Personal Ethics vs. Profit

[JcM]

In the course of this modern life, there is a line for believers between what is undebatable christian morality, and what is debatable personal conviction. At what point does the value of a potential job outweigh personal ethics? In other words, in light of a very profitable (legal) job, what personal ethics do you feel can be re-evaluated, and possible changed, and which cannot?

 

[Mike]

This is very vague. Are you afraid to talk specifics for some reason? You might get more feedback if you're able to give some details.

It's tough, especially in this economy, to think of stepping down or turning down an offer when a dilemma arises. I worked for a company that was headed toward doing research in another country on embryonic stem cells. I knew if they took that step, I would have a big decision to make. Even though I was no where near it or in the same division, my company would be involved with something against my set of beliefs. Fortunately, I was led to a new opportunity before that ever came to be. :biglol

I believe it would show tremendous devotion to the Lord to turn something down in spite of the employment issues all around us. I guess I jumped and drew the conclusion that you live in the U.S.

It would help to have more details.

mjjcb

 

[JcM]

Thanks for response, mjjcb, and for your advice to make my post a little less vague. Yes, I'm American.

Yes, I was intentionally vague about the specifics, because I'm thinking through the idea of ethics in general more than I am facing a certain situation. I am likely about to go into a media profession, and am puzzling through the hows and whys of christian ethics. We all choose our principles and out moral standings one way or the other, and as christians, presumably based upon the teachings of Jesus. But there is often no direct correlation between His teachings and the actual facts of our ethical dilemmas. I have spoken to several people in the past few years who have really had to weigh their ethics in one side and the potential for personal loss or gain in the other. And I know of many instances where the person has chosen to change their perspective- to change the way they approached it entirely. It is because of these things that I am sort of pre-thinking the idea of that probability. Some things are easy to call, but other things fall into that vast, sort of gray area that can really only be defined by the way we perceive it.

I guess what I'm looking for is the essence of that struggle. When must we stand on our preconceived morals, and when must we decide that they are not the best way to believe? What kinds of thoughts are important ones in considering such an ethical dilemma?

 

[Caroline H]

Thoughts concerning the overall character of God would be most helpful. The Bible doesn't address many of our modern concerns for obvious reasons, but I don't think that necessarily means it doesn't have the answers we need. Not only that, but when we earnestly pray and seek God's will in any situation, I know that he will show us the way that he wants us to go. Even if you prethink out what you would do in any given situation that you can conceive for the future, life always throws us curve balls, and the right course of action would most certainly be to dig into the Bible and pray until your heart bursts to get God's answer.

Welcome to the site by the way