Just Kidding and Sin

[7violinS]

Is it a sin (mortal or venial) to joke with friends about teachers who are sometimes ‘a bit too friendly’? I was talking to a friend today about an old teacher who was rather ‘friendly’ with girls. I felt bad about having told her because I thought it was gossip and could ruin his reputation (even though ‘everyone’ knows about it already). I’m also unsure because I’ve heard much from previous students and have seen some ‘suggesting’ things myself.

 

[KindredSoul]

The Golden Rule applies here: Would you want people joking about you in that way if you were the teacher (especially if there’s the slightest percent of a percent chance that his intentions aren’t as ‘too friendly’ as his actions suggest)? If not, then it’s likely a sin lacking charity and compassion to joke in such a way. If you wouldn’t mind, that doesn’t automatically mean it isn’t sinful, but I’m just not sure.

I think that any sort of potentially hurtful or defamatory joke is always a sin (even if the object never finds out), because even if for instance the teacher is guilty of being ‘too friendly’, there are better, more considerate and less humiliating ways to deal with it. In the end, even if someone is guilty of the actions that the joke is being made about, to joke about it turns it into a laughing matter; even people who sin badly or do stupid things (of the sort that we wouldn’t find humorous if we were in their shoes) need our sympathy and guidance, not our exploitational laughter. I can be guilty of this myself, but I must admit I wouldn’t like it if it were done to me, and I feel that it’s wrong. Now, if the teacher himself is known to crack jokes about this, and it won’t hurt him at all if he finds out, it may be a different matter (though it’s still somewhat iffy, as joking could make him take his own actions lightly in that case). Otherwise…

It’s good that you feel remorse; it says a lot for your character. So many people would just say “He deserves it,” and move on. You have stopped to think. That shows compassion and caring.

Hope this helps; as for if there’s an official “Thou shalt not joke about people’s shortcomings” type teaching of the Church, I’m not sure what that would be…can anyone help out?

 

[Timidity]

as for if there’s an official “Thou shalt not joke about people’s shortcomings” type teaching of the Church, I’m not sure what that would be…can anyone help out?

If it’s not true, the sin is called “calumny”,

If it is true, the sin is called “detraction”. (Unless, of corse, there’s a good reason for saying it, like you’re warning a person who may be in danger).

If you dont know whether or not it’s true and you assume it is, the sin is called “rash judgement”.

All of these are sins against the 8th Commandment, and can be found in that section of the Catechism.

 

[gardenswithkids]

…I’m also unsure because I’ve heard much from previous students and have seen some ‘suggesting’ things myself.

Question of sin and joking aside, I don’t know exactly the right way to do this, but students should be aware that some teachers take advantage of the position of authority entrusted to them. Perhaps this teacher is entirely innocent, but some teachers aren’t. Minor children can be–and have been–victimized by trusted teachers.

The original poster wrote that she has seen some “suggesting” things personally. 7violinS, if you and your friends have some gut instincts telling you to be careful around this teacher, I don’t think you are wrong to somehow express and share this with each other. While we must be careful not to ruin other people’s reputation, we probably should also warn others if we suspect the possibility of danger. Joking might be one way of warning others if something doesn’t seem quite right.

 

[puzzleannie]

Is it a sin (mortal or venial) to joke with friends about teachers who are sometimes ‘a bit too friendly’? I was talking to a friend today about an old teacher who was rather ‘friendly’ with girls. I.

if this is behavior that is happening know and involves any illegality, your obligation is to report to superiors–school administration, or anonymously to child protective services or the police.

if this is ongoing behavior that is illegal and “everybody knows about it” then everybody is an accessory after the fact if they have not reported it.

if this is gossip about something that happened in the past, or is alleged to have happened, it is a sin. Gossip is one of the most serious sins, violating both the 5th and the 8th commandments.

 

[KindredSoul]

If it’s not true, the sin is called “calumny”,

If it is true, the sin is called “detraction”. (Unless, of corse, there’s a good reason for saying it, like you’re warning a person who may be in danger).

If you dont know whether or not it’s true and you assume it is, the sin is called “rash judgement”.

All of these are sins against the 8th Commandment, and can be found in that section of the Catechism.

Thanks Timidity! gardenswithkids, you make a good point too, but I think that’s covered in Timidity’s point about the sin of “detraction”. I think basically there simply has to be a good reason for speaking of it first, such as warning someone. I will say, still, that I think joking is a bad way to do this. If the teacher is innocent, joking makes a laughingstock of him when he did nothing wrong, which could be highly uncharitable and inconsiderate depending on the nature of the joke and just how much it puts him/his image at expense…I think it’s a little better to just say “I have heard this, it might be true, but it might not. Proceed with caution, and you might actually find that it’s not true at all.” Not in those formal words, of course, but you get my point.

 

[7violinS]

.

if this is gossip about something that happened in the past, or is alleged to have happened, it is a sin. Gossip is one of the most serious sins, violating both the 5th and the 8th commandments.

It was something that I heard happened in the past, but I’ve seen him act in a way that makes what I heard believable. It wasn’t something MAJOR but it was rather disturbing. I do hope to go to confession, though it’s a bit hard since I can’t drive and rely on my mother, who isn’t always to thrilled about taking me back and forth everytime I fear mortal sins.