[PornoDoggy]

Pardon me.

I don't see a single shred of evidence that "morality" is an issue here. That being the case, negotiating the semantic difference between morals and ethics is hardly worth exploring.

You got offered some work. You turned it down, and are now crying in your beer (domestic - apparently your Christmas is so bad you can't afford an import).

You did so for one of two reasons, as best as I can tell - you either didn't feel you could do the work, or you needed an excuse to cry in your beer while wearing your "E" (for Ethical, of course) t-shirt.

If you turned it down because you weren't able to meet their requirements or expectations, you were just using common sense, IMHO, particularly if you are starting up a consulting business.

If you did not realize that you could earn as you learn, as many have suggested, then ... well, whatever.

This thread works well for the holiday season. The rabbis and bishops have made pronouncements from on high, and the acolytes have cried hosanna in the appropriate places. It has played out like watching “Miracle on 34th Street” - it's an amazing film for those who haven't seen it before, and oddly comforting for those who've seen it many times before.