[RascalPuff]

We're all familiar with it by different names and circumstances.
The story of father Abraham (for example) being told by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and Abraham's reluctant agreement to do so.

Bob Dylan put it to the familiar music of Highway 61:

"God said to Abraham, kill me a son! Abe said, 'Man, you must be puttin' me on! God said 'No', Abe said 'What?' God said, 'You can do anything you like, Abe, but: the next time you see me comin', you better run! Abe said, 'Where d'ya want this killin' done?' God said 'Out on highway 61!'.

Although Abraham did not ever get around to actually murdering his son, he did agree to do so, 'because, God told him to' (Sound familiar?). Abraham 'suspended the ethical', on God's orders...

Formal philosophy categorizes such rationalizations as being a 'teleological suspension of the ethical'.
In plain language, Abraham was offered an excuse for doing the inexcusable.

What he in fact was ethically obliged to do was tell God that he must have a wrong number or a bad connection on what used to be the direct line (This example exempts self defense and justifiable homicide).

Abraham, by true ethical standards, was obliged to tell God he would not carry out the order, no matter what God might do to him for disobedience.

Object lesson: Right and wrong are generally immutable. No matter who says otherwise. Refer 'The Trials at Nuremburg', and 'The Vietnam War Tribunal'.

Regards
- RP