Is our judgement/reasoning sufficient to know truth?

[BenSinner]

About a month ago, I created a post relating to man not being able to be certain in their judgement whether they are in a state of grace or not. That is something only God can know.

When it is said we can’t trust our judgement due to the human condition being able to deceive itself:

Is this also implying that we can’t trust our judgement to know things like 2+2=4, that a square can’t be a circle, a thing can’t be and not be at the same time in the same way?

…or is this just a misunderstanding on my part? It would be hard to preach absolute truth exists if we claim our judgement can’t find absolute truth.

 

[pianistclare]

If one has no idea if they have committed a mortal sin, they are either scrupulous or have no memory of their actions whatsoever.

The constant fear of damnation never serves.

 

[BenSinner]

Which is the reason I’m still somewhat confused by this teaching of the Church.

seeing that no man can know with a certainty of faith, as to which there can be no lurking error, that he has obtained the grace of God

If one examines their conscience and can’t p(name removed by moderator)oint a mortal sin, wouldn’t that be “certainty of faith”?

 

[Kei]

I think the point is to bring recourse to God in prayer rather than saying our reasoning is insufficient. I feel I remember that phrase but cannot recall completel where it is from so I am not 100% sure.

 

[guanophore]

…or is this just a misunderstanding on my part? It would be hard to preach absolute truth exists if we claim our judgement can’t find absolute truth.

@OneSheep

Human beings are not omniscient, and God does not expect us to be. our judgment will always be in need of growth and development.

 

[BenSinner]

But can they know enough that 2+2=4 and rape is a mortal sin?

 

[chieft]

We can know truth in this upside down world. Our Lord made it simple. Our Lady found favor with the children of Fatima. Children too young to grasp the complexities of this material world. Yet they were chosen to be messengers. Christ told us everything we need to know. " I am the way, the Truth and the light". Lucky for me because I’m a pretty simple man.

 

[Benadam]

I think St. Paul emphasized having a clear conscience so when you die you can go to God with your head held high. This to me means if you don’t have a reason to believe you have a mortal sin unforgiven then you don’t have to worry about it.

 

[AlNg]

About a month ago, I created a post relating to man not being able to be certain in their judgement whether they are in a state of grace or not. That is something only God can know.

When it is said we can’t trust our judgement due to the human condition being able to deceive itself:

Is this also implying that we can’t trust our judgement to know things like 2+2=4, that a square can’t be a circle, a thing can’t be and not be at the same time in the same way?

…or is this just a misunderstanding on my part? It would be hard to preach absolute truth exists if we claim our judgement can’t find absolute truth.

There are some moral issues that cannot be known with certainty. For example, is it wrong to employ the death penalty today? Is torture, by stretching a person on the rack, always wrong ? Is is morally correct to forcibly remove a six year old Jewish boy from his Jewish parents because he was secretly baptized? (Edgardo Mortara).