Should a Christian police officer lie?

[Salty]

Police officers are permitted to lie in order to get a suspect to confess to a crime.

But should a Christian Police office do so?

Should a Christian not become a police office because he knows he may need to lie in the preforrmace of his duties?

Open for discussion

 

[Reynolds]

I look at it the same way I look at the deceptions played on the enemy armies by Joshua and Gideon.

 

[agedman]

I have no esteem for those who deceive no matter the good that may come.

Therefore, one who is expected to uphold the law should be above reproach which includes telling the truth during a interrogation.

Battle strategy is far different then interrogation.

The law holds all the cards. They have the resources, the hand cuffs, the incarceration ability, and many other items in which the one being interrogated has no access.

If it is as a battle, it is one against the hosts, and if those hosts are not reputable then who can trust them?

There should be no time law Inforcement folks do not uphold the law. If they lie during an interrogation, they will lie as a witness in court.

 

[Reynolds]

I have no esteem for those who deceive no matter the good that may come.

Therefore, one who is expected to uphold the law should be above reproach which includes telling the truth during a interrogation.

Battle strategy is far different then interrogation.

The law holds all the cards. They have the resources, the hand cuffs, the incarceration ability, and many other items in which the one being interrogated has no access.

If it is as a battle, it is one against the hosts, and if those hosts are not reputable then who can trust them?

There should be no time law Inforcement folks do not uphold the law. If they lie during an interrogation, they will lie as a witness in court.

I never lied to anyone in an interrogation. I worked under cover for 3 years. I bought a lot of dope. I did say no when asked if I was a cop? Did not bother my conscience the least.
Rahab hid the spies and lied about them. She is listed in hall of Fame of faith for that act.

 

[Salty]

... I worked under cover for 3 years. I bought a lot of dope. I did say no when asked if I was a cop?

"Are you a cop"
"No"
But if you are a cop - is that not a lie?

 

[Salty]

Watching a cop show one night - 2 suspects brought in for the same crime
They were separated - in order for one to squeal on the other

After a bit- the officer asked the one suspect if he was hungry - and then took out a pad to write down what he wanted to eat.
Meanwhile - another office brought the other suspect past that office - with a window - and stated: Hmmm - looks like he is spilling the beans --- if you have something to say - you better do it now before they make a deal with him.....

Would that be a lie?
Were the police being deceitful?

 

[Reynolds]

"Are you a cop"
"No"
But if you are a cop - is that not a lie?

How well is UC going to work if you tell the truth?

 

[AustinC]

How well is UC going to work if you tell the truth?

Great question.
Corrie Ten Boom told lies. Her sister refused to lie. Were either of them wrong? Had Corries sister lied, the family may have not been found out. Then again, we would never have read how God was at work in prison.

 

[Reynolds]

Great question.
Corrie Ten Boom told lies. Her sister refused to lie. Were either of them wrong? Had Corries sister lied, the family may have not been found out. Then again, we would never have read how God was at work in prison.

Brings up a good point. German family hid Jews by lying to SS and the lives of the Jews were saved. German family told truth and Jews were gassed.
Same example with underground rail road.

 

[Marooncat79]

The Jewish midwives lied to Egyptian authorities in Exodus

 

[Dr. Bob]

In battle/war, I have no problem with deceit as a part of strategy. Are police often at war? Absolutely

 

[Reformed1689]

Police officers are permitted to lie in order to get a suspect to confess to a crime.

But should a Christian Police office do so?

Should a Christian not become a police office because he knows he may need to lie in the preforrmace of his duties?

Open for discussion

This is an interesting topic that I have wrestled with often. I don't have an answer but enjoy reading other opinions.

 

[canadyjd]

Police officers are permitted to lie in order to get a suspect to confess to a crime.

But should a Christian Police office do so?

Should a Christian not become a police office because he knows he may need to lie in the preforrmace of his duties?

Open for discussion

I know it happens in interrogations. I guess the issue is that once you accept the premise that the ends justify the means, why not just go all the way and claim they confessed?

I served on the jury of a murder trial back in the mid-nineties. The LEO took the statement from the suspect, writing down everything he stated and then the suspect signed the statement.

What the statement lacked was any sense of pre-meditation. The suspect was defending himself.

The LEO testified at the trial that the suspect had stated, during the interrogation, that he intended to kill the man the next time he saw him. That was not in the statement.

The LEO claimed he had forgotten to write it down. I don’t see how any LEO could fail to recognize the importance of a statement like that. I believe he was lying after the fact, since the case was very weak.

I don’t think cops should lie. It undermines all LEO’s integrity with the public.

peace to you

 

[Judith]

According to scripture ALL liars will have their place in the lake of fire. Rev. 21:8

 

[Dr. Bob]

According to scripture ALL liars will have their place in the lake of fire. Rev. 21:8

Do you know anyone, of any religion, who has never lied? I don't (and that's the truth)

So, there must be more to this verse than a simple statement that seems obviously untrue. All who practice lying? All who are unrepentant of lying? Is a liar anyone who tells a lie? BTW, the inspired word God gave is "pseudo" - untrue, erroneous. It is extended to also speak of deceit, lying, false, or wicked

English language translation is inexact at best!

 

[Judith]

Thank you for the question. The passage in the Rev. is not speaking about someone who has lied. it is speaking about people who lie as a practice and justify it. EVERY liar justifies themselves in any sin they do. Lying is no different. Fornicaters fornicate, thieves rob, liars lie and in every case they can make a case/justify, in their mind, why they do it. So to the question is it permissible for a police officer to lie. Not in God's realm. Liars lie and they will face the lake of fire. If it is permissible to a police officer to lie then it is permissible for someone who needs sexual relief to use prostitutes or lay with their girlfriend/manfriend. So let me ask you a question. If you worked in an office and the boss said if so and so calls tell them I am not in. Would God see your lie as holy?

 

[Salty]

... If you worked in an office and the boss said if so and so calls tell them I am not in. Would God see your lie as holy?

For that question -the answer is no -
But - would it be acceptable to say "He is not available right now?"

 

[Judith]

For that question -the answer is no -
But - would it be acceptable to say "He is not available right now?"

Yes that would be acceptable but police lying is not. ALL liars will have their place in the lake of fire according to scripture.

 

[Salty]

. ... ALL liars will have their place in the lake of fire according to scripture.

So if you have told even one lie - does that mean you are going to hell?

 

[Alcott]

I know this is going fictional with the question, but my favorite police show has long been Dragnet. Sgt. Joe Friday is a fair, but firm and straight-laced cop. But there are occasions he lies. One I will use for example is in "The Big Explosion." Friday and his partner nab a guy who stole some dynamite. In his apartment he has a Nazi flag and other such regalia. They question him as to where the dynamite is and what his and any cohorts' intentions are. He wont tell them anything, but they question him all night,and as morning comes he begins to ask what time it is. He asks that so continually, and finally he asks if it is after 9 a.m., that Joe sees a possible break and lies and tells him it is 5 minutes after 9-- it was really almost a half hour earlier. The suspect then tells them of a certain school where charges were placed and rigged to go off at 9 a.m.. Joe gets on the phone to evacuate the school and get the bomb squad there, and they find and dismantle the bomb. He tells them they selected that school because that was the day it became integrated.

Must Joe Friday repent of his lying in this case in order to be saved?