A rotating panel of experts from the worlds of ethics, psychology and religion offer their perspective on the dilemmas that come with living in Southern California.

Today’s question: If you were in line to buy tickets to an amusement park and a couple in your party said beforehand that they were going to lie about their ages to get senior discounts, should you say anything to dissuade them?

Shabbir Mansuri

Founding director, Council on Islamic Education, Fountain Valley

Islam places great emphasis on respect for elders, so the idea of providing discounts to seniors, who have “paid their dues” to society, is a sound one from a Muslim perspective. In order to maintain its integrity, it is important to prevent abuse of such a policy. If a couple in my party planned on being disingenuous about their ages to get discounts, I would have to chide them into thinking about being honest and paying the proper amount until they qualify for a discount. While this might seem a minor issue in the larger scheme of things, it’s important to abide by established rules as well as ethical principles in matters large and small.

The Very Rev. Lynn Jay

Vicar, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Santa Clarita

Damn right! It’s cheating.

Michael Josephson

President and founder, Josephson Institute of Ethics, Marina del Rey

Of course, it is wrong to lie to save a few bucks. The offense is even worse when it involves children. If we want our children to be honest, we must model honesty--even when it costs more than we want to pay. If we think a policy is unfair, we can take it up with management or patronize another place. We certainly have no right to lie just because we don’t like the consequences. If dishonesty were justified here, why not on resumes, on insurance forms and college applications? A person of character is trustworthy. Liars aren’t.