ASSIGNMENT 1

SCENARIO: Telling a Secret

Your 2 close friends tell you that they committed a crime. They explained that they were
having trouble sleeping at night and felt you are the only one they can trust with their
confession. A few days later, you read in the newspaper that someone has been arrested
for your friends’ crime. What will you do? Why? Explain briefly.

a. Go to the police and tell them what you know.

b. Encourage your friends to confess and warn them if they do not do so, you will tell the
truth to the police.
c. Say nothing because you will not betray a friend’s confidence.

ANSWER:
B. Encourage your friends to confess and warn them if they do not do so,
you will tell the truth to the police.

Committing a crime is a wrongful act; it might be an accident, but it’s

still morally wrong. I love my friends more than I love myself, but if this
happened, I would do the right thing and tell my friends to confess and
warn them that if they don’t, I will tell the truth to the police because they
committed a crime against an innocent person who doesn't have the power
to protect himself or herself. Both from a religious and legal aspect,
committing a crime is unlawful. So, they must face the consequences of
their immoral actions. Them confessing their own crimes is way better than
me telling the truth to the police because it will help them to release their
guilt, and it seems that the crime they committed was bugging them, which
means their conscience is now working to let them tell the truth. I know it
will cause them distress, but they need to learn that this is bad, and the
more they stay silent and keep it for themselves, the more trouble they
might face. Despite the fact that they are my friends, I don't put up with
anything. I'm going to swear to tell the truth as a character witness if these
friends of mine refuse to confess. They might hate me, but it is for their own
good.