Do promises have a hierarchy or is a promise a promise ?
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Its quite philosphical Slim, the way you put that. I don't think all promises can be kept, but you should at least try.
I try not to make them.
Obviously, sometimes you have no choice but to break them, so it's best not to make them in the first place, imo.
Some women still say 'love, honour and obey' in their marriage vows, for instance! 
Originally Posted by noseyrosie:
Its quite philosphical Slim, the way you put that. I don't think all promises can be kept, but you should at least try.
Sorry Nosey...has been one of those taxing days I guess....
In my book a promise shouldn't be made unless able to keep...it may take longer than the donor intended but delivered all the same....
Originally Posted by Blizz'ard:
I try not to make them.
Obviously, sometimes you have no choice but to break them, so it's best not to make them in the first place, imo.
Some women still say 'love, honour and obey' in their marriage vows, for instance!
My age allows me to forget such heatheness behaviour these days Blizz....
I tend to promise with a "I'll try my best but can't promise"...these days!
Experience....a wonderess thing dontcha think !
never make promises lightly - when I do, I do everything I can to keep them - sometimes occasionally it's not possible - I do feel bad when that happens. That's why I never make a promise lightly.
Originally Posted by slimfern:
Question....
is it 'a hierarchy'
or 'an hierarchy'
have changed it twice already...
I would have said an but TBH I haven't got an clue.
I knew someone who many years ago made a death bed promise to a man that he would run his business for him on behalf of the man's wife.
He ran the business for many years without accepting any payment of any sort until he was in his 80s and had to give up because his health was failing. I used to do the annual accounts and tax and eventually decided to sever my links with him as I suspected that he would eventually try to get me to make the same death bed promise and I was not prepared to let him try.
Promises do go in a hierachy.
Its depends wots being promised and how important it is.
I promise to marry you
I promise to ring you
We can't take all promises too literally
I think there are different levels of promises depending on the situation. Like there are different levels of truth....little white lies to save someones feelings etc. I make promises all the time but sometimes break them. If I promise to pick up my friends child from school I'll do it. If I promise my husband I won't nag for a day....I nearly always break that promise.
I think that means a hierachy, but an 'otel. I think. 
If I say I promise I do try to keep it, even if it happens months later, as in 'I promise I'll call'.
However, if I say on here I promise and it is followed by a ninja 
, take it that I made that promise with my fingers crossed firmly behind my back because as well all know that totally negates the promise. 
Originally Posted by Saint:
We can't take all promises too literally
That's true.
I promise never to call you Renton again Renton 
If I "promise" to do something I do my utmost to keep it - I don't promise often though
I would always try and keep a promise...and I would never break a promise to a child, it would have to be something out of my control to do that.
Originally Posted by Dame_Ann_Average:
I would always try and keep a promise...and I would never break a promise to a child, it would have to be something out of my control to do that.
I do break promises to the kids sometimes. If I've told them since they were toddlers not to do something but they continue to do it...to me that makes any promises I make null and void
Originally Posted by Cinds:
Originally Posted by Saint:
We can't take all promises too literally
That's true.
I promise never to call you Renton again Renton
Originally Posted by Cagney:
I do break promises to the kids sometimes. If I've told them since they were toddlers not to do something but they continue to do it...to me that makes any promises I make null and void
I would agree in those circumstances, simply because you've warned them of the consequences, you just haven't said... sod it I can't be bothered
Originally Posted by Dame_Ann_Average:
Originally Posted by Cagney:
I do break promises to the kids sometimes. If I've told them since they were toddlers not to do something but they continue to do it...to me that makes any promises I make null and void
I would agree in those circumstances, simply because you've warned them of the consequences, you just haven't said... sod it I can't be bothered
Oh believe me I've said. Seems they can't keep promises either 
Originally Posted by Cinds:
If I say I promise I do try to keep it, even if it happens months later, as in 'I promise I'll call'.
However, if I say on here I promise and it is followed by a ninja , take it that I made that promise with my fingers crossed firmly behind my back because as well all know that totally negates the promise.
Goes without saying
A promise is a promise to me and should never be broken, if I thought it could be 50/50 of the promise being broken then I'd never make the promise in the first place....oh and I had obey taken out of my wedding vows....
You sound like a bloody nightmare
..it works well in my husbands favour, he gets special treatment from others for putting up with me....
a hierarchy
Originally Posted by Pengy:
a hierarchy
I agree, it's only an when the following word starts with an actual vowel not a phonetical vowel.