Is all lying mortal sin?

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freddyboy424

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Hello all,

I’ve been scrupulous in the past, so I wanted to run this by people who could help me form my conscience.

Today I passed by someone who asked me if I had enough time to take a survey for him. I saw him around previously, and I just didn’t want to take the time to fill a survey out, so I told him that I did not have enough time to take his survey, and I wished him a good day and walked by.

Immediately after, I felt remorse for lying. I could have taken the time on this hot day to fill out his survey. Like I said, I just didn’t want to do it.

I’ve been deliberating over this issue for at least an hour now, and I can’t seem to make up my mind about my accountability. I know that all lying is sinful, and I will strive to avoid such occurances in the future, but do you think that this is a mortal sin, requiring confession before communion tomorrow? Should I let God take care of this venial sin (if it is venial) at Mass, and just trust in His mercy? I really appreciate all of your help!

Thank you and Godbless!
 
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freddyboy424:
Hello all,

I’ve been scrupulous in the past, so I wanted to run this by people who could help me form my conscience.

Today I passed by someone who asked me if I had enough time to take a survey for him. I saw him around previously, and I just didn’t want to take the time to fill a survey out, so I told him that I did not have enough time to take his survey, and I wished him a good day and walked by.

Immediately after, I felt remorse for lying. I could have taken the time on this hot day to fill out his survey. Like I said, I just didn’t want to do it.

I’ve been deliberating over this issue for at least an hour now, and I can’t seem to make up my mind about my accountability. I know that all lying is sinful, and I will strive to avoid such occurances in the future, but do you think that this is a mortal sin, requiring confession before communion tomorrow? Should I let God take care of this venial sin (if it is venial) at Mass, and just trust in His mercy? I really appreciate all of your help!

Thank you and Godbless!
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I would have thought the sin is in the intention. You did not mean to hurt him? You merely did not have the time or desire to do this survey.
I would not beat myself up over this, however this has happened to me and I have told street vendors that I am just not interested. It is there job to get as many surveys done and it is your right to refuse to do so.
I am sure as with us all there are heftier sins in our hearts we must contemplate.
God Bless and Mary protect you
Br CreosMary
 
Thanks Br CreosMary

You’re right, I should have just told the salesman that I wasn’t interested. Would have saved me a lot of contemplation 🙂

Thanks again
 
I don’t believe all lying is mortal sin, in fact I don’t believe all lying is even venial sin! I believe God is not offended at all when we say we really don’t want the last slice of pie so someone else can enjoy it. In your case I think you were kind to the survey taker, after all you could have told the truth and told him ( like I may have) that you didn’t care at all about answering his stupid questions.
God Bless,
Mike
 
Catechism:

[2484](javascript:openWindow(‘cr/2484.htm’)😉 The gravity of a lie is measured against the nature of the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims. If a lie in itself only constitutes a venial sin, it becomes mortal when it does grave injury to the virtues of justice and charity.
 
Freddy,

I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Do not abstain from communion because it is not a mortal sin. I don’t see the graveness of the act. Lying is not something we should do, but you probably didn’t even think about it when you said you didn’t have time. It seems like you were trying to be nice. At most it was venial. Bottom line, not a mortal sin so receive communion.

Lying sometimes can be acceptable as mentioned. An example is a person asking you where a friend lives because they want to murder him. In such a case the person has no right to know the truth so it would not be sinful to lie and give a fake address.

matthew
 
I think the vast majority of lying falls into the venial sin category.

Unless you are lying to purposely hurt someone, and hurt them seriously (as in telling someone something that may be life threatening or hurtful to their marriage or career). I think it is a venial sin to lie most times and as the person said in a prior post in some case lying is not a sin at all as in the case when you lie to prevent hurting someone else’s feelings…

Folks who call me up randomly for surveys and sales calls don’t desserve to hear the truth. I’m not about to tell them my income or true feelings about their products. Most times I am so annoyed at being rudely interrupted at dinner that I want to give them a thorough tongue lashing.

I think it is a good habit to tell the truth ALMOST always. Lying is a bad habit for some folks. I know a few who I consider chronic liars. No one trusts them, and they are totally unreliable. That is not a good reputation to have.

A total stranger has no right to your free time. While it is good to be charitable, you don’t owe them anything. Be polite if you can, but don’t feel you owe them a truthful explanation.
 
I think you worry too much. The fact is, you didn’t have time to take the survey because you would rather be doing something else in the time that you have.
 
You can check the Summa:

newadvent.org/summa/311004.htm

Also, “A lieconsists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving.” St. Augustine, De mendacio 4,5:PL 40:491.

You might want to practice so that you’re instant reaction isn’t to lie. For example, if you the cashier in the checkout line asks you how you’re doing today, you can simply reply “could be worse” instead of getting in the habit of saying “fine”. That way, when you’re having a miserable day and have to buy something, you won’t just automatically say “fine” and then scrupulise over it.

As for your lie, it’s most likely venial since it was reactionary and you weren’t speaking with malicious intent.
 
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Madia:
For example, if you the cashier in the checkout line asks you how you’re doing today, you can simply reply “could be worse” instead of getting in the habit of saying “fine”. That way, when you’re having a miserable day and have to buy something, you won’t just automatically say “fine” and then scrupulise over it.
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On the other hand, if you consistently reply “Fine!” or even “Fine as frog’s hair split nine ways!” then you might begin to FEEL fine! Emotions follow actions.
 
No, you can just say fine because you are fine. even if you’re chronically disabled or something, it can always get worse until you’re in hell.
 
Notice that the commandment says not to bear false witness against thy neighbor, ir does not say that all statements we make must be factually correct. In fact, sometimes it can be a moral obligation to make a factually incorrect statement. For example, if someone seeks to do harm to another and you protect the person from harm by telling the perpetrator a lie about the person’s whereabouts, you have done well.

I think it was a priest I saw on TV who explained that we are only obligated to tell the truth to those who have a right to know the truth. Parents, teachers, managers at work, customers, and so forth, usually have a right to know the truth and we are morally obligated to tell them the truth. However, a person on the street who wants you to do something that distracts from more important things you must do certainly has no right to know any truth about your circumstances so therefore you have no obligation to tell them anything. At the same time we can seek to be polite.

Hope helpful.
 
The point of that thread and my point is that not every false statement is a sin. Therefore it relates to the title of this thread.

I hardly consider it a sin at all that he told the surveyor he didn’t have time. The surveyor had no claim on the person’s time, therefore there is no obligation to explain why he didn’t wish to take the survey.

I don’t put this in the category of sin. I put this in the category of developing graciousness and refinement in dealing with such situations. That’s just personal development.

Also “not wanting to take the time” and “not having time” can be viewed as identical if we consider that not having time can include our own personal preference for how we use our time (i.e. how we want to use our time). Therefore, one could say he technically didn’t lie anyway.
 
All morals are “situation ethics.” Ethics change with the circumstances.

So, suicide is a sin, ordinarily, correct? Yet, if you give your life for that of another – commit suicide to keep another alive – what does Christ say? He says, “Greater love than that no man has.” It’s a “ticket to Heaven.”

Lying is not special in some way that makes it immune to the dynamics of situation ethics.

Sometimes, one is morally required to tell really effective lies.
 
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BibleReader:
All morals are “situation ethics.” Ethics change with the circumstances.

This is, quite simply, wrong. “Ethics” that change with the circumstances is pure relativism.

So, suicide is a sin, ordinarily, correct? Yet, if you give your life for that of another – commit suicide to keep another alive – what does Christ say? He says, “Greater love than that no man has.” It’s a “ticket to Heaven.”

Giving your life for another is NOT suicide. Let’s say, a bad person is going to shoot someone and you place yourself between the intended victim and the shooter, get shot and die. That is not suicide. It is self sacrifice. It is not a “situation ethic.”

Lying is not special in some way that makes it immune to the dynamics of situation ethics.

All lying is sinful. We cannot tell a lie to achieve a good purpose. We, however, do not owe the truth to someone who has no right to it. This does not mean we can lie. We simply do not tell them the truth.

Sometimes, one is morally required to tell really effective lies.

This claim is pure evil. Again, all lies are sin. Some are mortal sins, such as perjury, or lying to ruin someone’s reputation.
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The original poster asked about the “lie” told to the person who asked if he had the time to take a survey. He answered that he did not have the time. This was not necessarily a lie. He had something else planned for that time, even if it was simply taking a walk. The person taking the survey has no right to our time. He, or she, can only ask if we will give them our time and our answers. We are under absolutely no obligation to give these, if we don’t want to.
 
**Me: Sometimes, one is morally required to tell really effective lies.

Joan M: This claim is pure evil. Again, all lies are sin. Some are mortal sins, such as perjury, or lying to ruin someone’s reputation.
**
Oh, my Heavens.

It is 1943. You live in the Netherlands. You, and the family next door, are hiding groups of Jewish children in the walls of your houses.

Two members of the Nazi SS come to your door. “Fraulein,” they say, "We have reports that Jewish children are being hidden in the homes of Catholics in this town. Look me in the eye, Fraulein. DO YOU HAVE JEWISH CHILDREN HIDDEN IN YOUR HOUSE? If you do, and you tell the truth, you’ll be fine. The sub-human Jewish children will be gassed and incinerated at Auschwitz, of course, because they are nothing but human roaches! But, you will be fine! So, tell us: Do you have Jewish children in your house? If you lie, we will shove of rifles into your mouth and as far down your throat as we can, to torture you, and then pull the trigger.

“So tell us, Fraulein, do you have Jewish children hidden in your house?”

Feeling bound to tell the truth, you say, “Yes.” The house is searched. The children are dragged-out kicking anbd screaming, and they all die.

You get a letter of congratulations signed by Hitler, himself!

When the soldiers get to your neighbor’s house, your neighbor tells really effective lies. They invirte the soldiers in and feeding them dinner, and invite them to check the house for something that isn’t there. As they anticipated, the soldiers don’t bother checking. Their lies have save the children.

Under your definition – “This claim is pure evil. Again, all lies are sin.” – you go to Heaven, your neighbor goes to Hell!

Are you out of your mind?
 
Under your definition – “This claim is pure evil. Again, all lies are sin.” – you go to Heaven, your neighbor goes to Hell!
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Are you out of your mind?
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VERY well said! Let’s not forget the prostitute (Rahab, I think was her name) who helped the Israelite spies who was saved because she LIED about the spies that she had hidden on her roof.
 
BibleReader said:
Me: Sometimes, one is morally required to tell really effective lies.

Joan M: This claim is pure evil. Again, all lies are sin. Some are mortal sins, such as perjury, or lying to ruin someone’s reputation.

Oh, my Heavens.

It is 1943. You live in the Netherlands. You, and the family next door, are hiding groups of Jewish children in the walls of your houses.

Two members of the Nazi SS come to your door. “Fraulein,” they say, "We have reports that Jewish children are being hidden in the homes of Catholics in this town. Look me in the eye, Fraulein. DO YOU HAVE JEWISH CHILDREN HIDDEN IN YOUR HOUSE? If you do, and you tell the truth, you’ll be fine. The sub-human Jewish children will be gassed and incinerated at Auschwitz, of course, because they are nothing but human roaches! But, you will be fine! So, tell us: Do you have Jewish children in your house? If you lie, we will shove of rifles into your mouth and as far down your throat as we can, to torture you, and then pull the trigger.

“So tell us, Fraulein, do you have Jewish children hidden in your house?”

Feeling bound to tell the truth, you say, “Yes.” The house is searched. The children are dragged-out kicking anbd screaming, and they all die.

You get a letter of congratulations signed by Hitler, himself!

When the soldiers get to your neighbor’s house, your neighbor tells really effective lies. They invirte the soldiers in and feeding them dinner, and invite them to check the house for something that isn’t there. As they anticipated, the soldiers don’t bother checking. Their lies have save the children.

Under your definition – “This claim is pure evil. Again, all lies are sin.” – you go to Heaven, your neighbor goes to Hell!

Are you out of your mind?
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Ok. I’m sure I might get a few disagreements, but here it goes:

All lying is bad. Not necessarily mortal sin, but lying is inherantly evil, and cannot be done. So let’s take the situation of Nazi Germany. The Catechism states:

2489 Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet LANGUAGE. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.

Now, notice it does not say that it is OK to lie in these situations! You can be silent, which would bear consequences for yourself in the fact that the soldiers would still come in. Or the conversation could go something like this:

Soldier: Do you have any Jewish families in this house? Tell us the truth, or you will all be taken away to Auschwitz!

Person: No, there are no Jews here! You look hungry soldier, would you care to have a small pastry?

This person did not lie. In fact, he was refering to the exact spot he and the soldier were standing on. He was using discreet language (even though the soldier did not know that). So he was telling the truth. It would be different if he said In this house (which would be lying) instead of here. And he also distracted the soldier further by changing the subject.

So, it is possible to not lie in these situations. But then again, if you did, it would be with minimal fault, and would not be mortal sin (although it would still be a small venial sin, as lying is intrinsically evil, and a person cannot commit a bad act, even if the intention is good.)
 
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