Question About Promises

[Pumpkin Row]

What's your perspective on the importance of a promise? The actual value of such a thing has always been a mystery to me. I've always erred on the side of attempting to keep them at all costs, and never make them when they would be impossible to keep. Assuming that's the correct way to keep them, do you think a promise would still be morally and ethically binding if the person to whom you have made that promise disassociates from you?

For example, let's pretend you made a serious promise to someone very special to you not to litter, or maybe not to smoke; but that special person has chosen to disassociate from you, and you'll most likely never see or hear from them again, and if you did, they would pretend you don't exist. Would you still keep that promise? Would you still believe the ethical or moral thing to do would be to keep that promise?

 

[Oddball]

No second party, no contract.

Didn't promise to me, I promised to them.

 

[Kat]

I would still keep the promise.

 

[JoeMoma]

If it is a good promise, keep it.

 

[Marion Morrison]

What's your perspective on the importance of a promise? The actual value of such a thing has always been a mystery to me. I've always erred on the side of attempting to keep them at all costs, and never make them when they would be impossible to keep. Assuming that's the correct way to keep them, do you think a promise would still be morally and ethically binding if the person to whom you have made that promise disassociates from you?

For example, let's pretend you made a serious promise to someone very special to you not to litter, or maybe not to smoke; but that special person has chosen to disassociate from you, and you'll most likely never see or hear from them again, and if you did, they would pretend you don't exist. Would you still keep that promise? Would you still believe the ethical or moral thing to do would be to keep that promise?

Yes. Unless it was not eat bacon.

 

[Erinwltr]

Yes, keep the promise. Some things in life need to be simple, clear and honest. I Promise.

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

What's your perspective on the importance of a promise? The actual value of such a thing has always been a mystery to me. I've always erred on the side of attempting to keep them at all costs, and never make them when they would be impossible to keep. Assuming that's the correct way to keep them, do you think a promise would still be morally and ethically binding if the person to whom you have made that promise disassociates from you?

For example, let's pretend you made a serious promise to someone very special to you not to litter, or maybe not to smoke; but that special person has chosen to disassociate from you, and you'll most likely never see or hear from them again, and if you did, they would pretend you don't exist. Would you still keep that promise? Would you still believe the ethical or moral thing to do would be to keep that promise?

I don't make "promises", but I try to do what I say I will do. That is important to me.

This is the guiding principle in my life:

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No ,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one"