Isn't it better to not know and so not be responsible?

[Lost_Sheep]

As I understand it, the Church teaches that an act is not considered a sin unless the person knows that the act is a sin, is aware he is doing, and actually goes through with it.

Now, if the ultimate goal of the Church is for all souls to go to Heaven, is it not counter productive to teach this message about sin? If people have not been made aware that they are sinning, how can they be held accountable?

It seems to me that a person who has spent his whole life living in a cave in the jungles of Borneo and has had no exposure to the Word of the Lord and has never been taught right from wrong would have a better chance of going to Heaven simply by virtue of his ignorance.

I, for one, would rather not know if what I’m doing is sinful or not; that way it would not be held against me.

Your thoughts, please.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Friend,

You have it backwards. Ignorance is not bliss. If you don’t know someone, you will never risk the loss of that person’s friendship—but you will never have a friend either.

Our primary purpose in life is not to not sin, i.e., lose God’s friendship by betraying Him. Our purpose in life is to know and appreciate Him and love Him. We can best know who He is by reflecting on His Passion. On Good Friday He told us more about Himself than anywhere else. In telling us who He is, He also told us who we are, i.e., the people He loves enough to suffer and die for. To live in ignorance of the mystery of a God who would do that for us to demonstrate His love for us is an ignorance I would wish on no one.

Suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to us. We were designed for more than just living for the self. We don’t hunger for ignorance. We hunger for knowledge; ultimately, the knowledge of who God is. As Saint Augustine so well acknowledged, our hearts are restless until they rest in him. Even the savages in Borneo hunger for Him, though they don’t know it.

We are not about ourselves. We are all about God. He is our context. Only by knowing who we are, can we possibly be happy. This means submitting to Him and being faithful to Him. He is more than worth it.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.