Approaching the West — Page 108
A pproaching the West—108 What about a person who is compelled to commit a sinful act to avoid an evil of larger magnitude? If the motive is noble and pious, can a wrong become right? The Hindu code of Manu provides the answer in the positive. It recognizes the mitigating effect of compelling circumstances. For example, to save a life, one is allowed to tell a lie. In some cases a man may give false evidence from a pious motive, knowing well that the facts were different, but he will not lose heaven. Such evidence they call the speech of gods. Wherever the death of a shudra, or a viasya, or kasatriya, or a Brahmana would be caused by a declaration of the truth, a lie may be told; for such falsehood is preferable to the truth. (Manu 8. 103-4) The Mosaic laws seem to be a bit strict on unintentional sinning. There were redemptive penalties to pay for accidental sins committed “through ignorance against any of the commandments (of God) concerning things that should have not been done” (Lev. 4:2). These penalties were in a decreasing order of costs depending on sinner’s status among the Israelites. An anointed priest had to offer a blemish-less young bullock, because he represented the entire congregation before God, and his sin brought guilt on the heads of his people. A ruler’s offering was less expensive—a healthy male goat-kid, because he was merely a civil or military leader, and his act defiled the Divine sanctuary less seriously than the religious leader’s sin did. The offering required of a man who did not hold any religious or civil office was the lightest of all, a female goat-