Supporting McDonalds sinful?

[peary1]

thats my question. I heard they were supporting gay and lesbian agendas so I wasn’t sure if as Catholics we are obligated to not eat there.

Although I think that would be a personal decision on one’s part, if they are openly and publically supporting gay and lesbian agendas then I would probably assume the Church would ask us to refrain from eating at their establishments.

 

[HappyPerson]

For example, it is morally permissible to buy items from protestant stores. It is only immoral if you make a charitable donation to them.

Does that mean that it is immoral to give money to flood victims, starving children, etc. through World Vision, a Protestant charity?

If so, what Church document would support that notion?

 

[Matthias123]

Does that mean that it is immoral to give money to flood victims, starving children, etc. through World Vision, a Protestant charity?

If so, what Church document would support that notion?

In the case of protestant charities I doubt that it would be immoral. However in most cases it would not be prudent.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=86854&highlight=protestant+charities

 

[Mattapoisett64]

Buying their products is completely different from supporting them. For example, it is morally permissible to buy items from protestant stores. It is only immoral if you make a charitable donation to them.

So with that logic, you are only going to be sinning if you make a charitable donation to McDonald’s. (I would think it would be acceptable to donate to their charities though.)

Seriously: What’s a “protestant store?” Is it your feeling that we’re obligated to learn the religion of a store’s owner before we do business there?

 

[peary1]

Does that mean that it is immoral to give money to flood victims, starving children, etc. through World Vision, a Protestant charity?

If so, what Church document would support that notion?

Use your own judgment.

 

[Newbie2]

Buying their products is completely different from supporting them. For example, it is morally permissible to buy items from protestant stores. It is only immoral if you make a charitable donation to them.

So with that logic, you are only going to be sinning if you make a charitable donation to McDonald’s. (I would think it would be acceptable to donate to their charities though.)

In the case of protestant charities I doubt that it would be immoral. However in most cases it would not be prudent.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=86854&highlight=protestant+charities

It would be immoral if you made a charitable donation to whom?

 

[Dredgemate]

thats my question. I heard they were supporting gay and lesbian agendas so I wasn’t sure if as Catholics we are obligated to not eat there.

If grey “meat” and “chicken” plugs are your thing, feel free to eat there. I personally avoid McDonalds because they are an affront to all things gatronomic…:twocents:

 

[Good_Fella]

thats my question. I heard they were supporting gay and lesbian agendas so I wasn’t sure if as Catholics we are obligated to not eat there.

Gluttony is a sin!

PAX

 

[StarPaintedBlue]

Well, I personally make two or so visits a month to my local Family Christian Store, which is a Protestant company, and I do donate money for some of their drives, like the one where they send a teddy bear to orphans at Christmas. At the end, Christians are Christians, we’re all under the banner of the same God. True?

Also, I will eat at McD’s now and then because it’s cheap, easy and I find it tasty. And considering the problems I have with my cystic ovaries, making my periods very uncomfortable, I tend to feed my cravings at that time of the month. And sometimes that craving is for a double cheeseburger and fries. shrug

Just my two cents… if we research every company we support to death, then we wouldn’t be eating anywhere or buying from anyone!

 

[kmleo]

Haven’t heard anything about Steak and Shake, but Arby’s is a “no no” too for having racey commercials. Two- really bad ones- have been blocked by most television stations in the US, but they are played elsewhere! REALLY bad! One has teacher doing strip-tease on desk in front of boy students! So- none of my money will be going to support that!

Arby’s is delicious!

But where is this commercial you speak of? I haven’t seen it or heard of it.

I saw the one with the butch New Yorker playing a mother, and it was funny. I think people read too much into it and started thinking it supported homosexuality when really it was just humor.

I think you are referring to HARDEE’S, who has very sexual commercials (Paris Hilton writhing on a car while “washing” it, for example), not ARBY’S.

I believe that we are called to be responsible consumers. Yes, it is difficult to research every single corporation, but there are easy ways to identify egregious errors or to simply become loyal supporters of good companys. Chick-Fil-A is an outstanding example of Christian leadership in fast food, in my opinion and on Sundays when I am disappointed that I can’t get a chicken fix, I thank God for the principles of their CEO.

It’s your hard-earned money, so I won’t tell you how to spend it, but considering how many choices we have, I recommend that you take a little extra time to check up on stores to see how they behave to decide if that is the type of company I want to support. I think it is one more way to demonstrate responsiblity in this world of almost out-of-control consumerism. I rely on afa.net to tell me who the worst are, but I’ll regularly check a store’s corporate website to read their mission statement and what types of causes they support.

Finally, as a response to the OP, I would say that with all of the choices out there, visiting a McDonald’s is probably not your best bet. However, I ate at one on a road trip as it was the only thing I could find for a 100 mile stretch!

 

[lizaanne]

At the end, Christians are Christians, we’re all under the banner of the same God. True?

Absolutely NOT true!!!

Christ left ONE Church - not many Churches. If Christians are Christians (which they are not), then what point is there being Catholic!!??

~Liza

 

[Joe_5859]

thats my question. I heard they were supporting gay and lesbian agendas so I wasn’t sure if as Catholics we are obligated to not eat there.

We are not obligated not to eat there. You may choose not to do so as a way to send a messasge (and that could be a noble thing to do). But we are not mandated under pain of sin not to eat there.

Perhaps a quick tutorial in basic moral theology.

There is a difference between formal cooperation with evil and material cooperation with evil. Here’s an excerpt from Beginning Apologetics 5: How to Answer Tough Moral Questions:

Formal Cooperation is assisting another’s wrong-doing while approving it. Formal cooperation is always wrong. Material cooperation is assisting another’s wrong-doing without approving it. Material cooperation falls [sic] the principle of the double effect and is allowed only under the same four conditions:

1. *]Action must be good or neutral in itself;
   *]One cannot share in the evil intention;
   *]Action cannot directly cause evil effect;
   *]Sufficient reasons must exist to allow the evil effect.

1. 
   Let’s look at ghow this situation matches the four criteria:
   1. 
      *]Eating food is necessary and good
      *]You do not share the evil intention (supporting an immoral behavior)
      *]Your food purchase does not directly cause the act
      *]Needing sustenance is a sufficient reason
      
      Frankly, the relationship between one’s food purchase and the promotion of the gay agenda is so remote that I would wonder if it even qualifies as material cooperation at all.

 

[lizaanne]

Gluttony is a sin!

PAX

How is a yogurt and a coffe for breakfast gluttony!!??

If grey “meat” and “chicken” plugs are your thing, feel free to eat there. I personally avoid McDonalds because they are an affront to all things gatronomic…:twocents:

The new asian salad is actually REALLY good!!!
Though I’m not eating at McD’s any more and tried the asian salad at Wendy’s and it was not nearly as good.

Buying their products is completely different from supporting them. For example, it is morally permissible to buy items from protestant stores. It is only immoral if you make a charitable donation to them.

How in the world can you separate the two??!! If you are buying their products you are absolutely supporting them! What else do you think they even exist for but to sell you stuff? When you buy a product they make a profit - that profit goes into supporting whatever agenda they might have or support. This would be the very same thing as saying it’s ok to use Planned Parenthood for at routine pap test and pay them for their services as long as you aren’t having an abortion there. What else do you think they are going to use the profit from your visit for? Making cotton candy?

~Liza

 

[lizaanne]

Frankly, the relationship between one’s food purchase and the promotion of the gay agenda is so remote that I would wonder if it even qualifies as material cooperation at all.

I’ll just answer that with what I already said above to another post…

If you are buying their products you are absolutely supporting them! What else do you think they even exist for but to sell you stuff? When you buy a product they make a profit - that profit goes into supporting whatever agenda they might have or support. This would be the very same thing as saying it’s ok to use Planned Parenthood for at routine pap test and pay them for their services as long as you aren’t having an abortion there. What else do you think they are going to use the profit from your visit for? Making cotton candy?

~Liza

~Liza

 

[Joe_5859]

I’ll just answer that with what I already said above to another post…

~Liza

And anyone is certainly free to boycott such places, but that’s more than the Church requires of us. I’m don’t believe that the Planned Parenthood analogy is apt to every business.

We have to look at the principle of double effect. Provided a situation meets those criteria, then there is no sin.

We need to avoid being overly scrupulous. We could use the same rationale to put all sorts of requirements upon ourselves. If I am visiting a Catholic College where their theology department does not have the mandatum and they frequently teach things opposed to Catholic teaching, am I obligated not to get any candy from any of their vending machines because the profit may go towards their salaries, thus enabling the spread of heresy? Should I not buy the “Lord of the Rings” on DVD because one of the actors is openly gay and the director is cohabitating and my money is enabling them in their sinful lifestyle?

If we really took an in-depth look at every single purchasing decision trying to trace where our money might be going, we would paralyze ourselves into not buying anything.

 

[Andruschak]

There is an “official” boycott of them for this reason.

How “official”? Just what entity decreed the FIAT?

 

[lizaanne]

And anyone is certainly free to boycott such places, but that’s more than the Church requires of us. I’m don’t believe that the Planned Parenthood analogy is apt to every business.

We have to look at the principle of double effect. Provided a situation meets those criteria, then there is no sin.

We need to avoid being overly scrupulous. We could use the same rationale to put all sorts of requirements upon ourselves. If I am visiting a Catholic College where their theology department does not have the mandatum and they frequently teach things opposed to Catholic teaching, am I obligated not to get any candy from any of their vending machines because the profit may go towards their salaries, thus enabling the spread of heresy? Should I not buy the “Lord of the Rings” on DVD because one of the actors is openly gay and the director is cohabitating and my money is enabling them in their sinful lifestyle?

If we really took an in-depth look at every single purchasing decision trying to trace where our money might be going, we would paralyze ourselves into not buying anything.

I’m actually not arguing with you, believe it or not!!

I was simply pointing out some flawed logic that buying certain products does not support the agenda of the company. I agree that in certain situations that may be accurate - but it is not always the case and each situation needs to be addressed on its own.

~Liza

 

[notsmart]

McDonalds does not pretend to hold itself out as anything more than a fast food place. They are not trying to peddle religion or anti religion on the side. As employers they cant discriminate for any reason. I am not looking for spiritual guidance when I go there. I am looking for a happy meal for my child once a month.
I don’t feel bad about it either.
Now, if they were offering drive up sermons, I would stop going.

 

[Joe_5859]

I’m actually not arguing with you, believe it or not!!

I was simply pointing out some flawed logic that buying certain products does not support the agenda of the company. I agree that in certain situations that may be accurate - but it is not always the case and each situation needs to be addressed on its own.

~Liza

Ah, I see. Now I think I understand what you were getting at. I agree with your point that buying a product supports the company (and whatever agenda they might have). Whether such support is morally justifiable or not is what needs to be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Glad we cleared that up!

 

[Feste_1242]

I don’t understand threads like this. Are we saying we should investigate every store, restaurant, bar or whatever before going into them or making a purchase. That would be ridiculous.

No, but we shouldn’t blindly support anything just because someone hasn’t looked us in the face and told us they’re evil. We just have to be careful; if you hear something along the lines of the business supporting immoral acts, stop going.

Buying their products is completely different from supporting them. For example, it is morally permissible to buy items from protestant stores. It is only immoral if you make a charitable donation to them.

No, it isn’t. Buying something is giving them a profit, so that they can put the money towards whatever end they wish. If that end is supporting immoral behavior, you are supporting their support of immoral behavior, which is immoral. When you’re talking about a business, and not people, buying something is the same as giving a charitable donation. Both are unacceptable, if the money is going towards something wrong.

Gluttony is a sin!

It is indeed. But eating at McDonalds in not necessarily gluttonous.

We are not obligated not to eat there. You may choose not to do so as a way to send a messasge (and that could be a noble thing to do). But we are not mandated under pain of sin not to eat there.

We are obligated not to, because by eating there we are sending the message that we agree with their agenda.

Formal

I disagree. Firstly, the action (buying the food) is pretty directly related to the effect (promotion of the gay agenda). Secondly, as I have already mentioned, financially supporting them (assisting) *is, *in this case, approving. Lastly, there is no sufficient reason, as one could just as easily eat something else. (In most cases. In cases like the one kmleo mentioned, where it is the only choice for food, it is morally permissible.) In a nutshell, I do not believe the Principle of Double Effect applies here.

I’m don’t believe that the Planned Parenthood analogy is apt to every business.

Why not?

am I obligated not to get any candy from any of their vending machines because the profit may go towards their salaries, thus enabling the spread of heresy? Should I not buy the “Lord of the Rings” on DVD because one of the actors is openly gay and the director is cohabitating and my money is enabling them in their sinful lifestyle?

Different rules apply for people than for businesses. It is not wrong to give charity to a Satanist, right? But it *is *wrong to give money to a business that supports and promotes Satanism.