penWindow(‘cr/2482.htm’)
"A *lie *consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving."281 The Lord denounces lying as the work of the devil: "You are of your father the devil, . . . there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."282penWindow(‘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.penWindow(‘cr/2485.htm’) By its very nature, lying is to be condemned. It is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is to communicate known truth to others. The deliberate intention of leading a neighbor into error by saying things contrary to the truth constitutes a failure in justice and charity. The culpability is greater when the intention of deceiving entails the risk of deadly consequences for those who are led astray.penWindow(‘cr/2486.htm’) Since it violates the virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It affects his ability to know, which is a condition of every judgment and decision. It contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils. Lying is destructive of society; it undermines trust among men and tears apart the fabric of social relationships.penWindow(‘cr/2487.htm’) Every offense committed against justice and truth entails the duty of reparation, even if its author has been forgiven. When it is impossible publicly to make reparation for a wrong, it must be made secretly. If someone who has suffered harm cannot be directly compensated, he must be given moral satisfaction in the name of charity. This duty of reparation also concerns offenses against another’s reputation. This reparation, moral and sometimes material, must be evaluated in terms of the extent of the damage inflicted. It obliges in conscience.penWindow(‘cr/2488.htm’) The right to the communication of the truth is not unconditional. Everyone must conform his life to the Gospel precept of fraternal love. This requires us in concrete situations to judge whether or not it is appropriate to reveal the truth to someone who asks for it.penWindow(‘cr/2489.htm’) 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.283penWindow(‘cr/2490.htm’) The secret of the sacrament of reconciliation is sacred, and cannot be violated under any pretext. "The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore, it is a crime for a confessor in any way to betray a penitent by word or in any other manner or for any reason."284penWindow(‘cr/2492.htm’) Everyone should observe an appropriate reserve concerning persons’ private lives. Those in charge of communications should maintain a fair balance between the requirements of the common good and respect for individual rights. Interference by the media in the private lives of persons engaged in political or public activity is to be condemned to the extent that it infringes upon their privacy and freedom.It is not acceptable to lie, even in that situation. The end does not justify the means.
I’ll happily take my chances with God on that one.
Fair enough. But the Catechism was rather clear on the subject. Under no circumstances is a lie anything other than a sin. If, for the protection of others, you cannot reveal a truth, then remain silent, but do not lie.
I agree - I can’t imagine anyone who accepts the prime commandments of love *not *lying in that situation.
That is the wrong attitude. Your first duty is to God. You should not be willing to compromise your fidelity to God for anything.
Charity (which is the highest form of love) is united to truth, just as the third person of the Trinity is united to the second. A lie, which is contrary to the truth, is never an act of true charity, but an act of false charity.
Wow. You are so far divorced from the teachings of Jesus that I don’t see how you can can call yourself a Christian.
I think that you’re going way overboard on this one.
What I gave was the teaching of Jesus. If you are shocked by the truth, what does that say about you?
I honestly can’t say what I would do in that situation, but I do know that if I lied it would be a sin. I am not a saint, and therefore I migh give into the temptation to lie, but that would not make it right.
“He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me.” Secundum Matthæum 10,37-38
What did he say?In the book of Tobit, St. Raphael “lied” about who he was.
Is an angel subject to the same morality as a human being? Moreoever, who’s to say that the name he gave was not a name by which he was also known, an alias rather than a false name.In the book of Tobit, St. Raphael “lied” about who he was.