# Does The Bible tell anyone to inform, tattle, snitch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 6, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709 "2013-12-06T21:57:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/21 "2013-12-09T22:15:02Z")
If I recall correctly, one of the main characters is rewarded handsomely for reporting the whereabouts of a wanted criminal to the authorities. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/22 "2013-12-09T23:45:56Z")
> [@andros](#): > > … > Please correct me if I’m wrong, but it sounds like you disagree with the professor’s termination and are looking for Biblical grounds that the college was wrong to fire him. If that’s the case, I think you’re out of luck. I’ve no opinion on the professors situation. Just heard about it in a conversation and someone noted it was a Christian college and they were curious as to any Biblical background for this widespread practice some have of advocating the reporting of alleged wrongdoing. I think that it was pure conjecture that the professor may have been terminated for whistle-blowing. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/23 "2013-12-13T16:35:37Z")
I’d bet the Bible or Koran or whatever “says” or “tells us” (interpreted by someone, somewhere) whatever we want it to. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/24 "2013-12-13T17:48:14Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > This sure doesn’t sound like a Good, Just or loving being! What would you expect for violating the First Commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me?”. That a Just God would say “Oh well, if you didn’t feel like keeping this one then go ahead, do as you like. And any of the others while you’re at it”? ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/25 "2013-12-13T18:17:35Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > What would you expect for violating the First Commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me?”. That a Just God would say “Oh well, if you didn’t feel like keeping this one then go ahead, do as you like. And any of the others while you’re at it”? There’s a big gap between “This person is doing something I told them not to, and i’m going to punish them for that.” and “This person is doing something I told them not to; kill them by stoning to set an example for others.” “Just” doesn’t just mean that a crime gets a punishment. It needs to get an appropriate punishment. And I were told that the judge was good, just and loving, I would not _expect_ a punishment so harsh as a very painful death. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/26 "2013-12-31T00:33:39Z")
I read in a family health magazine in the doctors waiting room that young kids develop their idea of "fairness’’ very early and quickly learn to report anything perceived as unfair to the authority such as parent or caregiver. This writer thought our eagerness to report, inform, squeal, blow the whistle, is just some leftover childishness leaving me to infer that there is little or no moral or ethical need for this informing behavior. ---
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2013, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709/27 "2013-12-31T05:02:22Z")
> [@MostlyUseless](#): > > You know, I kind of have an issue with the semantics of snitching or tattling. These words have a negative connotation that make no sense to me. From the perspective of the perpetrator being told on, snitching is probably an awful thing. From the perspective of the victim and society as a whole, snitching seems to be an awfully good thing. If I have to choose which side I am going to give the benefit of the doubt, I think I will snitch for the victim everytime. Generally informing the authorities (or snitching or tattling or whatever) acquires a negative connotation among groups of people who believe the authorities treat them unfairly, such as African Americans, 19th century Southern Italians, children, drug users, etc. There’s also an element of machismo to it. A real man doesn’t need to report the bully to the teacher, he can beat up the bully himself. And of course boys are usually the ones most desperate to prove that they are “real men.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-bible-tell-anyone-to-inform-tattle-snitch/675709.md?page=1)