When you are a compulsive liar.

When you know you can't keep it. Though you really shouldn't have made that promise in the fist place then. But if you've made one and cant keep it, make sure you tell the other person and tell them why you cant.

When you know that there will be no real way to keep it intact.

If breaking the promise would save a life.

when it is convient.

When keeping that promise could cause someone harm.

never!...if you can not keep a promise then don't make one ...that way you will never have to break one :)

life or death situation that's it

When it becomes clear to you that keeping the promise causes more harm than breaking it. Generally, this means that it would harm yourself or others.

If you can cause hurt and misery from that promise..:)

When it is for the good of the person or another person.

its never okay to break a promise

I agree with sara in life or death situations

When you know that the promise that you made is going to wind up hurting someone in the long run.

When you know in your heart that you can't keep it when you know it damages someoone feelings or crtitical decision.

Its never okay to break a promise... Why the hell would you make it in the first place then! If you cant commit to what you say then keep quite and dont say anything at all if you know you cant go through with it!

When you feel it is not worth keeping one and could harm someone.

If breaking that promise will results to something good to that person.

Never. However, one should never MAKE promises. Your intentions may be sincere, but you have no control over circumstances which may convince you to change your mind.

Never. However, one should never MAKE promises. Your intentions may be sincere, but you have no control over circumstances which may convince you to change your mind.

When it harms someone.

I honestly think the answer is much more complex than any simple answer can give. Throughout life, there are times when promises are broken, for varying reasons. Marriage is a promise, but most people don't expect unhappy people to stay married. You might promise your mom and dad you'll never smoke or drink, then time goes by and you find you've done one or both. While we can and should all strive to do the best we can to keep any and all promises we make, it just sometimes doesn't happen. I do not take promises lightly, and I always mean to keep every one I make, but circumstances surrounding the original promise can drastically change. I don't think that a promise can necessarily be taken as a sacred oath that must never be broken. Sometimes, breaking a promise is necessary and even the correct thing to do. Say you promise your mother-in-law you won't move away with her daughter and you get a great job opportunity in another state that will be in the best interest of your family. You promise a friend you won't tell his parents that he's doing drugs and then he becomes so horribly addicted that measures have to be taken to save his life. The list just goes on and on. While the best course of action would certainly be to never promise anyone anything, most of us do it, and we do it with the best of intentions, fully intending to follow-through with that promise till the day we die. The plain fact is that life sometimes just changes things.

if you promise to so something that may harm others! but before promising you should always think 1st 2 check you can promise and keep it

No, but sometimes it can't be helped. I try not making promises I know I can't or wont keep.

I quote from Hondo in S.W.A.T ~ "Sometimes, doing the right thing ain't doing the right thing." Cheers.

Sorry, but to me a promise is a promise. I don't think it is ever okay to break a promise, if this promise hurts someone else, you shouldn't have accepted the responsibility to take it, and its burdens when you said "I promise" or something along those lines.

Not if it is in the form of a signed contract.

when its more important than the promise you made

ex. A and C are best friends in their freshman year of HS. C is starting to act a little slutty around a few boys, and A notices a big change in her. A finds out that C lost her virginity. Doesn't say anything. about a month later C's sleeping with another boy. A tells her parents. C ends up getting home schooled for a semester and doesn't talk to A the entire time even through summer. C got tested for STD's and pregnancy. she was lucky. it took A 8 months to get to talk to C again, but C's mom thanked A for keeping her baby safe. [true story between two girls i know. had i known about C i wouldn't have been able to do what A did, and i stand behind A 100%]

When nobody cares.

The best way (and this is how I live my life) Is to not make promises you MAY not be able to keep. I have said many times "I can't make that promise". But if push comes to shove and you have given your word, then choose the lesser of two evils.

When it could hurt the other party.

when it is impossible to fullfill it at the time and something unforseen comes up. People that keep promises normally, are usually forgiven I think

before the promise breaks you

when it goes against your moral and values

1. When keeping a promise would require that you commit a crime. 2. When keeping a promise would cause someone physical or psychological harm. 3. When keeping a promise would put your job in jeopardy.

Word of honor, should not make a promise unless you intend to keep it and also it wont hurt anyone. I personally dont say "I promise" unless I actually am going to keep it.

NEVER! A promise is a promise! When you made it you where fully aware of that! It's only acceptable if something other than you makes it physically impossible to keep. Like for example you promised your grandmother you'd visit her, but a big rainstorm make it impossible for you to get to her. You should however try and make amends afterward. Other wise the people who you made promises to and did not keep will not trust your word.

for the safety of the one you care

When you didn't make one.

When he cheats on you..

Only when fulfilling a promise would prove harmful

When you know if you keep it, someone could get hurt.

u sould not make a promise that u know u can't keep so it is NEVER ok to break a promise

You will probably break a prosmise often when you drink... aclohol... I do it all the time... people have done it to me all my life.. especially my dad... I know what I have promised when I drink and I know I cant acomplish that promise I feel bad and like a fuc**** assshole. In hope it makes you people fee; better that people like me have remorse.

I believe many have answered that just fine. But, if you are a man, that asked that. Please men, if you watch t.v. alot, espically everybody loves raymond, now he lies alot to deb, which qurks me lot. don;t lie to women, period. think about it a minute, would you like to be lied to!!! don';t lie. I live in westland mi and I hear this everyday on the news, and I am sick of it. everybody that reads this please stop lying. thanks

course...not all promises can be followed through...no one has all the power in the world to give away promise.

When maintaining your reputation.

When its made merely to get sex.

when its between life or death

Circumstances beyond your control.

HONESTLY...NONE! I USE TO THINK THAT A PROMISE THAT WAS OKAY WAS ONLY IF IT WOULD HURT SOMEONE BUT I THINK EVERYONE HAS REALIZED THAT EVENTUALLY THE TRUTH COMES OUT AT SOME POINT AND I KNOW WHEN I FIND OUT SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE DIDNT TELL ME CAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF ME BEING HURT, IT ONLY HURT ME WORSE BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THEY LIED TO ME. HEARING THE TRUTH IS HURTFUL YES, BUT ITS EVEN WORSE WHEN YOU FIND OUT ON YOUR OWN INSTEAD OF BEING TOLD.

When you promise something that will hurt yourself or others.

if the promise you made doesn't harm anyone ....

Never.

Its never okay to break a promise. Don't make promises that you can't keep

Whenever running for office.

In my opinion, it is never okay to break a promise. I am very sorry, but if you are going to break a promise that you have made, then you never should have made the promise in the first place.

If it was made under duress. If you realise it will seriously hurt somebody. If the other person lied to you so you made the promise on false information. If something serious comes up eg. you can't take the kids to the zoo the day you promised because you have to be rushed to the hospital with acute appendicitis. But then you would make it up to them when you are well again. I think the best thing is to make as few promises as possible or say "I will do my best but I can't promise" (probably not a good idea if you are getting married or signing a business deal though - if you are unsure in any way, think it over really well before signing on the dotted line)

Promises are not made to be broken, I don't think. When I make a promise it's not as if I signed a pre-nup, with a way out. I make sure of what I'm promising or vowing and then I keep it. As far as it is possible for me to do, I will do everything in my power. And I don't promise lightly

never

a promise not made is a promise not broken...

to a child, no. to an adult, maybe.

Only when it is beyond your control.

honestly i dont think people should break promises.. cause i make my boyfriend promise me all the tyme but here lately he has been breaking them and i dk whats going on he says its cause he is tried from work and stuff.. and he aint been calling like he usually does but last weekend he bought me a promise ring so i dk..

If you want to break a promise why did you make it in the first place. People who break promises obviously have not placed any importance on the concept of a promise so I can only conclude that they are shallow and untrustworthy people.

If you don't make them, you never have to break them. My commitments always come with disclaimers. Life is what it is and there are no guarantees. My word, however IS my bond...that's why I'm so careful not to nail any doors shut.

never. dont make a promise if you dont think that you can keep it or are not sure if you can. People get hurt when you break your promise and it can really mess them up. But then again promises are just empty words to some people and others say that they are meant to be broken. Well I tell those people they are full of it because a promise is a big thing and that is y I choose not to make them bc I dont want something to come up and not be able to keep it.

I have found in my Life through experience, that is better not to make Promises.. because there can be Situations that come up that make us have to Break them.. And it feels real bad to break a Promise..Especially if it Involves breaking a Promise to a Child.

never that's why you have to be carefull what you promise

never, i will never make a promise unless i know i can keep it.

When the one you make the promise too understands your situation or the reason to do so

It is okay to break a promise if a DIRE situation.

I am a huge promise keeping person, so it would have to be if someone was endangered or it had to be broke. I think if you make a promise, you have to keep your word.

when you promised you would.

when ever!

Never. You shouldn't make promises because you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. You're more honest when you don't make promises.

state law sometimes weighs in on this issue. there are times when we have to disclose a secret, even if confidential. priests and lawyers can usually hold things in privilege. the standard required for their divulging a secret is usually higher than that used for the rest of us. i think that i'd break a promise if i had a reasonable suspicion that someone might hurt themselves or another. i might break a promise and discuss the matter with a long-distance unrelated colleague if the matter contained ethical conflicts or if it were really bizarre. do i have any duty to the person who is disclosing the information? if i do, then i do what i must. so, this leads me to the issue of divorce. if i promised to have and to hold my wife until death do we part, and she's suddenly contracted a disease, can i break that promise to her without breaking the same promise to God?

When breaking a promise will provide more benefit then keeping it.

Before you make it.

It's always okay to break a promise when you reach the point you can longer keep it. You then need to realize the repercussions it will have once it's broken. Many a promises have been broken to parents, loved ones, best friends, bosses at work etc. It will continue but you should instead try to make through better next time so you do succeed in your promise. Have you ever told your Mom or Dad I promise not to...__________

When you meant to lie.

It depends on the kind of promise. O_O

Well its not okay... That assumption is slightly flippant. It is however sometimes acceptable with a good excuse. Sometimes, it simply cant be helped. Everyone knows that. I always try to keep my promises.

Only if keeping the promise will cause more hurt and harm than it will to keep quiet.

When keeping the promise could hurt someone innocent.

When someone else will be damaged if you kept it

WHEN THE OTHER PERSON BROKE IT OR WHEN HOLDING THAT PROMISE IS BOTHERING YOU IN SOMETHING

Never, I never make a promise I can't keep.

hmm good question. maybe when circumstances have changed since the promis was made and its become more important to break than keep. maybe if you could save some ones life or get some one inosent out of prison or somthing

It is all about hurting someone the least.

promises are made to be broken

When you never promised to keep it,Its NEVER okay to break a promise,ever!Esp. if you pinky swear on it!

Here is a break down of importance in lives of people. 1)health 2)family 3)education 4)girlfriend/boyfriend 5)money If a promise(as I understood it is with your bf/gf) interferes with any above of it, then u can break the promise.

Keep a promise as long as integrity holds. If you aren't doing the right thing anymore, tell them you gotta break it, but make sure they know why.

"Promise" is a real word like many other words in the dictionary. It has a real meaning. People take that word serious a lot of the time. If you promise, then do it. Don't promise what you cant do.

when the conditions change and you need to do it because it'd best for you

Never, you made that, so you have to keep that.. If you known the situation, and you already known that you won't be able to keep your words you musn't have said. Breaking a promise is never nice..

when your getting a divorce

Never.