Should we always be honest even if it's not the morally right thing to say?

[maryj]

Hi everyone,

I would be hugely grateful for some advice around an area of uncertainty I'm facing at the moment. I was recently informed that my role at work is being made redundant. From my experience of the on-the-ground nature of the organisation's operations, I have huge reservations around the idea. Having had an incredibly high workload since being in the job, I feel very concerned for the already incredibly busy staff who my tasks would be transferred to - how they will cope, anticipating them being incredibly overwhelmed. With this I worry for knock on effects for the beneficiaries and stakeholders we support too.

I have not formally appealed as I had the option to but have strongly voiced my concerns to the Chair in writing who has invited me to meet this week to talk things through. However, as I had actually been considering leaving the job in the near future anyway, I am not that concerned for my own job personally and do not in all honestly really want to continue in the role myself. Because of this it has been difficult finding the motivation to fight for it to be continued, even though I feel it is the right thing to do for staff and the organisation going forwards. I have also been offered an alternative, very different role in the organisation, which I have agreed I would like to take up, having been keen to gain more experience in this areas instead.

I am going to stand with the view point for the meeting that my role should be continued, but if there does come to be a willingness for plans to be rethought in order for the role to be continued (unlikely but a possibility), I anticipate they may ask if I wish to continue in the role myself, considering the interest I have shown in the other role I said I would like to take up. So if it comes to this, I'm unsure whether to be honest and admit that I'm not really keen to continue in my current role. If I am honest in this then I think it's extremely unlikely they would continue the role by recruiting someone else, especially considering we have a lot of recruitment going on at the moment.

So I suppose my question is - I know the Bible teaches to never lie, but is it right to lie and say I'm very willing to continue in it, even if I'm not?! It feels like the morally right thing to say otherwise and ignore my own selfish preferences, in order to prevent the difficulties and stress that will arise otherwise. So I'm unsure whether it's right to essentially be dishonest and say I would be very happy to continue, in order to do what I feel best is for the organisation, or to be honest...

Thanks so much if you've read as far as here! Any thoughts would be really appreciated Thanks so much.

 

[twcstp111]

Compromising your integrity through any form of dishonestly is not gain, but loss.

 

[Hekuran]

Be as honest as the situation enables you to be. You don't know all the factors that the Chair does, and you don't have access to the same information. Best to say what you know and not try manipulate the truth to get the best situation.

 

[maryj]

Compromising your integrity through any form of dishonestly is not gain, but loss.

Thank you so much, think perhaps that is what I needed to hear

 

[gideonawesomeness51]

Hi everyone,

I would be hugely grateful for some advice around an area of uncertainty I'm facing at the moment. I was recently informed that my role at work is being made redundant. From my experience of the on-the-ground nature of the organisation's operations, I have huge reservations around the idea. Having had an incredibly high workload since being in the job, I feel very concerned for the already incredibly busy staff who my tasks would be transferred to - how they will cope, anticipating them being incredibly overwhelmed. With this I worry for knock on effects for the beneficiaries and stakeholders we support too.

I have not formally appealed as I had the option to but have strongly voiced my concerns to the Chair in writing who has invited me to meet this week to talk things through. However, as I had actually been considering leaving the job in the near future anyway, I am not that concerned for my own job personally and do not in all honestly really want to continue in the role myself. Because of this it has been difficult finding the motivation to fight for it to be continued, even though I feel it is the right thing to do for staff and the organisation going forwards. I have also been offered an alternative, very different role in the organisation, which I have agreed I would like to take up, having been keen to gain more experience in this areas instead.

I am going to stand with the view point for the meeting that my role should be continued, but if there does come to be a willingness for plans to be rethought in order for the role to be continued (unlikely but a possibility), I anticipate they may ask if I wish to continue in the role myself, considering the interest I have shown in the other role I said I would like to take up. So if it comes to this, I'm unsure whether to be honest and admit that I'm not really keen to continue in my current role. If I am honest in this then I think it's extremely unlikely they would continue the role by recruiting someone else, especially considering we have a lot of recruitment going on at the moment.

So I suppose my question is - I know the Bible teaches to never lie, but is it right to lie and say I'm very willing to continue in it, even if I'm not?! It feels like the morally right thing to say otherwise and ignore my own selfish preferences, in order to prevent the difficulties and stress that will arise otherwise. So I'm unsure whether it's right to essentially be dishonest and say I would be very happy to continue, in order to do what I feel best is for the organisation, or to be honest...

Thanks so much if you've read as far as here! Any thoughts would be really appreciated Thanks so much.

I think white lies exists like for our children. Even if their drawing sucks, we can't say it because well they are a child and we want to encourage. I do know that the lie God mentions in the Bible is more than lying about someone looking bad in a dress, it was always God's interest that people don't lie about His word and twist it. The devil is a liar because he fools people and leads them astray that is what God is more interested in correcting.

 

[maryj]

Be as honest as the situation enables you to be. You don't know all the factors that the Chair does, and you don't have access to the same information. Best to say what you know and not try manipulate the truth to get the best situation.

So true, about trying not to manipulate the truth even if it's with the intentions of getting the best outcome.... Thank you, that really helps.