The priest moral obligation is to pardon his confessor sins and not tell anyone, that is what the word of the lord says. His legal obligation is inform the authorities about the crime he knows about. What is he to do? Should he follow what people believes is right or should he follow his life teachings, to forgive and forget? According to Bok, the priest keeps the secrets that need no justification, but he is lying and thus creates every form of abuse. He should tell. Bok raises the issue of government secrecy and lying in her essay "Lies for the Public Good." She examines the ways "noble Lies" told by "noble" people abuses ordinary people.
People have a tendency to think that people in government are individuals who know what they are doing, and if they are there, it is for a reason. This belief was implemented thousands of years ago, when people were innocent enough to believe in divine right. An idea that God himself choose the people in power, also politicians believed to be superior beings. Thus being ok for nobles to deceive and lie, because as chosen they are who "know when to tell the truth and when no to." (Bok 245) Human evolution has modified this absurd idea. It seems that people have revolutionized into thinking of politicians as normal citizens. That can come and go depending on how well they do their job. Politicians on the other hand still believe themselves men, which have the right to lie. Reason why politicians today believe themselves to having this right is that they still see people as individuals that are not going to understand particular situation of their work. Thus being easier for them to lie and deceit then to explain something that for them does not needs an explanation. This is what Bok is trying to argue about today's politicians. That they act with out telling people what they are going to do. Taking citizens for granted on issues that can be of great importance to them.
