When is it supporting abortion/immoral causes?

[newbie9]

I think I am starting to understand the guidance on investing in companies or supporting companies that may or may not support immoral causes. Is it a true statement that if the general purpose of the business is either morally good or morally neutral that it’s ok to invest in them or support them (making purchases, etc.) even though that funding might make its way to support immoral causes? In my opinion, while planned parenthood does have morally neutral/good aspects, the overriding immoral aspects would make direct donations to them prohibited. But if you support Ford (an examplee, no idea if they support PP) which generally makes morally neutral products and they support PP then it’s still ok to support PP. Is that correct?

If I am understanding teh guidance correctly, then all of the situations below should be ok. Please tell me if any/all are not:

• Investing in retirement funds, mutual funds, etc. which contain shares in multiple companies some of which may/may not spend funds on immoral purposes
• Making a purchase or investing in a drugstore/department store (CVS, Walmart, Target, etc.) where most of the products are morally neutral, but they do sell contraceptives and may/may not support immoral causes
• Investing in a technology company (Google, Apple, etc.) where their products are morally neutral (depending on the use maybe even morally good), but their search engines/apps/etc. allow pornography to be viewed and they may/may not support immoral causes

 

[Beth_Cecilia]

This is a difficult question that many pro-lifers struggle with. We have a lot of individual determinations to make.

My own decisions are swayed by multiple factors. I will shop at a place which sells condoms and contraceptives. I see little choice. I will not, however, go to a doctor who provides abortions. (And if I happen to know of a pharmacy that refuses to sell contraceptives and condoms, I would patronize them- but more to support their business than to boycott the others.)

Some things are obvious. I will not support planned parenthood directly. But then, what of other companies which may or may not support them? If they advocate for them, or are very vocal in their support of them than I do not give them my money, and I will tell them why. If they have an employee matching program, where they match whatever donations an employee makes to charities, and through that program some of their employees give money to PP, and thus they do as well, I am not troubled by that. I will still patronize that company.

If they donate to PP directly, I am disinclined to patronize them but I do not let it trouble my conscience if I do not have a choice. If I have other choices, I will not patronize them. In either case I will write them a customer complain letter.

It is hard sometimes. You will hear reports about this or that company supporting PP, and then when you write them they deny it. Who do you believe? How do you know? Do you have an obligation to look up their financial records? In my opinion, be aware and check where you have concerns but you do not need to be overly scrupulous.