Ethics and Religion Talk: When May I Stray from My Tradition's Moral Code?

I occasionally come across stories of saints, prophets, and other religious figures of note who seem to break from the moral codes we are taught to obey. Some say that they are allowed to do such for a higher purpose. I’m wondering if the panel could pose an example from their religion and offer an explanation that makes sense to them.

Linda Knieriemen, Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Holland, responds:

Stray from the moral codes for a higher purpose… yes.

A Presbyterian curriculum a few years ago on the Ten Commandments was titled “Love Carved in Stone”. In my faith tradition we believe these laws were given to a loose band of ancient Israelites as a gift to guide them in becoming a community of love: love of self, family, community, God.

Their purpose was not to create a measuring stick against which those who disobey must be punished by a vengeful God. The commandment “Honor your father and mother” SHOULD NOT be followed by a child told by a parent to keep sexual abuse a secret. Love of self requires self preservation.

Anyone sheltering a Jewish family against the Nazi’s SHOULD lie about who is crouching in their secret attic room. The law of love requires preserving a life.

It is be morally justifiable for a mother to steal a loaf of bread for her starving child. As an act of love the storekeeper should give her a carton of milk as well and refer her to a food pantry! 

Jesus’ requirement to love self, neighbor, God above all else is the highest moral code. 

Father Kevin Niehoff, O.P., a Dominican priest who serves as Judicial Vicar, Diocese of Grand Rapids, responds:

All human beings have faults and failings. The Roman Catholic tradition includes five saints who were notorious sinners beginning with Saint Matthew (the Gospel writer). Remember that Jesus asked Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him, and he converted from his waywardness. Saint Dimas was the “good thief” crucified with Jesus, moved by his repentance, and told him, “you will be with me in paradise.” Saint August was a notorious adulterer. Through the intercession of his mother, Saint Monica, he chose to be baptized and change his ways. Saint Pelagia was known as a “loose woman” who somehow heard the message of God, repented, was baptized, and later became a nun. Finally, Saint Mary of Egypt was a seductress who changed her heart when she visited the Holy City of Jerusalem, repented, and reunited with the Church.

The message is not that the saints demonstrate profound sinning after their conversion. They were sinners before the Word of God touched their hearts and minds. I take great relief knowing that anyone may repent and reconcile a relationship with God and the promise of eternity in the Kingdom of God.

The Rev. Sandra Nikkel, head pastor of Conklin Reformed Church, responds:

Yes, there are instances when we can break away from the moral codes that we normally follow, but we need to be careful that we don't use the examples of saints and prophets who have done this, as an excuse to break our code of ethics and morals whenever we feel like doing it. 

This should not only be done for a higher purpose, but always for the glory of God. A clear example would be when the midwives of Egypt lied to Pharaoh about the reason the baby boys being born were not being killed as he had instructed them to do: "The midwives answered Pharaoh, ‘Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.’So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own." (Exodus 1:19-21).

God is a God of truth and he wants his children to speak truth. However, when the truth collides with a higher truth we're called to live by, we can break that sub code of ethics for the Higher one. Because the midwives feared God and knew that God would not approve of the killing of these babies, they chose to lie to pharaoh instead of going against what God had had previously established. As a result Moses was saved and used by God to deliver Egypt from slavery.   

Fred Stella, the Pracharak (Outreach Minister) for the West Michigan Hindu Temple, responds:

Hinduism does in fact acknowledge that highly evolved devotees are able to dismiss mores and social conventions for a higher purpose. This is doctrine can certainly be abused. And it has. More than a few gullible disciples of a teacher have fallen victim to abuse (often sexual) due to an overly bloated sense of entitlement. 

A more refined way of teaching is to be the example needed for those one teaches, even if one has evolved beyond the need to maintain the current moral codes. Lord Krishna says in Chapter III of the Bhagavad Gita, “What the wise choose the unwise people take; what best men do the multitude will follow. “

That said, occasionally the need to accomplish a good might take an unconventional turn. There is a story of a guru who was approached by distraught parents. Their son had taken up with a prostitute. He also started drinking heavily. They pleaded with the guru to help reform their son. The preceptor agreed. Weeks later the parents were quite confused. It seems that instead of admonishing their son for his behavior, the guru, upon visiting the son, merely mocked him. He couldn’t believe that the young man was keeping company with such an ugly woman. The guru then recommended someone else in her trade who was much more lovely. And how could he drink such cheap liquor? The guru promised him that funds would be secured so that he could afford more elegant spirits.  

I will cut to the chase and end by saying that the young man ultimately renounces his vices and enters the ashram of the guru as he now wishes to seek unending happiness in God.

This column answers questions of Ethics and Religion by submitting them to a multi-faith panel of spiritual leaders in the Grand Rapids area. We’d love to hear about the ordinary ethical questions that come up in the course of your day as well as any questions of religion that you’ve wondered about. Tell us how you resolved an ethical dilemma and see how members of the Ethics and Religion Talk panel would have handled the same situation. Please send your questions to [email protected].