Making Moral Decisions
Today a typical moral dilemma arose when I was trying to screw on the protective shield under my car. The last screw that I had would not tighten. I did not want to leave it loose because it might fall out and become a minor road hazard. Once I caught a similar screw in my tire which required a repair.
But try as I might, it would not tighten. And it was difficult to maneuver since I was lying down without much room -- no more than a foot. What should I have done? Take the screw out of the hole and search for another? But I had already gone to a car repair and twice to a hardware store to find the screws that I had. Or should I have taken the chance that the screw would not come out? It was snug although I could not get it tight like the others.
The situation approximates many in our moral lives. We are not certain if what we do will cause harm. Perhaps it might, but perhaps we just worry too much! There was no one to check with. And the possible harm was not certain and probably not serious.
Finally, I let the screw stay where it was. I also said a prayer which should accompany any troubling decision. We pray that we do no harm and, as a corollary, that we are not deceiving ourselves. Tomorrow I will check to see if the screw held. I also might try replacing the simple screw with a screw and bolt. I think that my conscinece will allow me to sleep tonight.
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