Reparations for theft

[timmyo]

I understand that you are required to repay any money or goods back to individuals if you have stolen from them. I understand that this is part of your pennance after receiving absolution from a priest. Is the same standard held up for when you deliberately fail to pay government fees, ie parking permits, building permits, etc? If so, what if you live in a different town and are no longer under that governmental jurisdiction. The fees go back a few years and I was wondering if it is permissible to give the money to charity instead of the government. Another reason I want to give to charity instead of this municipality is that it is a corrupt governmental body. The corruption was part of the reason I didn’t want to pay the permit fees in the first place, but I realize I have to “render unto ceasar, what is ceasar’s” and it is not my place to decide whether to pay or not. Thank you for your advice in advance.

 

[newf]

Friend, you need to pay back the money you owe to the government.

You say they are corrupt, but so are you until you pay back what you have stolen. Don’t be like that, be better.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

Ask a priest next time you are in confession

One thing to consider is that Jesus was obedient to death on a cross. He did not challenge Pilot because he knew that Pilot’s authority was given to him by His Father. Jesus didn’t say, “Pilot, you are corrupt, so therefore, your sentence is not valid”.

Laws are made and unless they contradict a church teaching, we are obligated to follow them.

That having been said, if something is really complex - paying back such fees, the priest may tell you to round up the amount of money owed and work out a payment plan to pay some charity.

This is why I say to ask a priest.

 

[stbruno]

It seems to me that two wrongs do not make a right. You said that you willfully did not pay something to the government. You believe that whatever this money owed is wrongfully charged by the government. Two wrongs…

If you want to make things right…return the money, even anonymously to the government then work with your legislators to change the law that cause the wrongfully charged tax or fee or whatever it is. Then you will know that your efforts were not in vain. As long as you have made a sincere effort to resolve this, only then will your conscience fully feel cleared.
As with all things, pray, pray and pray some more.

 

[FiremanFrank]

stbrunoIt
seems to me that two wrongs do not make a right.

Correct stbrunolt !

In an audio tape course that I studied entitled “Introduction to Catholic Moral Theology” (Fr. William Most), he clearly states that the two wrongs DO NOT make a right.

This goes against Catholic Teaching, and the opposite of this is the **theologically faulted **(and most often used by Protestants) term of “The means justifies the ends”.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Three lefts can make a right.

 

[FiremanFrank]

AlanFromWichita
Three lefts can make a right.

LOL

Must’ve missed that gem in my course on Moral Theology.

Going back now to re-read it and see what else I missed …

 

[tuopaolo]

timmyo:

I understand that you are required to repay any money or goods back to individuals if you have stolen from them.

Yes but if repaying would put you in danger of prosecution (or of them getting angry and shooting you!), then you can make reparation some other way (perhaps by repaying them in a secret manner or even moral reparation if this is the only possible way)

I understand that this is part of your pennance after receiving absolution from a priest.

It’s not really part of the penance (though I guess a priest could make it part of it) but a basic requirement of the moral law. In other words, even if the priest doesn’t mention it as part of the penance, you’d still be required to make some kind of reparation, preferably appropriate material reparation if that is possible (if you can’t afford to do it, then you should do it when you are able to afford it, etc.)

Is the same standard held up for when you deliberately fail to pay government fees, ie parking permits, building permits, etc? If so, what if you live in a different town and are no longer under that governmental jurisdiction. The fees go back a few years and I was wondering if it is permissible to give the money to charity instead of the government.

If you fear prosecution, I think that would be alright, especially if the charity was local to the town you stole from.

Another reason I want to give to charity instead of this municipality is that it is a corrupt governmental body. The corruption was part of the reason I didn’t want to pay the permit fees in the first place, but I realize I have to “render unto ceasar, what is ceasar’s” and it is not my place to decide whether to pay or not. Thank you for your advice in advance.

I’m not sure about this one. Sorry.

You can mention all this to a priest, including at your next confession, and just follow what he says (unless he tells you to jump off a cliff of course