You do not need to do an evil deed to be guilty for it being done. You can be complicit with abortion, contraception, drunkenness, lying, or a long line of all sorts of misdeeds.
The Catholic Church teaches there are nine ways in which someone can be complicit with an evil action. Only one of which is performing the act itself.
To illustrate these, we could choose any immoral feat at all. But I think the example of abortion will work well.
Here are nine ways someone can be complicit with abortion.
1. BY COUNSEL
One way to become culpable for an evil act is to counsel someone else to perform it.
What comes immediately to mind for me are high school, so-called “counselors.” More than enough recommend to pregnant teens they have their babies put to death. They do so without notifying their parents.
2. BY COMMAND
Even though someone did not do an immoral deed, he can be guilty of it if her commanded it to be done.
Grandfathers who are embarrassed by their daughter’s irresponsibility have been known to command their daughters to obtain an abortion. Sure, they did not kill the babies themselves. Nonetheless, those fathers or boyfriends who command pregnant mothers get abortions have blood on their hands.
3. BY CONSENT
If someone you know tells you they want to do something immoral, what do you say? If you agree they ought to or have justification for doing so, your consent makes you blameworthy.
Being a sidewalk counselor, I have run into this more times than I could begin to count. Virtually every woman who comes to the abortion centers is accompanied by an accomplice. The vast majority of these people consent to the murder being carried out on the baby.
Many of them think they are exonerated, since they would never obtain an abortion themselves. Not so.
In this age, no one can claim to not know what an abortion is. It is the murder of a living human being.
Yet, a great majority of people would just assume forget about it. They will just turn on another basketball game or reality television show, pretending to ignore it.
4. BY PROVOCATION
Anger or other means can be the catalyst behind a lot of dumb decisions.
Oral arguments erupt often when a woman learns she has an unplanned pregnancy. If she carries through with an abortion, it may be because she was provoked by someone else.
5. BY PRAISE OR FLATTERY
Encouraging someone in their sin is not wise. This will only encourage the behavior.
Liberal politicians who champion abortion come to mind here.
As well, modern feminists, generally speaking, are guilty of this. For some such women, procuring the death to one’s unborn baby is a rite of passage. A large percentage of the women working for abortion centers are post-abortive themselves.
6. BY CONCEALMENT
Someone may think they are guiltless of a crime, simply because they did not do it. But if that person helps to cover up the dirty deed, they are complicit with it, in fact.
In the example of abortion, think of the employee at Kermit Gosnell’s House of Horrors abortion mill. She testified in court she remembers at least 14 babies born alive, who were murdered at the hands of Gosnell.
Thank God she had the courage to tell the truth, but it makes you wonder how often this occurs, without anyone making a peep.
7. BY PARTAKING
Obviously, the most direct way a person can be guilty of a sin is to participating in it as it occurs.
Those who seek out an abortion, those who pay for it, and those who obtain it are clear examples. As well, the abortionists who chop up unborn babies for a living can be added here too.
8. BY SILENCE
Call it fear. Call it laziness. Or call it something else. But sometimes people can identify an evil, but then do nothing about it.
Our society at large is guilty of this. Our politicians can be too.
In this age, no one can claim to not know what an abortion is. It is the murder of a living human being.
Yet, a great majority of people would just assume forget about it. They will just turn on another basketball game or reality television show, pretending to ignore it.
9. BY DEFENSE OF THE ILL DONE
A person may not have done the sin, but if they defend it to others, they are guilty of it too.
When it comes to abortion, God’s grace can win out. People can stop lying to themselves, defending the indefensible. Sometimes miracles happen.
Let us pray more people will realize they have been complicit with abortion, repent, and get involved advocating for life.
(This article first appears on this blog in May 2015.)
YOUR TURN
I would like to hear from my dear readers on this one.
Do you have examples of folks who comply with abortion, although they pretend they don’t?
Please share this or any other thoughts below.
