THREAD: On remote cooperation with evil

(1) There’s a lot of discussion in the Catholic world about “remote cooperation with evil” and how it relates to the new COVID-19 vaccines. I’d like to briefly give some guiding principles here.

(2) First, it must be made clear that we must never formally cooperate with evil. Thus, a person can’t work as a nurse at Planned Parenthood, even if for some reason that was the only job available in the word. She would be directly involved in the killing of babies.

(3) However, it is permitted to *remotely* cooperate with evil. For example, if I buy from a company that has donated to Planned Parenthood, that is remote cooperation with evil and is morally permissible.

(4) Sadly, in the modern world every one of us remotely cooperates with evil, likely every day. Our taxes fund evil government programs, we buy goods from companies that support evil organizations and causes, etc.

(5) But just because something is morally *permitted* does not mean we are morally *obligated* to do it. In fact, we are *never* required to cooperate with evil, remotely or otherwise. Even if our lives depend on it, we are not required to cooperate with evil, even remotely.

(6) Many factors must be considered when deciding whether to remotely cooperate with evil, including: How remote is the cooperation, how necessary is the action being taken, and if there are any uncompromised alternatives to the action.

(7) This is the problem I have with the USCCB statement, and even the CDF statement. They seem to treat remote cooperation with evil as an on/off switch. The USCCB, in fact, suggests that not only is the vaccine permitted, but it’s *obligatory*.

(8) Using language like “grave danger” and “act of charity” points Catholics to believe that if they don’t take the vaccine then they have done something wrong. But this is ridiculous. No one is obligated to take the vaccine, no matter what their situation.

(9) And when it comes to the holocaust of abortion, Catholic leadership should be at least noting, if not encouraging, a prophetic witness. If all Catholics refused to take any vaccine tainted by abortion, then we’d likely get an uncompromised vaccine developed quickly.

(10) Instead, the bishops are falling all over themselves to push the vaccine as if they get a commission every time it’s administered. This shows a fundamental lack of urgency when it comes to fighting abortion.

(11) Ultimately, I think it can be argued that some of these vaccines are morally permissible to receive, but that’s not the end of the discussion. In fact, it’s just the beginning.

(12) Instead, Catholics should be on the forefront pushing for uncompromised vaccines, which would include refusing to even remotely cooperating with the evil of the morally tainted vaccines.

(13) We will never end legalized abortion if we are so quick to abandon our witness to the humanity of the unborn whenever there’s a media frenzy to do so. Until we put the babies first, they will continue to be slaughtered.

/fin