Ethics and career

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HurtbutChanging

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Good afternoon,

I believe that I already know the answer to my question, but am beginning to second guess myself.

Anyway, I’ve been unemployed for the past 3 months. It’s been a tough go, but I finally found something promising in my field. And trust me it’s DIFFICULT finding anything in my field as I have just recently entered it. In other words, I’m green. I have the education, but lack any formal work experience.

The problem is that this organization with the promising job is a pharmaceutical company, and they do supply Plan B (the morning after pill) and of course birth control pills. I would not be directly involved in the production or distribution of these types of drugs (it’s a HR position). I do not, however; want to be involved or associated with the killing of the innocent in any shape or form. Simply put, it’s sinful. On the other hand, I need to eat and my bills are beginning to pile high. I do not have any other prospects!

Any advice? What would be my best course of action?
 
If you are not directly involved in the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of such immoral drugs and devices with the intention of facilitating consensual contraceptive sex and abortion, then it is fine. Human Resources people do not normally get involved in directly doing these things anyway. However, if your employer gives you a task that directly involves it, then I would tell him or her that your religious convictions do not permit you to do so and remind him/her about the current laws in the books that require employers to accommodate people of different faiths. He or she would then have the immoral option of choosing someone else who believes or overlooks such wickedness to do that particular task.
 
HurtbutChanging said:
Good afternoon,

I believe that I already know the answer to my question, but am beginning to second guess myself.

Anyway, I’ve been unemployed for the past 3 months. It’s been a tough go, but I finally found something promising in my field. And trust me it’s DIFFICULT finding anything in my field as I have just recently entered it. In other words, I’m green. I have the education, but lack any formal work experience.

The problem is that this organization with the promising job is a pharmaceutical company, and they do supply Plan B (the morning after pill) and of course birth control pills. I would not be directly involved in the production or distribution of these types of drugs (it’s a HR position). I do not, however; want to be involved or associated with the killing of the innocent in any shape or form. Simply put, it’s sinful. On the other hand, I need to eat and my bills are beginning to pile high. I do not have any other prospects!

Any advice? What would be my best course of action?
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Advice: Trust in Jesus to provide food and a place to live. It is very hard to do but with faith Jesus will provide. I am a testament to that.

Action: Do nothing if you do not know what to do. Honesty is the best policy and sometimes that honesty has to be with ourselves. FWIW I tried to place myself in your shoes and the first answer was to try and take a job and tell myself that I would not be endorsing the Pill and that I might be able to be a Light in the Darkness (so to speak). But then I considered where you wish no association with the Pill and killing of babies and my thoughts changed to one where it is better to be free from guilt then to have such a heavy weight on one’s heart.

My prayers for you.
 
Since you are not directly involved with the manufacture or distribution of plan B, you are doing nothing wrong at all.

However, with ABC, remember that the pill can be used for genuine therapeutical medical reasons, and was recognised as having those benefits by the pope himself. He even cleared its use for those reasons. You aren’t prescribing the pill for birth control reasons, so you are not at fault for how the people use it.
 
Thank you for your responses. I definitely have a few things to consider…
 
I don’t think you would be held morally accountable as long as you are not directly involved with the distribution or promotion of the pills.

Pro-life pharmacists fill prescriptions of drugs from pharmaceutical companies that distribute the Pill all the time, but they are not at fault because they are not filling the Pill itself.
 
Whitacre_Girl said:
… However, with ABC, remember that the pill can be used for genuine therapeutical medical reasons, and was recognised as having those benefits by the pope himself. He even cleared its use for those reasons. You aren’t prescribing the pill for birth control reasons, so you are not at fault for how the people use it.
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Yes, that is true that some contraceptive pills or methods can at time be used legitimately to treat other unassociated problems if there are no other efficient methods to treat it with. But, the problem is that secular manufacturers, distributors, and sellers do not market or distribute the product with the sole intention of using it for non-contraceptive reasons. So, in that way, they become an accessory to sin.
 
By the same token: ANYTHING in God’s created earth (although it is all good in God’s eye’s) can be used ‘badly’.

This from food for nourishment turned to gluttony; this from water turned to wine at a wedding feast to getting in an accident hurting another and facing a DWI; this from doing the right thing for self-esteem turning it to pride; this from raising one’s kids with discipline turned to domestic assault.

The problem is not in the “things”… the problem is in “us” and how we use them!
 
If the company could find no HR or secretarial or janitoral employees because everyone stuck to their beliefs and refused to take a job there because of the anti life pills, the company would re-think.

Look at an aborted baby, can you work for a company that makes money from that child’s death?
 
I think this has been addressed in other threads. Why don’t you do a search and get a few more perspectives? I would pose this question to Ask an Apologist.
 
I think as long as you are not directly involved in the development/sales/manufacture of the problematic drugs, you can take the job in good conscience.

After all, many, many company’s have problematic issues. What if a company’s health insurance covers abortion, or same sex partners, does that mean you can’t work their? I don’t think so.

Go ahead, take the job.

God Bless
 
Plan B and birth control pills are not at the same level as abortion or killing the innocent, unless of course they also manufacture Mifepristone or Misoprostol, but I think you are right to be concerned. The thing is, I can’t imagine any large company with out their little fingers involved in some morally dubious practice. If Catholics had to make sure that every aspect of a business was in line with Catholic teaching we wouldn’t be able to put food on the table. That is quite a dilemma you have on your hands there. I think as long as you aren’t directly involved you are ok but I would still look for something else.
 
Working in HR could mean you’re helping the people who manufacture it.
 
Let me pose a question here…

When I was working for a church, some of the parishioners were working in some very dubious fields of endeavor, and making a lot of money at it. Let’s say, making liquor and or selling it, among other fields where some could get hurt as a result of the product of which everyone along the line from manufacturer to forklift warehouse driver, to trucker, to stocker, to the clerk that sells it… could be ‘in-the-wrong’ according to some standards by some of the posters here on CAF. Then, since these people go to church and put money in the collection basket… does Father say to them “keep your money” because of where it comes from and what they have done to earn it, and bring it to church to put in the collection?

Just how much money comes into the church from sources that are not on the “White List”?

And even if Father knows this, he then uses these funds for a good cause. Just where in the cycle is one looking? It’s not so much where it comes from, as to where it goes… what ‘influence’ are you putting on it? What are you doing with it?

Is there a ‘perfect’ person in this world? Is there a ‘perfect’ business in this world? Is there a ‘perfect’ company to work for in this world? Is there a ‘perfect’ country to live in in this world? If one has to look for ONLY PERFECTION for their hands to work in, they will not be working… then, those taking care of them (trying to) would not be acceptable because their hands are ‘dirty’ from working in the very ‘dirt’ of this world by the ‘sweat’ on the brow (Genesis).
 
Michael_David said:
Let me pose a question here…

When I was working for a church, some of the parishioners were working in some very dubious fields of endeavor, and making a lot of money at it. Let’s say, making liquor and or selling it, among other fields where some could get hurt as a result of the product of which everyone along the line from manufacturer to forklift warehouse driver, to trucker, to stocker, to the clerk that sells it… could be ‘in-the-wrong’ according to some standards by some of the posters here on CAF. Then, since these people go to church and put money in the collection basket… does Father say to them “keep your money” because of where it comes from and what they have done to earn it, and bring it to church to put in the collection?
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Good heavens, we are not talking about something morally neutral (liquor) or something that is in the wrong in some opinions. ABORTION and Contracpetion are gravely sinful.

Can you look at the baby who was aborted by Plan B and tell them “eh, it is not such a big deal” 🤷
 
kage_ar said:
Good heavens, we are not talking about something morally neutral (liquor) or something that is in the wrong in some opinions. ABORTION and Contracpetion are gravely sinful.

Can you look at the baby who was aborted by Plan B and tell them “eh, it is not such a big deal” 🤷
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yeap that’s the reason!😃
 
kage_ar said:
Good heavens, we are not talking about something morally neutral (liquor) or something that is in the wrong in some opinions. ABORTION and Contracpetion are gravely sinful.

Can you look at the baby who was aborted by Plan B and tell them “eh, it is not such a big deal” 🤷
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I like your use of “morally neutral” here.

All things are morally neutral to each of us, UNLESS we ourselves use them toward the wrong purposes.

How can selling a condom to an atheist or birth control pills to a Lutheran (for a living wage) be construed as wrong if the one selling or dealing with them DOES NOT use them? Isn’t it about what we ourselves do with any of this ‘morally neutral’ stuff that matters in the end… rather then what may have passed by or through us in the process of making a living?

Another example: do you agree with everything our government is doing with our tax money? Or even one better, since the government is doing things not to our moral standards, EVERYONE working for the government should start looking for another job, because their employer has dirt on their hands?

I draw the line at what I personally use or do with any of this ‘morally neutral’ stuff… not what others (who many are non-catholic) do with it. If I want to impose my morals onto them, then I am no better then the Pharisees of Christ’s day. And we all know what He said about them…
 
I agree with the majority that say that your specific position within the company is not sinful. Now, as an HR person, it would be up to you to do your best to argue against your company offering health insurance for abortions, or promoting homosexual activity. A large pharmacetical company will also make drugs to treat people with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. Focus on that side of the business if you ever need to be more involved in the actual products the company produces.

I think I would take the job and begin to make plans to move to another company once you have a bit of experience. You do have a moral obligation to repay your creditors. Since this position is not directly sinful, you should be fine to take it.

Please also do speak to your priest.
 
Michael_David said:
I like your use of “morally neutral” here.

All things are morally neutral to each of us, UNLESS we ourselves use them toward the wrong purposes.

How can selling a condom to an atheist or birth control pills to a Lutheran (for a living wage) be construed as wrong if the one selling or dealing with them DOES NOT use them?
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Some things are morally neutral, they can be used for good or for evil (liquor, tobacco, are a couple of common examples). These are not in and of themselves sinful, like sex, it can be a beautiful part of God’s plan or a sin.

Other things are part of the law or practice for Catholics and are not binding on all human beings - things like not eating meat on Friday or going to Mass on the HDOs.

Other things are defined as intrinsically evil things that break God’s moral law. These things can never be good, no matter how or when or why they are used.

Abortion is one of those things.

Contraception is another.

These are sinful for all people, every human being is bound to follow God’s law.

You can read the Catechism online for free, it will help you understand the teachings of God on sin and evil.

From the CCC on abortion:

scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2271.htm

2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.75
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves. Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.76

[2272](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/2272.htm’)😉 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,"77 "by the very commission of the offense,"78 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.79 The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.

[2273](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/2273.htm’)😉 The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation:

"The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard every human being’s right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death."80
“The moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law. When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined. . . . As a consequence of the respect and protection which must be ensured for the unborn child from the moment of conception, the law must provide appropriate penal sanctions for every deliberate violation of the child’s rights.”
 
Kage,

I understand what you are saying.

With abortion, the one’s doing it are liable… how about the one’s who were part of building the structure where they are being performed (the carpenters and bricklayers); or the one’s who supply the electricity to the building; or the one’s that supply the water to the building; or the trash truck driver that picks up the garbage; or the janitor that cleans the place after hours; or the one’s that mow the grass out front, or shovel the sidewalk…???

Are ALL of these also as liable as the one’s performing the actual procedure?
 
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