Commenting on people is a sin?

[Stepinac]

Is it a sin to comment on people in your mind?
Examples: “how this guy wears funny pants”, “Is this the one guy who made this and this”, “she is so hot”, etc.

 

[Vico]

Is it a sin to comment on people in your mind?
Examples: “how this guy wears funny pants”, “Is this the one guy who made this and this”, “she is so hot”, etc.

Use care. Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury.278 He becomes guilty:
- of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;
- of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who did not know them;279
- of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

 

[White_Tree]

Is it a sin to comment on people in your mind?
Examples: “how this guy wears funny pants”, “Is this the one guy who made this and this”, “she is so hot”, etc.

It depends.

Remember the Eighth Commandment is “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16). If your comments are coming from a place of judgment or malice, that would be bearing false witness against your neighbor in your heart, because you do not truly know the situation of that person, and are falsely condemning them.

I think comments like “she is so hot” probably don’t fit into that category, though could potentially be inadvisable for other reasons.

 

[Stepinac]

Have I sinned even if I don’t tell anyone my opinion?

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

Is it a sin to comment on people in your mind?
Examples: “how this guy wears funny pants”, “Is this the one guy who made this and this”, “she is so hot”, etc.

You’re basically asking if it’s okay to mentally react to things you observe. It’s literally impossible for a human being to do otherwise.

 

[White_Tree]

Have I sinned even if I don’t tell anyone my opinion?

Jesus said:

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

–Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28, 43-48

It follow that violations of the Eighth Commandment can also take place in our heart, even if we don’t tell anyone our thoughts. We are called to view others with equanimity and love.

It is easy to violate these commandments, but rather than condemn ourselves for our inevitable failures, it is more fruitful to identify the causes of these negative mental habits and root them out of our mind. We are not perfect, but Christ calls us to be, and we should do what we can to answer that call.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

It’s not a sin. But when it’s used to judge the relative value of another person it might be.

OTOH, these visual cues might be significant. Like you’re out somewhere and you see somebody disheveled and crying…maybe you need to help them.