made.