Persistent Venial Sin

[Ed Normile]

So a job as a public filthy word screamer is out the question ? I will not be allowed to be a professional peeping tom ? A career as a used car salesman is questionable ! No way I could be an electable politician. Naturally a job as a gigilo is out too. Where is a man supposed to seek gainful employment with these limits?

ed

[Chamomile]

Hmmm... if God always gives us the grace to reject sin in every instance, then how could one even be in this position?

Either you would have the grace to choose not to sin within your job (and that grace will always be present, even if it's difficult).

Or, if that grace is not present due to the nature of that job (like Ed's examples...), then that's obviously not God's will for you to be there.

If the first option, I would say one should persevere in doing what is right. In the second instance, quit and trust that by following God's will, you will always have what you need.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Ed Normile' timestamp='1301418938' post='2224232']
So a job as a public filthy word screamer is out the question ? I will not be allowed to be a professional peeping tom ? A career as a used car salesman is questionable ! No way I could be an electable politician. Naturally a job as a gigilo is out too. Where is a man supposed to seek gainful employment with these limits?

ed
[/quote]
I would argue that used car salesman is perfectly acceptable in principle. There is nothing inherent in the nature of that job that requires sinful behaviour.
In fact, if one were to approach that job with the right mindset, he would actually be doing a great service to the working class of his community. Cars lose something like 60% of their value within a year of purchase. People with money love to buy a new car every three years or so, so what happens to the old one? Well now it's worth maybe a quarter of what they paid for it, and it's got a minimum of another seven years left in it, and almost certainly more like fifteen. That's how the market redistributes wealth, my friends. :D

[MIKolbe]

quit your job and find another that doesn't require that you sin.

or..

keep it, and explain to God that you persisted in venial sin because it was of 'great difficulty' to quit.

[CatherineM]

My mom opened her own beauty shop on our back porch because she got tired of being asked to talk women into the more expensive shampoos or perms when she knew they all came out of the same bottle. I can think of lots of jobs that would require venial sinning.

Yes, you absolutely need that anti-rust undercoating.
If you don't pay this bill, we can have you put in jail.
Your Honor, my client is not guilty.
This TV is much better than the cheap one we had in the newspaper ad.
Yes ma'am, you look so slender in that dress.
Botox will take years off your face.

[Santa Cruz]

Quit the job. To remain and commit venial sin is like exposing yourself to a little bit of radiation every day, not enough to kill you immediately but over time it will weaken you, cause you to become ill and shorten the span of your life. Why would you want to do that? If you commit venial sin with full knowledge and in freedom your growth in the spiritual life will be stunted, you will become blinded, unable to respond to God's graces and eventually, one sin will lead to another and another and mortal sin will no longer be such a big deal.

Moreover, if it is known that you are Catholic and committing venial sin at your job, others will be affected, either seeing the hypocrisy of Catholics who honor Christ with their lips but deny Him in their hearts or they may conclude that it is okay to engage in this sin...

Granted, I have seen persons working at the rectory of a church answer the phone and say, "No, x is not here", when x is standing right there, chit chatting.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Santa Cruz' timestamp='1301429745' post='2224333']
Granted, I have seen persons working at the rectory of a church answer the phone and say, "No, x is not here", when x is standing right there, chit chatting.
[/quote]
That's why I always say "X is not available right now."

[Santa Cruz]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1301430563' post='2224349']
That's why I always say "X is not available right now."
[/quote]

Exactly, it is totally acceptable to say, "X is not available or even not taking calls right now." I don't know why persons create a stupid lie and brush it off as a little white lie and at a Church? Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.