Deception is always wrong... Or is it?

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rose.gold

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Consider this situation.
I break my mother’s vase. She finds it broken and she blames my sister. I let her go on thinking that my sister did it and my sister is going to get in trouble. Am I morally obliged to bring the truth to light? Or can I keep the truth to myself and let my sister get punished for something I did?

Now let’s change the story a bit.
My sister is the one who broke the vase. I know this, but I take the blame because I don’t want her to get in trouble. This is deception.

Are these both not situations of deception? Are they both not sinful?

I ask because in St Therese of Lisieux’s book there is a part where she says at some point she was blamed for breaking a jar and took the blame, allowing the person who scolded her to go on thinking this untruth was the truth.

Help understanding this? Thank you 🙂
 
So you know why the first scenario is wrong. The second scenario of a wrong because it denies justice. Someone taking the blame who didn’t do it is unjust.
 
But this is what St Therese did? And I’ve heard from other Catholics that there’s great virtue in taking the blame for something you didn’t do. They say that it’s pleasing to God. Is this wrong?
 
rose.gold said:
I ask because in St Therese of Lisieux’s book there is a part where she says at some point she was blamed for breaking a jar and took the blame, allowing the person who scolded her to go on thinking this untruth was the truth.
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Catechism of the Catholic Church
1807 Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. …
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Unfortunately, from the way this is described, it seems this would require lying, which would make it wrong. Saints aren’t infallible - they can make innocent mistakes, and even not-so-innocent ones since they still struggled with sin during their lives.
 
Okay thank you lol. That’s what I thought but I just wasn’t sure since she wrote it as if it was a good thing she did.
 
No of course not. Jesus is justice and mercy in its fullness. He also would never lie. Remember the good thief? He was forgiven, but Jesus didn’t say I am the thief! In fact the thieves said it was Jesus that was innocent. Which is why the first example in the op is obvious. Remember, God is the author of life and Jesus paid for our sins. He did not claim our sins for Himself.
 
St Therese was assumed guilty of carelessness and was blamed accordingly… the real culprit was unknown. She didn’t tell any lies. Your second scenario is nearest to the case, though it depends on what you mean by taking the blame… if you say you did it, then that is to lie. Being punished for something you didn’t do isn’t deception, saying that you did something you didn’t do is.
 
Wilful deception is always wrong. In the hypothetical, let’s say your mother finds out that you allowed your sister to be punished and avoided punishment yourself. Guilt trip for mom! And, damaging to her relationship with both daughters. In the other case, when you took the punishment, it was unjust. Mom unjustly punished you and had a distorted view of your sister’s honesty. Guilt guilt guilt.

Mom had been made a victim via deception.

Don’t break the vase. If you do, tell the truth. You see how the devil is in the details/deception.
 
@sudy But she didn’t say, “Oh wait I didn’t do this thing you’re accusing me of.” She took the blame and said, “Okay I won’t do it again.” She didn’t even try to bring the truth to light. And I understand she was just trying to grow in humility. I guess my question is just: are we always called to bring the truth to light? Or can we allow others to go on thinking an untruth when we know the truth?
 
That wasn’t what the op said. That could be a confusing point to make on this thread.
 
rose.gold said:
But she didn’t say, “Oh wait I didn’t do this thing you’re accusing me of.” She took the blame and said, “Okay I won’t do it again.” She didn’t even try to bring the truth to light. And I understand she was just trying to grow in humility. I guess my question is just: are we always called to bring the truth to light? Or can we allow others to go on thinking an untruth when we know the truth?
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That’s not how I see it. She says no one knew who had put the jug there so one could presume that they’d all said they hadn’t broken it, or remained silent (denial by not owning up) when the culprit was sought. Next, she wasn’t accused of breaking the jug, rather of being careless and untidy. Perhaps she accepted this to keep the peace as it’s fruitless to argue with an angry person (the mistress was likely angry that no one had owned up), or perhaps Therese recognised that this was an area she could improve in, even if the anger was about the jug.
 
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redcatholic said:
That wasn’t what the op said.
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Ahh, no. That’s exactly what the OP said:
rose.gold said:
I ask because in St Therese of Lisieux’s book there is a part where she says at some point she was blamed for breaking a jar and took the blame
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And, in fact, that’s exactly what you said, as well:
redcatholic said:
Someone taking the blame who didn’t do it is unjust.
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See?

So… is Jesus “unjust”? He “took the blame”…
 
We aren’t required to volunteer truth but we are required to give it when asked, to never be the source of deception/untruth.
 
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