What If…

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.                  Philippians 2:3-4

I have written in this space in the past about the Hippocratic Oath that physicians typically take in one form or another. The Oath has been around for many centuries, and the intent is to provide an ethical framework for those in the helping professions.

The phrase, First, Do No Harm, is actually not a part of the Hippocratic Oath, but the concept it embodies, non-maleficence, is a concept very well known to all in the helping professions. In other words, whatever you do, or don’t do, make sure that it is not harmful to the one whose care is entrusted to you. The first duty of those who are in positions of trust is to do no harm.

 Now, wouldn’t it be great if every profession were to subscribe to that simple concept? Can you imagine if media organizations were to adopt that creed? Oh, this is a good one- what if politicians were to adopt that principle? Can you imagine if politicians were prohibited from trying to do harm to their opponents? What if they were ethically prevented from name calling or slandering, or shading the truth about things?

Well, in the real world, that does not, and unfortunately will not happen, but I just wanted to consider the idea out loud. Shouldn’t we have some kind of ethical boundaries for those in elected office? We do entrust them to make good decisions when we elect them, and they do swear an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Too bad they don’t swear to an ethical set of behaviors that honors and dignifies even those with whom they disagree.

Prayer: Lord, help us all to first do no harm to others, Amen