How far would (do) you go for your principals?

by SpiceItUp 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  SpiceItUp

  Would you stand up and uphold your principals no matter what the cost or outcome?
  or
  Would you pick and choose your battles deciding which really are the most important (to you) and letting some of your principals get battered in the process?
  
  
  Right now I have 2 scenarios where my principals are at stake. One I am definately going to fight and uphold, the other I am still contemplating whether its really "that" important to me even though I have been wronged.
  
  Any thoughts?
• 

  Satans little helper

  I pick my battles, sometimes it is not worth fighting. If you fight every time your principles are slighted then people take you less seriously when it really matters - you will be seen as an extremist and dismissed as such.
• 

  orangefatcat

  Well I would have to say what are the circumstances, for example was it something that was said about you and was a lie, then yes I would do something about it.

  Other things aren't worth it, as it only uses up your energy and can be detramental to ones health. Our health is affected in the way we deal with our difficulties. If the price is to high then I would forget it. Like if you have high blood pressure, your doing nothing good for yourself but in fact hurting yourself.

  So it all dependants on what the senerio is all about

  Orangefatcat.
• 

  SpiceItUp

  Well one is about money and the other is about being treated unfairly....
  
  I am not going to say which one is which, but right now, with some heath concerns I have currently (pleurisy), among other stressful things that are happening in my life, I dont know what would be better..... Stand up for myself as I have learned to do or just drop it and accept that some people will treat you badly just because your honesty hurts (sorry this wont make too much sense but I dont want to divulge too much)
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  Big Tex

  Well I'm awful about money, so I can't help you there. If you figure it out let me know the secret!

  As for the personal matter, I've found it works best to approach the person quietly and preferably alone. I once had a supervisor who hated me for no apparent reason. I finally screw up my courage and asked to talk to her alone. I really wanted to work this out with her, not because of the job, but because I liked her and I felt we had some things in common. So my approach was to talk quietly and earnestly with her. I told her I wanted to find some common ground, and that I was wanted time alone so we could really get past whatever the issue was.

  Anyway long story short (too late) all of her antipathy towards me turned out to be a misunderstanding. She thought I was making too many personal phone calls when it really turned out to be someone else. We became very good friends for years afterward. This really big thing between us turned out to be nothing, and I honestly believe that if I had approached her in my usual bull-in-the-china-shop approach (I was really steamed) or made some smart ass remarks in front of my co-workers or anything else that I'm famous for, it would have only made it worse.

  Chris
• 

  Phantom Stranger

  What you do shows what your principles are...not what you say they are.

  Keep in mind that we always have different prinicples at work. "Compassion", as a principle, can work against "holding others accountable", for instance.

  What causes the least harm?

  Is one of the principles at work here one that keeps you from looking bad, or dumb, or wrong? Those kinds of motives are often easy to let go of when we look at the big picture.
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  cruzanheart

  Did you say pleurisy, Spice? Poor you -- that is really painful! AND, as you probably know, it's usually stress-related (at least it was when Dad got it). I feel very strongly about a lot of things, but I try not to let those passions overwhelm me unless I think it can accomplish some good (to make people think, to keep myself or others from being hurt, etc.).

  Don't let anything harm you physically.

  Nina
• 

  Love_Truth

  Depends on how one views the importance of each principle. I would lie if it would save me or someone I loved. Abram lied about his relationship to Sarai to save his life, and God still considered him "his friend".

  Now, if one repeatedly were to lie or otherwise break principles or laws regularly and deliberately, that's a different matter entirely.
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  fader

  Maybe first base, if my principal was really, really cute.

  Now, my principles on the other hand...
• 

  Jim_TX

  When I was in grade school, I had several Principals. One was even an Assistant Principal prior to becoming a Principal.

  I think that they had some views that I may have stood up for... I don't remember - that was a long time ago.

  Regards,

  Jim TX