Can Catholics be spies?

[Holy_Inquisitor]

Could Catholics be spies? As we all know so well, spies routinely save the world from bald supervillains that routinely stroke a Persian cat by pretending, manipulating, killing off this or that henchmen and engaging in routine seduction to give their story a romantic subplot. So what’s Catholic in this situation to do? He could licitly have a “licence to kill” and such?

 

[Tietjen]

Could Catholics be spies? As we all know so well, spies routinely save the world from bald supervillains that routinely stroke a Persian cat by pretending, manipulating, killing off this or that henchmen and engaging in routine seduction to give their story a romantic subplot. So what’s Catholic in this situation to do? He could licitly have a “licence to kill” and such?

To murder, no. To kill in self-defense or the defense of others, yes, providing there was no other available means to ensure that innocent lives could be protected. However, the topic that usually comes up when a thread like this is started, has to do with lying. An operative must mask his/her identity, intentions, loyalties, etc. Can a Catholic be a “spy” and do so without incurring mortal sin because of the secrecy and untruths that often come into play with that profession? I believe that depends on the lies being told and whether or not the person that is being told those lies has the “right” to know the truth. It would be too fine a line for me to walk… so I guess I better give up on the idea of chasing after “mini-me.”

 

[The_Old_Medic]

First of all, you have a very screwed up idea of what the vast majority of spies actually do. Most of them are not involved in any “derring do”, they don’t live glamorous lives, and they don’t behave like the spies in movies and in novels. The vast majority of spies live pretty ordinary lives (so they DON’T get caught, they don’t carry any form of weapon, and they don’t go around seducing people. They are simply attempting to obtain information, and pass that information back to their country.

Of course Catholic can be spies. You can work in defense of your country, so long as in the process you do not violate the laws of God.