Sunday, June 9, 2013
508. What is forbidden by the seventh commandment? (part 1)
(Comp 508) Above all, the seventh commandment forbids theft, which is the taking or
using of another’s property against the reasonable will of the owner. This can
be done also by paying unjust wages; by speculation on the value of goods in
order to gain an advantage to the detriment of others; or by the forgery of
checks or invoices. Also forbidden is tax evasion or business fraud; willfully
damaging private or public property ; usury; corruption; the private abuse of
common goods; work deliberately done poorly; and waste.
“In brief”
(CCC 2453) The seventh commandment forbids theft. Theft is
the usurpation of another's goods against the reasonable will of the owner.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2408) The seventh commandment forbids theft, that is, usurping another's
property against the reasonable will of the owner. There is no theft if consent
can be presumed or if refusal is contrary to reason and the universal
destination of goods. This is the case in obvious and urgent necessity when the
only way to provide for immediate, essential needs (food, shelter, clothing…)
is to put at one's disposal and use the property of others (Cf. GS 69 § 1).
Reflection
(CCC 2409) Even if it does not contradict the provisions of
civil law, any form of unjustly taking and keeping the property of others is
against the seventh commandment: thus, deliberate retention of goods lent or of
objects lost; business fraud; paying unjust wages; forcing up prices by taking
advantage of the ignorance or hardship of another (Cf. Deut 25:13-16; 24:14-15;
Jas 5:4; Am 8:4-6). The following are also morally illicit: speculation in
which one contrives to manipulate the price of goods artificially in order to
gain an advantage to the detriment of others; corruption in which one
influences the judgment of those who must make decisions according to law;
appropriation and use for private purposes of the common goods of an
enterprise; work poorly done; tax evasion; forgery of checks and invoices;
excessive expenses and waste. Willfully damaging private or public property is
contrary to the moral law and requires reparation. [IT CONTINUES]
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment