Moral Obligation to Complain?

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Fuerza

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In the men’s locker room where I work, a swimsuit calendar is prominently hung on a bulletin board. It’s not pornographic, and likely nothing that the average secular person would deem offensive, but would still be an occasion of sin for some. I have been largely content to ignore it and don’t really think much about it, however I am beginning to wonder if I have a moral obligation to complain. I would prefer not to as doing so would certainly get me blackballed and labeled a whiner. Filing an anonymous complaint is not a real option either, as everyone would quickly figure out that I was the one who did it. What do we all think? Do I have a moral obligation to complain, or can I continue simply ignoring it?
 
If you are in the US, report it to HR. It’s a violation of sexual harassment laws and the company should remove it lest they be liable for hostile work environment complaints. It’s not appropriate for a work setting.

Are you obligated? No.
 
Fuerza said:
In the men’s locker room where I work, a swimsuit calendar is prominently hung on a bulletin board. It’s not pornographic, and likely nothing that the average secular person would deem offensive, but would still be an occasion of sin for some. I have been largely content to ignore it and don’t really think much about it, however I am beginning to wonder if I have a moral obligation to complain. I would prefer not to as doing so would certainly get me blackballed and labeled a whiner. Filing an anonymous complaint is not a real option either, as everyone would quickly figure out that I was the one who did it. What do we all think? Do I have a moral obligation to complain, or can I continue simply ignoring it?
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You should ignore it. It doesn’t seem like you have been ignoring it though, you seem to be preoccupied with it. Working in a men’s looker room doesn’t appear to suit your personality.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
You should ignore it. It doesn’t seem like you have been ignoring it though, you seem to be preoccupied with it. Working in a men’s looker room doesn’t appear to suit your personality.
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I have been ignoring it and it doesn’t pose a particular problem for me. Like I clearly stated, I was wondering if I have a moral obligation to have it removed. You seem to have read a lot into a short post. Also, since we’re splitting hairs, I don’t work in a locker room. I get changed there before my shift like virtually every other cop in the country.
 
If the swimsuit calendar is not pornographic but you think that looking at it might lead someone to sin, would it also be sinful for someone to go to the beach or a public swimming pool and see people in swim suits?
 
Thorolfr said:
If the swimsuit calendar is not pornographic but you think that looking at it might lead someone to sin, would it also be sinful for someone to go to the beach or a public swimming pool and see people in swim suits?
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For some maybe, if they can’t handle it, but for others no. I’m not talking about a beach though. All I’m wondering is whether or not I become complicit in someone else’s sin by not taking action in this particular circumstance.
 
thistle said:
If you are scrupulous you should be talking to your priest.
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I do when the issue is directly related to me. The purpose of this forum is discussion, however, and it is always good to get other perspectives. Just because I’m scrupulous doesn’t mean I lose the right to speak to other people.
 
Okay what is offensive about it? I just can’t see how a calendar is causing enough turmoil that a forum post was needed.
 
I agree that it’s not appropriate in a workplace, even if the area is segregated by sex. That doesn’t oblige you to report it, but I think you’d have grounds to if you wanted to.

These “swimsuit issues” are frequently different than regular beach attire. And anyway, he doesn’t work on a beach.
 
NM505StKate said:
Okay what is offensive about it? I just can’t see how a calendar is causing enough turmoil that a forum post was needed.
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I don’t recall saying that it was causing turmoil. A question occurred to me and I decided to post about it. Do you only write about earth-shattering events? The deeper issue is simply whether or not one has an obligation to eliminate the occasion of sin from public when possible. This is not a fashion calendar intended as an advertisement to sell swimwear. This is a calendar of women from a popular restaurant chain scantily dressed and making facial expressions with the intent to cause sexual arousal, and therefore it can be considered sinful. Since whether or not there is an obligation to do something about it is a question of moral theology, I figured this would be a good place to discuss it.
 
Mind your own business. Don’t be a fuss budget. Nobody likes that.
 
You’re a New York cop with all that entails and you are concerned about a swim suit calendar in the mens locker room?
 
Fuerza said:
I don’t recall saying that it was causing turmoil. A question occurred to me and I decided to post about it. Do you only write about earth-shattering events? The deeper issue is simply whether or not one has an obligation to eliminate the occasion of sin from public when possible. This is not a fashion calendar intended as an advertisement to sell swimwear. This is a calendar of women from a popular restaurant chain scantily dressed and making facial expressions with the intent to cause sexual arousal, and therefore it can be considered sinful. Since whether or not there is an obligation to do something about it is a question of moral theology, I figured this would be a good place to discuss it.
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I think it’s a reasonable enough question and it’s a fair discussion. That said, I don’t think you need to stress too much about a Hooter’s calendar.
Bradski said:
You’re a New York cop with all that entails and you are concerned about a swim suit calendar in the mens locker room?
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He’s concerned about it in the context of his own sinfulness/culpability. He’s not claiming it’s a problem for the city on the level of murders and carjackings. Don’t be deliberately obtuse.
 
BoomBoomMancini said:
I think it’s a reasonable enough question and it’s a fair discussion. That said, I don’t think you need to stress too much about a Hooter’s calendar.

He’s concerned about it in the context of his own sinfulness/culpability. He’s not claiming it’s a problem for the city on the level of murders and carjackings. Don’t be deliberately obtuse.
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That’s exactly it. Thank you.
 
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