How responsible are we for others?

  • Thread starter Thread starter PeteZaHut
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

PeteZaHut

Guest
How morally responsible am I for the actions other people do. If my brother wants to watch a movie or TV show with scenes that may lead him to sin, should I tell him to turn it off? If friends start talking about the opposite sex in an innapropriate manner, should I tell them to stop? If I know about classmates that do marijuana, should I tell their parents?
 
It seems that scrupulous people worry a lot about the sins of others, as if they were responsible for everything that was done by every single person in sight.

Basically, you are obligated to correct someone under only a couple of conditions.
  1. You are in a position of authority over the person, i.e., parent, teacher, boss, etc.
  2. Or you have a good enough relationship with the person to make suggestions about his behavior.
  3. And you have reason to believe that your correcting the person will have a positive effect.
So, for example, you would not be required to correct a stranger on the street who was letting loose a string of profanity, taking the Lord’s name in vain. He’d probably just do more of it in your direction - not the desired effect of getting him to stop.

If your friends are talking about someone inappropriately, perhaps you can change the subject, or in a lighthearted manner, ask them to stop. Preaching to them usually doesn’t help.

If a classmate is using illicit drugs, it might be best to talk with your parents about it, rather than telling their parents.

Is your brother younger or older? If he’s younger, you might tell him that what he’s watching isn’t good. If he’s older, let your parents handle it.

If it is completely inappropriate for you to correct someone who’s doing something wrong, you can certainly always pray for him and also make reparation to God for the sins being committed. Each person is ultimately responsible for his own actions. If you can help, do. If not, pray.

Betsy
 
PeteZaHut said:
How morally responsible am I for the actions other people do.
Click to expand...
In the old days there was a list of nine ways we are responsible for someone else’s sins:

  1. *]By command
    *]By concealment
    *]By consent
    *]By counsel
    *]By defense of the ill done
    *]By praise or flattery
    *]By provocation
    *]By partaking
    *]By silence
    In the latest Catechism this has been consolidated to:

    … Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
    Code: 
    * 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.
 
baltobetsy said:
Is your brother younger or older? If he’s younger, you might tell him that what he’s watching isn’t good. If he’s older, let your parents handle it.
Click to expand...
My brother is older. It’s not like he is watched X-rated movies or anything. It’s just normal stuff on TV, but pretty much anything on TV these days can lead to temptations of impurity. He is 23-years-old and I think he is certainly old enough to decide what he watches on telvision. Can I be responsible for how he watches TV?

On Thanksgiving, my family and relatives were playing a board game where you put a DVD in, and it plays scenes from TV and movies that you have to guess. One of them had a woman dressed inappropriately and there were younger kids in the room. I had no idea what I was supposed to do in that situation.
 
No, you cannot be responsible for how your brother watches TV. About the most you can do is express a preference to watch something else.

On the Thanksgiving thing, unless you are the responsible adult in the room, you need not worry.

Betsy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top