12/27/2020

IS ‘SOFT TOUCH‘
MORALLY JUSTIFIED?
PHILIP OGHENESUOWHO EKIUGBO
oghenesuowho@gmail.com

A TALK DELIVERED AT THE SEMINAR PROGRAMME OF

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, UGBOROKE ON SUNDAY 27TH
DECEMBER, 2020

LIFE AS A COMBINATION OF SUCCESSIVE ACTIONS

• The totality of life is a collection of actions (i.e. collection of

things done so as to accomplish some, often beneficial,
purposes).
• These actions are mainly products of
CHOICE or in some cases, natural
instinct (especially during our
developmental age).

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ACTIONS NEED JUSTIFICATIONS

• The concept of choice presupposes that there are alternatives.

• So why A… Why not B(or C, or D, or any other)?

• This is where justification comes into life’s affairs – providing a

good reason (explanation or basis) for an act.
• Thus, actors of any action can give some answers when asked
for reasons (the justification) behind their actions?

HOW IFIABLE IS
THE IFICATION?
• Instances:
A pastor once told a girl that he needs to sleep with her to transfer healing
anointing into her because the Bible said for Elisha to heal the Shunamite
woman’s son, he had to “…lay on the boy…” (See II Kgs 4:34).
A G-boy claiming he is into G because he wants to collect the pay of the
work his forebear did during the slavery era.

• In a nut shell, almost any act is justifiable, depending on the

parameter (or basis) used- cultural, historical, etc.
• But how just(ifiable) are the justifications?

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A JUSTIFIABLE JUSTIFICATION

• ‘Justifications’ of act choices should be tested on MORAL principles.

• Moral test principles of relational acts:
1. The goodness status of the act – Is it fair and beneficial to all concern?
2. The process status of the act – Did the end result undertake all
processes required?
3. The goodness status of the result – how fulfilling in terms of giving
happiness and peace.
4. The time frame status of the result – immediacy versus long term effect.

SOFT TOUCH ACT

• Soft Touch means someone from whom you can easily get what
you want, because they are kind or easy to deceive.
• Used as a verb (& in the sense of this discussion), it entails
getting money from someone through (cyber) fraud.
• This act has become a common practice in Nigeria, especially by
teen-/tween-agers and youths…
• How justified is this act?

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MORAL TEST FOR SOFT TOUCH ACT

G/G+
Principle 1 It is not fair and beneficial to all concerned- the scammed is at great loss.
Principle 2 Unknown
Principle 3 Neither the scammer nor the scammed derive true peace & happiness in
the end.
Principle 4 The immediate benefit may seem appealing, the long term effect/impact is
often overlooked, and here’s where the ultimate problem lies.

SO WHAT NEXT

• If uninvolved yet: don’t get involve, learn to live a life of

contentment, apply discipline/wisdom, and pursue a path that
leads to genuine peace and happiness.
• If involved:
• Quit
• Find a path for your life
• Make restitution (if possible)