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Moral dilemma

Beancounter

Critical Thinker
Beancounter
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
418
There is a lady in our office who makes and sells fudge.

The proceeds go towards funding her church.

I am an atheist who likes fudge. What should I do?
 
Buy the fudge. Why do you care who the proceeds go towards?

Think of this: if you buy commercially made fudge, a percentage of it - very small, granted, but still - pays employee salaries. At least one of those employees is using their pay to buy illegal drugs, access sicko pornography sites, and buy homeopathic remedies.

So really, why worry about the end result of your money? Just buy the damned - er, blessed - fudge, and don't think about it.
 
Simple. Start a competing fudge concession. Undercut her prices. Drive her out of business. Close up the fudge concession and move it thirty miles away, so that if people want fudge, they have to drive there to get it. You know, the Walmart way.

Eric
 
zaayrdragon said:
Buy the fudge.
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I suppose the OP was a trifle rhetorical as I generally do buy the fudge (i.e. I don't when I haven't got any cash on me ;) ). However, if I was a rabid atheist (of which I don't believe there are too many) I might act differently in the belief that I would not want to directly contribute to a cause that I was strongly opposed to. This is as opposed to the indirect payment to undesirable individuals on the payroll.
 
It depends, IMO:

If this lady sells fudge, and you know she likes to support her church, then it is like any other goods you buy; you can't take care what people profiting from it buy for their money.

If, OTOH, she sells them as a fund-raising activity, you are directly suporting the church, financially and morally, by buying, so in this case you should refrain.

After all there are other sources of fudge, and anyway it is not good for you ;).

Hans
 
But are you an atheist, or an antitheist? I'd say an atheist shouldn't really care; an antitheist would definitely not buy anything that might support religion. In which case, you ought to be researching carefully the companies that manufacture the goods you consume.
 
There's too many variables for anyone to make the decision for you. If I was in your position I would buy the fudge even if the whole proceeds went to her church - assuming that I didn't vehemenently oppose with the activities of that church (and I mean extreme types of activities here).

In general I would buy the fudge on the basis of its tastiness, price and accessibility but its your conscience, not mine.
 
I am definitely not an antitheist. Live and let live (but try and convert a few on the way).

However, Hans does have a point, as by knowing where the money is going to an extent I am being hypocritical by buying the stuff (i.e. supporting that which I don't support).

But the fudge is so cheap!!!
 
Personally I wouldn't buy the fudge, even if it was the slightly moist, oh so-delicious creamy golden kind. I don't knowingly buy something that funds something I am opposed to, whose values I am firmly against.

If someone was selling Barley Sugar for Al Quaeda, I wouldn't buy that either.

If that was my office, it wouldn't be allowed anyway. It's actively attempting to recruit support for a religious organisation, which is a big no-no.

Ask her if she wants to buy toffee to help the local brothel.
 
tkingdoll said:

Ask her if she wants to buy toffee to help the local brothel.
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Oh, yes, I can see her face now. :D

Trouble is I'm too much of a wuss to do that (or to say "no thanks, I'm an atheist"). Still, she isn't pushy so a polite "no thanks" will do the trick.

Looks like I might be assisting my weight loss program in future.

Edited for usual typo
 
i'm a staunch atheist and i frequent a coffee house run by a church. there isn't really anything moral about it, i just like their coffee and i generally like the company. i don't even know what kind of church it is, to tell you the truth, though i understand it's quite liberal (i have several friends who belong to it).
 
Are you going to eat that last piece?

When it's a contest between home-made fudge and principles, you know which one is going to win.

Does she add walnuts?
 
Re: Are you going to eat that last piece?

sackett said:
Does she add walnuts?
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Nope, only plain and chocolate. With the occasional batch of coconut ice thrown in.
 
All is changed, changed utterly, and a terrible fudge is born

Beancounter said:
....the occasional batch of coconut ice thrown in.
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Why didn't you tell us that in the first place? SHREDDED COCONUT IN FUDGE! Out, out! Back to the pit, foul fiend!

What and the hell kind of church could that be? Expect a bunch of peasants with torches.
 
Enough of being cute

I'm sorry for my jesting tone. Seriously, I don't think you need to decline the lady's fudge. Her church may well do some good things in the world -- not religious things, but charitable and kindly service. Laymen could do as much, but somehow the solidarity of a shared religion seems to motivate people better than simple altruism; it helps them think well of themselves and of others. I won't say "Power to them," but I will say, "Good for them."
 
Re: Enough of being cute

sackett said:
I'm sorry for my jesting tone.
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No worries, this isn't a particularly serious moral issue.

Let's see how my morals stand up next time she comes around. :)
 
Re: All is changed, changed utterly, and a terrible fudge is born

sackett said:
Why didn't you tell us that in the first place? SHREDDED COCONUT IN FUDGE! Out, out! Back to the pit, foul fiend!

What and the hell kind of church could that be? Expect a bunch of peasants with torches.
Click to expand...
:eek::eek::eek: Coconut in fudge??? The the path is clear: It is not only immoral, but downright unethical to support such barbarism.

This can only happen in the USA :nope:.

Hans
 
Re: Re: All is changed, changed utterly, and a terrible fudge is born

MRC_Hans said:
This can only happen in the USA :nope:.
Click to expand...

RSA not USA!! - the bottom of Africa.
 
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