I beleve most are familiar with the notion of a Catch 22, but for those who are not, it is a term used for "damned if you do, damned if you don't." It is a situation that many of us, if not all of us have been involved with. It is something that often enters my mind. How does one handle it in the best way. I believe that one can evade a Catch 22, but I don't know how all the time.
An instance of this, theoretically, you have a friend, they are disabled, and incapable of certain tasks. Yet they need a job. They know you have jobs available, and they come to you, asking. Now you have jobs available, and in a position to fill those jobs, but they require far more skill then your friend can handle. How do you handle the situation? This is just one example of a Catch 22. Giving your friend a job would put your friend in harms way. It would put them in a situation to be ridiculed by their co-workers. It would eventually lead to another Catch 22, when something has to be done, because they are not able to do their job, which in most cases leads to termination, which in turn can lead to depression, and other negative emotions.
However telling your friend that there are no jobs available is a lie. Telling your friend jobs are available, but not for them, is hurtful. Giving him the job, and letting them down lightly are both hurtful, and it is known to you that you caused harm knowingly. It really makes the situation very difficult. Avoidance of them to not have to tell them, might be the best choice, but when an avoidance game is played it often includes lies.
Probably the best cource of action would be to find some task they can handle, but in the scenario there are no available positions they can handle. Although able to hire employees, you can't create a job that doesn't exist. So the best solution isn't possible. I guess in my own, I would spend my free time searching for jobs my friend is capable of, and helping them apply for jobs. This assures them that I will do whatever I can to help, but also lets them know I can't help in the way originally asked for.
In my lifes journey, I have been first and formost Christian. I was baptised Presbyterian as an infant, before my first grade year I attended church service with my grandparents every Sunday. From First to Third grade I attended a Catholic school, which was essentially surmons everyday. I was not permitted into the church for communion since I wasn't Catholic. During all that time on Sundays I still went to the Presbyterian Church. After third grade until about 6th grade I continued to go. In all that time I never heard a sermon about the notion of Catch 22s.
After sixth grade I attended Starwood, and Winterfest, they were the Big Pagan events before Burning Man. I went when it was unpopuler. In about 1993-94 it started to draw people who were younger, and didn't quite follow the ideals the older people who went. I had many experiances with leaders of the Wiccan, and Druid communities, experiances I'll never forget. Although the notion of sin isn't quite the same as a Christian notion of sin, at least not called the same, the feelings of wrongfulness are still there.
In the years after that, I followed and learned much of many religions Buddist, Sufism, Hinduism via Baba Ram Dass of the Hanuman Society. I've attended church services at Mormon, Baptist, Methodist, and Luthren churches. I've sat and talked religion with Jahova Witnesses and Mormom Missionaries. I've attended Mosque, and Synagogue. In all these experiances the same principles of right and wrong apply to the scenario I presented.
It is said "do on to other's as you would have done onto you." If you flip the scenario and become the seeker of the job, then you would want help, thus you would help another given the chance. Back to being the boss that would dictate that you must help.
Out of curiosity, do you know of any Catch 22 situation that is similar? In a religious aspect, how is one to handle this? You know your going to sin, yet if your like me, then it is very hard if not nearly impossible to knowingly commit a sin, or to do wrong purposefully.
Forgive me for not having any bible quotes to add to this, also please forgive my spelling errors, and grammar errors, I didn't have a spellchecker to use, nor did i have much time to write this. I wrote this rather quickly while talking to others. But the idea is here, and I'm curious as to others thoughts.