Breaking the law to do good

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Kathrin

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There was a post somewhere on these boards about breaking the law and whether it is always a sin or not. And somebody mentioned (as I have heard it said before) that since our lawgivers are in some way appointed by God, obeying them is really also obeying God.
Now, how about little bitty exceptions?
Ok, this is my example: I was trying to look for an injured pigeon at the train station and so I fed the birds some crumbs. I was told by security that it was strictly forbidden to feed the birds and that I would have to accept that or take the consequences. I tried to explain about the injured one, and they said it’s just about the principle (it makes a mess, there is a disease, etc). They made me say ok and then nodded and left.
A week later I see a skinny little pigeon at the station, and it crawls into a corner. I think it’s a young one who can’t properly fly yet. Just to try if it will come out, I use to little crumbs. It stays back there. I put some water in a little plastic thingy for it and decide to check on it the next day.
Have I broken the law, or lied to the security officers?
Now my personal take on this is: I had the choice to either risk the bird having to be without water, OR not give it anything just because otherwise I might feel guilty because I might have broken the law.
And yes, i guess I did risk the “consequences”.
I consider this a good deed. But still, in a way I was breaking the law. Now can that be a sin, in this case???

Kathrin
 
I wouldn’t say “in a way” you were breaking the law. I would say you were absolutely breaking the law. The sin would be venial in my opinion. As Christians we have a moral obligation to respect the laws of our leaders…even the laws we believe are pigeon poop.

There’s also this thing of letting nature take care of herself. You nurse a weak pigeon back to health and his predator (or even scavenger) might go hungry as he counts on a certain number of weak pigeons to feed his family.

Also you feed one pigeon and others follow. They leave a mess and a kindly old woman slips on the poop and breaks her hip. That’s why the law exists.

Okay, so I can already hear the animal lovers screaming “Crucify him, crucify him…” so I’ll be quiet on the matter from here on out. 🙂
 
I think it depends on how much good you are trying to do. If the law forbids feeding hungry people, I say, feed them. That is a constant issue where I live, I think in a lot of places. But a pigeon? A bird, one in no immediate danger of dying out as a species? I think you did the right thing in making your case, then you should have accepted the verdict. but maybe not. That’s a borderline one to me.
We must obey God rather than men: I don’t have chapter and verse on that off the top of my head, but it is in the Bible.
 
All well and good that we discuss whether or not one can break the law laid down by the government (assuming that it was - feeding pigeons might be a city statute, or it might have just been the guards around a building enforcing whatever rule the building owner felt they could impose).

But what about breaking a law which is clearly a moral law?

We all would agree that is wrong no?

Then go back to the Gospels and read the account of Christ and His disciples shucking and eating grain on the Sabbath - they were violating a Jewish law which forbid work on the Sabbath.

Seems to me Christ’s answer was that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

So as to the poster who has decided that feeding pigeons is a venial sin - do you suggest that it is morally correct to starve birds which have learned to rely on handouts and can no longer feed themselves (not to mention that they are city birds and there is precious little around to sustain themselves with)?
 
She was trying to help a sick creature!!!

What would St. Francis have done?
 
Thank you I_A!🙂
I kind of have come to the conclusion that yes, it is good to abide by the law, and usually laws have a purpose, and feeding pigeons CAN cause more harm than good (maybe), but in certain circumstances (like, yes, if it is a sick animal or a young one that can’t feed itself well yet) I THINK it is ok to make an exception. I have to let my heart guide me. If I don’t do something just because it would mean breaking a law but not doing it might mean somebody (person or animal) would suffer… then the question is, what is worse??
 
in general we may suppose the law is in place because those who framed the law were considering the greater good. So an action that may be subjectively or objectively good in and of itself, may be an evil or foster an evil, unbeknownst to the person who does it. Perhaps there is a very good reason, health and well being of many people, to avoid feeding birds. For instance, it may attract harmful vermin. In that case, evil may possibly result from a good or neutral action. The persons who framed the law know more about the situation than a casual visitor who simply observes the birds. So in general we should assume the law is just and good and abide by the laws unless we have definite information and proof that the law itself is immoral. IN that case, it may actually be a moral imperative to break the law, i.e., laws against Jews in Nazi Germany.

just had a long discussion with grandkids on the book and movie Hoot, which raises just such an issue. good read and good way of raising such issues for discussion by children.
 
I am not quite so respectful of government as to assume they are right. I approach every law with skepticism. This being said, I do not knee-jerk assume the law is unjust.

I usually apply this test:

Am I invoking my judgment of a good as opposed to the judgment of a legitimate authority? If the law is designed to protect public health and I know nothing about public health, I should defer to the legitimate authority. For example, if I find out I have TB and should be quarantined, it would be sinful for me to get on an airplane even if it means I will miss my wedding.

Or, am I invoking my legitimate rights against a law that denies my legitimate rights. For example, if there was a law that denied my ability to train my children to be Catholic, I am required to disobey the law which is unjust as there are certain rights which are not the primary perogative of the state but the family.

Within these two extremes, there are examples which require discernment. And usually, it is resolved when I ask the question of whether it is my will or God’s will, my values or God’s values.

In the instance the OP mentioned, prior to breaking it, she had an obligation to determine the genesis of the law. If it was related to public health, I’m not sure what was done was “a good” despite good intentions. If the law existed because of budgetary restrictions to clean up pigeon dung, it is grayer but probably placed on the OP an obligation to “over-compensate” by cleaning up the mess of several pigeons. And, if the law existed because the Mayor hated birds, civil disobedience may be warranted. However, w/o studying the rationale for the law, I believe the OP imposed her indivual will over the collective will without regard to potential collective consequences and this is sinful.
 
I think I am the “OP”… does that stand for original poster?
Sounds so impersonal… 😉

I see your point about public health. Actually, the security guards at the train station where this has taken place told me it was for both reasons - the disease factor AND the “making a mess” factor.
And I would say, just going there to feed the birds, that would definitely be a bad thing to do, and not doing good.

But if I am trying to look for, or help out, an injured bird?? I think it would be the greater sin to NOT do anything.
Now let me add this, I think it is important, I tend to be a very scrupulous person. I analyze and over-analyze my behavior sometimes. But apart from that, I am somebody who loves every creature, man and animal… and if I have to decide between breaking the law or possibly leaving an animal to suffer… I can’t conclude that leaving the animal to suffer would be the right thing to do.

Kathrin
 
Question???

The rules say don’t feed a hurt/young/injured bird. I believe god has a plan for every one and every thing. Sometimes he tests our faith not because he doubts after all he know everything but to teach us through the tests.

so you fed a small creature who was hungry. The saints preached about Jesus Christ and broke the law.

God who knows all and plans all places a sick animal in your path he knows you inside and out so he does this. Your response is compassion. Ok I do buy a little into the natural order of things. but if he had wanted the bird to be pray at that time it would have been however he places this little creature in your path and the question is asked "do we break the law?’ When is it right and when is it wrong??

We are taught to obey our law makers. Well what about our taxes being used for planned parenthood?? It starts out as something small but the question if not asked and answered leaves us in confusion when the bigger questions are asked.

would I break the law for God??? YES and I would happily spend my life in jail for him. Would I show compassion YES because he knew that I would see the injured animal and feed it. Or perhaps alert security that there was an injured animal and volenteer to take it away. I have found they usualy will let you. If not well call me a rebel but I would still feed it.
 
Hebrews 11

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient

Here is at least two places where people broke the law of the land to do good.

The apostles preached the gospel contray to the laws in their time.

Luke 14:3
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?

So, to answer your question it is ok to break a law to save a life or to make a person whole.
 
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