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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Clarification of Income Taxes Answer	Paul	Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Question: Thank you for the quick response to my question on whether income taxes is a "merely penal law." In theology classes of my younger days, a "merely penal law" was one one that did not involve sin if the law were violated but the violator had to be ready to pay the penalty if the violation were discovered, such as parking in a no parking zone or failing to renew vehicle registration.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D. Dear Paul: Ah, that is what confused me. Penal Law does not apply to things such as parking tickets, vehicle registration, or paying Income Taxes. Penal Law refers to laws, such as in England, Ireland, Scotland, and a few of the American Colonies, that were specifically designed to prevent Catholics from the practice of the Catholic Faith. Thus, Penal Laws are anti-Catholic laws for which violating is not sin since God's law and the Universal God-given right of men to freely worship according to thier conscience trumps any law of man. While such laws were unjust, discriminatory, violated civil rights, and was an affront to God, Catholics would have to be willing to receive the civil penalties imposed by the State for the sake of their faith. Today, countries like China, North Korea, and some of the Islamic States have anti-Christian laws to which it is not a sin for Christians to violate, but they will suffer the consequences for their Faith. It is a privilege to suffer for the Faith in this way in which the consequences can be a bloody martyrdom or a bloodless martyrdom and persecution. You can read about Penal Laws in the Catholic Encyclopedia. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Clarification of Income Taxes Answer

Paul

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Question:

Thank you for the quick response to my question on whether income taxes is a "merely penal law." In theology classes of my younger days, a "merely penal law" was one one that did not involve sin if the law were violated but the violator had to be ready to pay the penalty if the violation were discovered, such as parking in a no parking zone or failing to renew vehicle registration.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), L.Th., D.D.

Dear Paul:

Ah, that is what confused me. Penal Law does not apply to things such as parking tickets, vehicle registration, or paying Income Taxes.

Penal Law refers to laws, such as in England, Ireland, Scotland, and a few of the American Colonies, that were specifically designed to prevent Catholics from the practice of the Catholic Faith. Thus, Penal Laws are anti-Catholic laws for which violating is not sin since God's law and the Universal God-given right of men to freely worship according to thier conscience trumps any law of man. While such laws were unjust, discriminatory, violated civil rights, and was an affront to God, Catholics would have to be willing to receive the civil penalties imposed by the State for the sake of their faith.

Today, countries like China, North Korea, and some of the Islamic States have anti-Christian laws to which it is not a sin for Christians to violate, but they will suffer the consequences for their Faith.

It is a privilege to suffer for the Faith in this way in which the consequences can be a bloody martyrdom or a bloodless martyrdom and persecution.

You can read about Penal Laws in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum