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Whenever the world or society permits something which is a grevious offence against God, it’s up to us Catholics to oppose it. That’s the case with abortion and it’s also the case with scandal.
Here’s what the CCC says about scandal -
Respect for the souls of others: scandal
**2284 **Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.
2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion. Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to “social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible.” This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger, or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values.
2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!”
This is in the CCC under the section about the 5th commandment (Thou shalt not kill). That’s why I figure it goes under ‘Culture of Death’, even though I haven’t seen it discussed much here before. The scandalous are ‘killing’ the souls of the (previously) innocent who have been led to do evil.
I guess just making a thread about it isn’t going to do much to help oppose scandal, but at least it’s a start. Anyone want to help make a list of scandal that exists in our world, and any ideas on how to oppose it?
Here’s what the CCC says about scandal -
Respect for the souls of others: scandal
**2284 **Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.
2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion. Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to “social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible.” This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger, or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values.
2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. “Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!”
This is in the CCC under the section about the 5th commandment (Thou shalt not kill). That’s why I figure it goes under ‘Culture of Death’, even though I haven’t seen it discussed much here before. The scandalous are ‘killing’ the souls of the (previously) innocent who have been led to do evil.
I guess just making a thread about it isn’t going to do much to help oppose scandal, but at least it’s a start. Anyone want to help make a list of scandal that exists in our world, and any ideas on how to oppose it?
- Sometimes teachers, lecturers, even evangelists and priests, or CAF posters, may teach people something that is wrong. Whether by accident or intentionally, it still has a negative effect on the people who hear it. What we need to do is speak up, to tell the right thing to the people who heard the wrong thing. But it’s even more important to teach the teacher than to teach the students. If we talk to the person who said the wrong thing, and alert them to their mistake, they might make reparation for their wrong statement themselves, and it would also prevent them from saying it again to others. If a person refuses to take back their scandalous statement, then we need to let people know - take it to a higher authority if we can. If it’s a priest, we need to report it to the bishop. If it’s a CAF poster, we need to report them to the moderator. Maybe that person needs to be relieved from their duties or banned to stop them from spreading their scandal. It’s hard, especially in Australia, but sometimes we have to be a “dobber” to prevent the spread of scandalous teachings. Don’t be afraid to confront your priest, or if he brushes you off, to talk to your bishop! (Just make sure you have a valid claim first - read your catechism).
- Plenty of famous people refuse to believe that they have an influence on youth. They don’t want the responsibility of being a role model. Well, too bad, they didn’t ask for it but they got it. I don’t know what we can do to make famous people set a better example to youth. Any ideas?
- Sometimes actions can directly encourage people to sin (rather than words or influences). A common example is flirting too much. Girls who wear immodest dress, speak to guys in a seductive manner, sit on their laps, stroke their arms, etc., are encouraging these guys at least to impure thoughts if not to impure actions! Some guys complained to me that girls at my local Christian group were too flirty. I tried to alert them about it - they are sinning and causing others to sin - but they took no notice. I don’t know what to do about this either.
