Oaths

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File: 5f8031aaad7bd60⋯.jpg (107.98 KB, 826x1020, 413:510, Jephthath's daughter.jpg)

Oaths Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 15:07:10 f57c8d No.677019

Can a Christian break an oath? A promise? Their word? Can you change your mind, or is every word out of your mouth permanently binding? Is there a difference? This is a personal question, I agonize over this daily and have for several years, and a Jephthath's daughter situation has essentially been my worst fear. Nothing has pushed me closer to atheism, but could I just be legalistic? I understand that you aren't supposed to keep your word if it's sinful to do so, but what about in those gray areas? For example, what if I say "I'll never associate with you again" or "If you do this, I'll break up with you" to someone? "I'll never wear this color" or "I won't eat that" for less dire examples.

And the contradictory sermons and commentaries from boomers with 90s animated graphics on their sites aren't helping. Somehow I think you'll have better answers, /christian/, be they protestant, catholic, etc. This has stunted my life in all areas. Please help me, because I've tried in vain to find answers, and my conscience just can't swallow the belief that grace absolves me of my word.

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 15:23:47 fc42ab No.677028

No one can break his own oath, since vows are act of religion.

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3088.htm

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 15:25:14 f626c2 No.677030

>>677019

There is a distinction between oaths and common speech, otherwise there would be nothing special about oaths. Something else you don't seem to understand is that when you give your word, you are judged according to the meaning of it, not the form. "I'll never wear this color" is an example of hyperbole, nobody says this sort of thing literally, ergo, no statement that you would never again wear that color was made.

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 17:00:02 f57c8d No.677075

>>677030

And if it was meant literally? It's the absurd, legalistic extremes we're talking about, here.

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 21:12:11 065b21 No.677148

>>677019

>No one can break his own oath, since vows are act of religion.

You *must* break your oath if it is about doing a sin.

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 21:36:53 f96f0f No.677153

>>677019

Maybe you should stop making so many hyperbolic promises.

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 21:59:00 71b310 No.677167

>Make a serious vow in the heat of the moment to get something you want

>You get what you want, so now you have to uphold your half of the bargain

>wtf I hate god now!

The point of Jephthah's story isn't that God drives a hard bargain, it's essentially an aesop telling you that you shouldn't be a retard and make ridiculous promises that in the end you would find hard to keep. If Jephthah had faith in the Lord he wouldn't have felt the need to offer something the way he did like God is just another pagan deity whom you can buy favours with.

For the more squeamish, though, there is a line of apologetics which suggests that he just gave his daughter away, and he didn't actually kill her.

Also, this >>677153

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 23:16:06 f57c8d No.677191

>>677153

"I'll never associate with Republicans" person 1

"I'll always vote Republican" person 2

Do you see how this is a logical question to ask?

Christanon 07/18/18 (Wed) 23:42:44 f90f04 No.677201

Normally you aren't supposed to make oaths, just let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Christanon 07/19/18 (Thu) 01:12:00 f96f0f No.677222

>>677191

There are very few things we can say with absolute certainty. It's best to not make such oaths.

Christanon 07/19/18 (Thu) 01:30:20 f57c8d No.677233

>>677222

And yet, once made, what then? What is the logical conclusion of "keep your word" here? Are those two people permanently obliged to avoid one another?

It's a simple question, but every answer is to not make the oaths in the first place.

Christanon 07/19/18 (Thu) 01:52:40 98b14c No.677234

>>677019

Matthew 5:37 "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

Christanon 07/19/18 (Thu) 01:56:42 19e5a3 No.677235

>>677233

Apologize and retract the oath. It's clear in the situation you suggest the parties are unable to keep the oath, so break it off as gracefully as possible. And of course, if neither party even wants the oath, it should be broken anyway. Don't make oaths in the first place, but if you have, keep it unless it is more loving(not more convenient) to break it.