Asking questions and scandal

[McatholicN]

I see many questions posted on these forums that could cause scandal to readers. Is it sinful to post something that could potentially cause someone to sin?

I hope this makes sense.

Pax in Christi.

 

[ahs]

I see many questions posted on these forums that could cause scandal to readers. Is it sinful to post something that could potentially cause someone to sin?

I hope this makes sense.

Pax in Christi.

From the Catechism…the section on “The Proliferation of Sin”

1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:

• by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
• by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
• by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
• by protecting evil-doers.

1869 Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another and causes concupiscence, violence, and injustice to reign among them. Sins give rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to the divine goodness. “Structures of sin” are the expression and effect of personal sins. They lead their victims to do evil in their turn. In an analogous sense, they constitute a "social sin."144

This is also addressed in Canon Law in a few sections…I’ll see if I can hunt those down from an older post…

 

[ahs]

Here are the ones I took note of in a response a few months ago that may fit what you are asking. Seems to me like “intent” of the person posting the question would be the deciding factor on whether it is sinful or what type of sin it would be.

From Canon Law:

“Can. 209 §1. The Christian faithful, even in their own manner of acting, are always obliged to maintain communion with the Church.
§2. With great diligence they are to fulfill the duties which they owe to the universal Church and the particular church to which they belong according to the prescripts of the law.”

“Can. 211 All the Christian faithful have the duty and right to work so that the divine message of salvation more and more reaches all people in every age and in every land.”

“Can. 212 §1. Conscious of their own responsibility, the Christian faithful are bound to follow with Christian obedience those things which the sacred pastors, inasmuch as they represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith or establish as rulers of the Church.

“Can. 216 Since they participate in the mission of the Church, all the Christian faithful have the right to promote or sustain apostolic action even by their own undertakings, according to their own state and condition. Nevertheless, no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic without the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority.”

Can. 225 §1. Since, like all the Christian faithful, lay persons are designated by God for the apostolate through baptism and confirmation, they are bound by the general obligation and possess the right as individuals, or joined in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation is made known and accepted by all persons everywhere in the world. This obligation is even more compelling in those circumstances in which only through them can people hear the gospel and know Christ.”

“Can. 227 The lay Christian faithful have the right to have recognized that freedom which all citizens have in the affairs of the earthly city. When using that same freedom, however, they are to take care that their actions are imbued with the spirit of the gospel and are to heed the doctrine set forth by the magisterium of the Church. In matters of opinion, moreover, they are to avoid setting forth their own opinion as the doctrine of the Church.”

 

[JRKH]

I see many questions posted on these forums that could cause scandal to readers. Is it sinful to post something that could potentially cause someone to sin?

I hope this makes sense.

Pax in Christi.

I can’t say that I have ever seen a question posted that I thought could potentially cause someone to sin…(racking my brain for some sort of example…:whacky::hypno:

On the whole I would have to say no it is not a sin unless it is done by a troll who is intentionally trying to cause someone to sin by perhaps getting angry…

Peace
James

 

[thistle]

I see many questions posted on these forums that could cause scandal to readers. Is it sinful to post something that could potentially cause someone to sin?

I hope this makes sense.

Pax in Christi.

Give us an example of such a post you claim exists. You cannot make unsubstantiated claims.
I have never seen anything in these forums that would ever cause anyone to sin.

 

[McatholicN]

Questions that may cause someone to question their faith (probably most often found in the Apologetics section) come to mind.

 

[ahs]

Give us an example of such a post you claim exists. You cannot make unsubstantiated claims.
I have never seen anything in these forums that would ever cause anyone to sin.

I’m not sure if this is what the OP is talking about, but I do remember one thread where a person was trying to convince others that Hell cannot exist. The OP of that particular thread said he was Roman Catholic, said he was fully in line with Church Teaching, and was rather obstinate in trying to convince the readers of how foolish it is to believe in a Hell. While no one who participated in his thread bought into his argument (except and atheist or two), I suppose there was potential to cause scandal there.

 

[McatholicN]

I’m not sure if this is what the OP is talking about, but I do remember one thread where a person was trying to convince others that Hell cannot exist. The OP of that particular thread said he was Roman Catholic, said he was fully in line with Church Teaching, and was rather obstinate in trying to convince the readers of how foolish it is to believe in a Hell. While no one who participated in his thread bought into his argument (except and atheist or two), I suppose there was potential to cause scandal there.

Even if one’s intent is not to cause sin, one could ask a question that someone thinks wasn’t answered well enough and causes them to doubt.

Or one could post something that could cause sinfully angry or prideful thoughts, even if this was not the poster’s intention.

 

[JRKH]

Even if one’s intent is not to cause sin, one could ask a question that someone thinks wasn’t answered well enough and causes them to doubt.

Or one could post something that could cause sinfully angry or prideful thoughts, even if this was not the poster’s intention.

If ones intent is honest and properly ordered - that is their intent is not to cause sin, then they have not committed a sin by their question or even by their posting in answer.

However, this is not a license to just spout off for in asking and answering questions we are, in a sense, participating in a teaching and Jesus warned that teachers are held liable to what they teach.

Peace
James

 

[ahs]

If ones intent is honest and properly ordered - that is their intent is not to cause sin, then they have not committed a sin by their question or even by their posting in answer.

However, this is not a license to just spout off for in asking and answering questions we are, in a sense, participating in a teaching and Jesus warned that teachers are held liable to what they teach.

Peace
James

Yes, what he said.

Even if one’s intent is not to cause sin, one could ask a question that someone thinks wasn’t answered well enough and causes them to doubt.

In this case, it is the responsibility of the person with doubt to educate him/herself on the topic by doing some amount of research via Chruch Teaching (Catechsism, Compendium of CCC, Encyclicals, writings of early Church Fathers, etc…all of these are available online by the way…or visiting with a Priest, getting involved in a study group…). We are each responsible for educating ourselves on the topic of our Faith.

Or one could post something that could cause sinfully angry or prideful thoughts, even if this was not the poster’s intention.

In this case, the person who gets angry or prideful is responsible for his/her own anger or pride issues. No one has the power over another to “cause”, per se, sinful anger or prideful thoughts in that other person. We are responsible for how we respond or react when we experience our emotions.