A couple of scenerios

[spencer2]

#1. Jack (not his real name) is baptist and is married with 4 children. He is a loving father and does alot for his church through volunteer work like other country missions. Jack and Jill one day discuss they can no longer afford or take more children and decide that jack needs a vasectomy. Though Jack’s heart is in the right place with God for taking care of the poor in a Catholic’s eyes he and his wife are now living in mortal sin. But from a baptist stand point a vasectomy is morally ok. So the question is jack and Jill living in mortal sin or not? I’ll post the next scenario later.

 

[Bookcat]

Invincible ignorance can mitigate culpability. Conscience can be “erroneous”. We do not know if they are “in mortal sin”.

Sadly many Protestants drifted away in the 20th century from the age old recognition of grave evil of contraception in its various forms.

 

[spencer2]

#2. Don is a married practicing catholic with 7 children. He has a business that allows him to work out of his home. Legally the government allows Don to write off some expenses like electricity, cell phone and equipment for tax breaks. Don also writes off the cost of his lawn mower because he uses it to cut his grass at his business which is his home. Though it is legal By the government to do this is it moral or sinful?

 

[underacloud]

#1. Jack (not his real name) is baptist and is married with 4 children. He is a loving father and does alot for his church through volunteer work like other country missions. Jack and Jill one day discuss they can no longer afford or take more children and decide that jack needs a vasectomy. Though Jack’s heart is in the right place with God for taking care of the poor in a Catholic’s eyes he and his wife are now living in mortal sin. But from a baptist stand point a vasectomy is morally ok. So the question is jack and Jill living in mortal sin or not? I’ll post the next scenario later.

In my opinion the answer is almost certainly no.

I have many protestant friends…more so than Catholic friends…and they do not see contraception as a sin. The lack the fundamental criteria for mortal sin of knowing that the act is a sin.

As Bookcat described, many protestant churches changed their beliefs regarding contraception through the last century; I would say many faithful protestants now would barely be aware of this fact.

#2. Don is a married practicing catholic with 7 children. He has a business that allows him to work out of his home. Legally the government allows Don to write off some expenses like electricity, cell phone and equipment for tax breaks. Don also writes off the cost of his lawn mower because he uses it to cut his grass at his business which is his home. Though it is legal By the government to do this is it moral or sinful?

How would this be sinful? Legitimate tax minimisation is perfectly moral.

 

[spencer2]

I thought it would be immoral due to the fact that their neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet cannot legally write off their mower, hedger or electricty because they don’t have a home business. It seems like Don is taking advantage of the tax breaks and if he is crafty enough can almost come out tax free.

 

[underacloud]

I thought it would be immoral due to the fact that their neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet cannot legally write off their mower, hedger or electricty because they don’t have a home business. It seems like Don is taking advantage of the tax breaks and if he is crafty enough can almost come out tax free.

I can’t speak for all situations, but generally one can only write of the percentage of expenses relevant to business use. So if you work from home, you can’t just use any and all expenses as deductions. You can use a fair percentage, which for electricity, phone, etc may be quite little.

Mowing the lawn would likely only be a ligitimate expense if clients came to visit the home, thereby making it important to have a well tended yard.

BTW if someone is deducting expenses to the point that they pay no tax, they are either dodging tax (which is immoral) or running a non-profitable business. The tax office, or IRS, or whatever, will get onto them, because tax deductions are allowed for income generating activities. If you don’t generate income (and pay tax on such income), you won’t likely by able to claim the deductions.

Anyway, these are matters for tax accountants, who can advise. But if it is a legitimate expense, it’s not immoral.