Proximity to Evil Question

[inomcoke]

Hey CAF, I would like your opinion on a situation I’m in. It is one of those ‘proximity to evil’ type of things.

I am a freelance writer, and frequently get hired by a client to write content for small businesses throughout the country (the content goes on their websites).

Today he asked me to write for a ‘call in psychic’ website. Basically he just wants me to write general articles about the ‘services’ they offer (tarot reading, psychic advisers, ect). The articles will also be telling people to call their 800 number.

So, my question is…Can I accept this job, or would that be too close of a participation in evil, and therefore sinful?

If it matters, I know I wouldn’t be tempted to consult a psychic or anything silly like this.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

 

[sw85]

Good question, I had to ponder it myself. My first instinct is that, no, you probably shouldn’t do it, simply because, as you say, consulting psychics etc. is superstition, superstition is an evil, and you shouldn’t be abetting evil in any way.

Now of course it is sometimes permissible to be complicit with evil if you don’t intend evil, if your complicity is intended to and will actually bring about a good that is greater than the evil, if the action you’re doing is not evil (merely writing, of course, isn’t evil), etc. Hence if you work for a landscaping company, it is OK (I think) to mow the lawns and tend the hedges of a clinic where abortions are performed. It is much less OK if you are a repairman and you are called in to repair the gadgetry with which abortions are performed. Etc.

Earning money and providing for yourself and family is a good, but in this case I think it is probably disproportionately small to the evil you’d be enabling (putting anything on the Internet could last for years and be seen by thousands of people). So I would caution that you probably shouldn’t, without taking my word here as Gospel truth.

There’s a good treatment of these issues at EWTN here: ewtn.com/library/THEOLOGY/COOPRTN.htm

 

[Joe_5859]

That is a tough one! If I were you, I don’t think I could – in conscience – take that job. It’s one thing if you are providing a service to them that’s more neutral (like delivering pizza or something like that). But to actually compose the verbiage for their website meant to sell their products? I don’t see how I could do such a thing.

I know it’s not fun to pass up work opportunities.

 

[fred_conty]

If it were me…no I would not do it because we are leading others into something evil … and this is by church standards.

Refuse it. Don’t be concerned about what it will cost you, for God gives more than he takes.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.

 

[inomcoke]

Thank you everyone. You all confirmed what I was thinking.

Especially since the content on websites is one of the factors that causes them to rank well with Google…I didn’t like the idea that my writing may cause someone to stumble on this type of site and get sucked in.

I turned down the job.

Thanks again.

Michael