I knowingly pay taxes to a government that sanctions and protects the killing of the unborn, and since I live in the state of Oregon, the terminally ill. If said government changed its laws then such products like Plan B would not be on the store shelves. Could not your application of the double effect put me into a moral dilemma with regard to paying taxes when there’s a chance even a penny of my taxes could go to help fund an abortion?
No, you have to pay your taxes. I distinctively remember on a recent EWTN series on Natural Law, the host, Professor Charles Rice, professor of law emeritus at Notre Dame School of Law, said our government does some evil things with the revenue it receives.
In my opinion, we do have corrupt state and federal governments, but they do provide for the Common Good by defending the nation, providing police and fire services, and arbitrating disputes.
But I remember that Professor Rice said you have to pay your taxes.
Someone once said “Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.” I have doubt as whether if we have a 100% civilized society, but if you didn’t pay your tax, and if other people withheld it, there would be anarchy and there would be no law and order, or military, essential services, and the Barbarians would invade.
So, the question of the Double Effect and Government works a little differently than going to the store.
If we want to change our government’s policiesit isn’t by withholding our tax money, but by using the democratic process to achieve change by voting, forming a political party, maybe running for office.
However, most of us can control which stores we shop at and when we shop.
OK, I’m not an expert on the Double Effect, so I would like to** limit this discussion**
to my original question about
whether it is a sin, mortal or venial, to knowingly shop at a store that sells drugs that murder innocent human life.
I can’t sit here and write a treatise to everyone’s laundry list of questions about the Double Effect. If you have a question about the Double Effect please that
does not involve shopping and
Going To The Store, please start your own Thread.
I understand why you asked the questions, and it is a good question, and they are somewhat related since they are questions about Double Effect, but I really want to focus in and
limit the discussion to the original question that I asked.
Now, I have to write on national missile defense.
Gottle of Geer, I really don’t want to spend any more time on this question you’ve posed.
This Thread is about
Going To The Store; this Thread is not, and was
not intended to be a general discussion about the Double Effect. Your question is way off topic.
If you want to pose a new question, I respecfully suggest that you
start your own Thread.
However, I will try to write an
rudimentary answer to your question without getting bogged down in a lot of details.
There is no doubt that WMD are in general, a bad thing; however, because other nations like China, Russia, Pakistan have nuclear weapons and other WMD, in order to provide an adequate defense, a nation can use these weapons for defense, as a deterrent to other countries.
That’s the reality of the world we live in now.
So, it isn’t necessarily sinful to work at such a munitions factory, I would say, otherwise a rogue nation could hold another hostage if they have a WMD and another nation does not have them.
The use of nuclear and other WMD is up to the Commander and Chief of the United States.
If they are used, strictly on military targets, their use
may be legitimate.
However, your question, though a good question, is **beyond the scope **of this particular Thread, and has nothing to do, nor does it answer the original question that I posed.
If you want to discuss your question about the Double Effect any further, please post your own Thread.
I know my butcher, baker and produce shop don’t. 
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