Friday, July 5, 2013
523. What is forbidden by the eighth commandment? (part 4 continuation)
(Comp 523 repetition) The eighth commandment forbids: * false witness, perjury, and lying, the
gravity of which is measured by the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the
intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims; * rash
judgment, slander, defamation and calumny which diminish or destroy the good
reputation and honor to which every person has a right; * flattery, adulation,
or complaisance, especially if directed to serious sins or toward the
achievement of illicit advantages. A sin committed against truth demands reparation
if it has caused harm to others.
“In brief”
(CCC 2507) Respect for the
reputation and honor of persons forbids all detraction and calumny in word or
attitude. (CCC 2508) Lying consists in saying
what is false with the intention of deceiving one’s neighbor.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2485) By its very nature, lying is to be condemned. It
is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is to communicate
known truth to others. The deliberate intention of leading a neighbor into
error by saying things contrary to the truth constitutes a failure in justice
and charity. The culpability is greater when the intention of deceiving entails
the risk of deadly consequences for those who are led astray. (CCC 2486) Since
it violates the virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It
affects his ability to know, which is a condition of every judgment and
decision. It contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils. Lying is
destructive of society; it undermines trust among men and tears apart the
fabric of social relationships.
Reflection
(CCC 2487) Every offense committed against justice and truth
entails the duty of reparation, even
if its author has been forgiven. When it is impossible publicly to make
reparation for a wrong, it must be made secretly. If someone who has suffered
harm cannot be directly compensated, he must be given moral satisfaction in the
name of charity. This duty of reparation also concerns offenses against
another's reputation. This reparation, moral and sometimes material, must be
evaluated in terms of the extent of the damage inflicted. It obliges in
conscience. [END]
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