But many folks want to control where they invest. Seventh Day Adventists, who don't use caffeine, are probably chary of investing in Starbucks. The Church of the Brethren doesn't invest in companies that derive substantial income from war (trickier to track than you might think), smoking, or pornography. So, "John" doesn't want to invest in pharmaceutical companies that make "the abortion pill," whatever he thinks that is. I can dig it. But I'd be very leery about asking Pat "blood diamond" Robertson for investment advice.
It's an admirable goal, because in economic terms your dollar is your vote, and if you don't want to "vote" for one company or another because it violates your personal ethics. Many of the most accessible investment vehicles are mutual funds, which aggregate the stock of many diverse companies, and which may include a pharmaceutical company that "John" wouldn't like. "John" will have to determine for himself the balance between just how simon pure he wants his investment to be and the level of safety he wants. Putting all "John's" limited investment dollars into one stock or another is riskier than investing in a mutual fund.
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