# What things are you a conscientious objector about? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122 "2016-08-17T20:51:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/1 "2016-08-17T20:51:30Z")
If we have Muslim Dopers on this message board, they would probably have a conscientious objection to eating pork; if we have pro-life Dopers they would probably have a conscientious objection to having an abortion, and if there are Jehovah’s Witnesses here maybe they could not have a blood transfusion. Maybe we have some Dopers who cannot partake of alcohol, drugs, or so forth. What things are you compelled to do or not do, based off of your conscientious convictions? (Assuming fairly realistic scenarios - i.e., no, “I cannot consent to partaking in the Rwandan Genocide if I were to be transported back to the 1990s in a time machine” replies.) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/2 "2016-08-17T21:05:43Z")
I refuse to use potentially deadly violence, including in self defense. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/3 "2016-08-17T21:14:11Z")
I refuse to shop at Walmart. Been 15 plus years now. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/4 "2016-08-17T21:48:50Z")
I think catch-and-release is torturing fish and I would never do it. That said if someone else wants to do this I don’t think it should be illegal (though I am always going to wonder about their capacity for cruelty). ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/5 "2016-08-17T22:07:21Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > I think catch-and-release is torturing fish and I would never do it. That said if someone else wants to do this I don’t think it should be illegal (though I am always going to wonder about their capacity for cruelty). You should do some research. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/6 "2016-08-17T22:07:58Z")
I’m a Conservadox Jew, so there’s all kinds of things I’m a conscientious objector on. One non obvious example came up last month or so. For a proper Jewish prayer service, you need a quorum of ten Jews. This is called a minyan. A friend volunteered me as part of the minyan of an Orthodox service. I un volunteered, explaining that I refuse to be part of any minyan that accepts only men. I’m fine with the fact that only Jews count as a minyan. That makes sense to me. I’m fine with the fact that only adults count. That makes sense to me. I’m even fine with that fact that a Jew does not have to be knowledgeable or practicing to be counted. But I refuse to aid and abet any group that says a man can be counted, but that my sister (who is at least as knowledgable and practicing as I am) can not. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/7 "2016-08-17T22:34:33Z")
Diamonds. I purchase a lot of jewelry, including some with precious and semi-precious gemstones. But I will not purchase a piece with diamonds, no matter how beautiful it is. It’s partly about the history of blood diamonds, but it’s also about the way that DeBeers has exploited people and distorted the market. Even though there are now conflict-free diamonds, I still don’t like the idea of participating in what is essentially a massive con game. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/8 "2016-08-17T22:34:56Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I refuse to use potentially deadly violence, including in self defense. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/9 "2016-08-17T22:55:04Z")
I won’t cross a picket line. I will never carry a gun (I’m talking about carrying a handgun – I have no issue whatsoever with hunting and the firearms used in hunting, but I will never carry a gun or have a handgun in my home). ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/10 "2016-08-17T22:56:10Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > I refuse to shop at Walmart. … I came here to say this. FU Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/11 "2016-08-17T23:15:25Z")
I do not turn down a free beer without _exceptional_ circumstances intervening. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/12 "2016-08-17T23:31:24Z")
I refuse to buy any promotional items (clothes, hats, toys) with the Cleveland Indians logo “Chief Wahoo” on it. Sound inconsequential but I am a huge fan and do spend a lot of time and money on the team each year. I am not going to boycott the team altogether because my argument is that I can enjoy the team and the experience just as much without Wahoo, and wouldn’t mind if he were gone. I wouldn’t mind if they changed the name completely, to be honest. I will always be a fan of The Cleveland Baseball Team. Also I technically am very much against diamonds but I am a huge loser and don’t wear jewelry anyway so I haven’t even had a chance! Someday I hope to get married just so I can say “no diamonds” haha ---
**Author:** ![DaphneBlack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daphneblack/32/5389_2.png) [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/13 "2016-08-17T23:50:23Z")
Walmart also. Tattoos. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/14 "2016-08-17T23:59:17Z")
I’m not quite as extreme a pacifist as **MrDibble** : I can envision a scenario where I would kill in defense of myself or another. But I will not fight in a war. This is partly because of personal pacifism, and partly because I think that the whole concept of war is based on an absurd premise: We don’t accept trial-by-combat as a valid means for resolving conflicts between individuals, so why do we accept it between nations? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/15 "2016-08-18T00:15:13Z")
Hunting for sport Selective service (I’m okay with voluntary military service however) Defending Tobacco companies, insurance companies, etc, in court. Sure, somebody has to do it, (and sometimes they’re even “right”) but it doesn’t have to be me. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/16 "2016-08-18T00:31:29Z")
I think the OP is enormously expanding the concept of “conscientious objection”. Basicallly, any action that I might refrain from taking for ethical reasons is being classed as a “conscientious objection”. In that case, I have a lot of consientious objections - to murder, to assault, to theft, to fraud, to lying, to adultery, to exploitation, to voting for Donald Trump, to voting for Republicans in general, to parking in the disabled bay, to keeping the profit when I am mistakenly given too much in change, to eating battery-raised chicken, to pirating software or content, to eating all the cake when I know my wife wants some, . . . Conscientious objection involves more than making an ethical choice. It involves refusing to perform an obligation, or discharge a duty, that is imposed on one. Someone who fails to volunteer for military service is not a conscientious objector; someone who refuses to be drafted is. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/17 "2016-08-18T00:36:51Z")
It isn’t religious but I think it is smart and it is my personality anyway. I will not buy, nor entertain, the idea,of buying anything from any salesperson that approaches me first. I just hang up on telemarketers in mid-sentence or mess with them if I have time before I hang up. For in-person salespeople like car salesman, I will just walk away at some point without warning or explanation if they aren’t cooperating. I do almost all of my buying after I do my own research and already know what I will pay. For large purchases, I am not one of the people that thinks they are a good negotiator because I don’t do that at all. It is a simple “take or leave it offer” and it is perfectly fine for both of us if they don’t accept it. What won’t happen is they try to waste my time with upsells and extended negotiations. Are you deaf? I already told you what I wanted and how much I would pay for it. If everyone did that, the whole telemarketing, predatory financing market and aggressive sales tactics would shut down within a few months. It think that is a much bigger net good than refusing to go to war because the only Americans that do that these days are volunteers. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/18 "2016-08-18T02:04:12Z")
I won’t buy or own or use even as a gift a Mercedes, a Cadillac, or a Lincoln Towncar. I won’t buy at/through Walmart. I won’t pay a lawn service (especially when I have a lawnmower). I won’t watch FOX. I won’t exaggerate on my taxes; I owe what I owe. I won’t listen to radio stations that have Agenda Nutjobs spinning their version of the news between songs. If they happen to be playing a good song and my car tuner is scanning, it’ll stay until the song is over and that’s IT. I don’t want support them polluting the airwaves (and the golf courses). ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/19 "2016-08-18T02:18:19Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > I have a lot of consientious objections -_snip_ -to parking in the disabled bay I knew there was at least one of these mythical creatures out there! I feel honored knowing you. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122/20 "2016-08-18T02:36:27Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > I won’t cross a picket line. I’m against picketing, but I don’t know how to show it. -Mitch Hedberg [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-things-are-you-a-conscientious-objector-about/763122.md?page=2)