Moral culpability of bishops and priests

[JRKH]

Ahhh, this is true. For sake of argument only, I’ve been trying to think of a sin where if you see it committed you can say that it is sinful. Without getting any other information. And without the opportunity for other information to mitigate it’s sinfulness or make it not sinful. It’s hard and I can think of very few.

I think this is the very point that we have been trying to get across to the OP.
Only in the most simple, straightforward “red-handed” instances is there a possiblity to say that another has sinned. Even in those cases there would need to be a pretty full knowledge of the specifics surrounding the individuals involved etc.
This full knowledge is something that is generally lacking when individuals are talking about people they don’t know personally and about situations where the sin is not so specific.

I can think of adultery. I am married. If you happen to catch me in the act of having sex with another woman, I don’t see how any other information gained would excuse or mitigate the sin.

Yes. This would be a pretty good example.

Peace
James

 

[davidv]

Wait a second. Lets say that I were to tell you that I’m skipping Mass to sleep in. By your logic, you could not tell me that I’m sinning?

I completely agree that we can’t judge the state of someone’s soul, or say for sure that a sin is mortal for another.

But it seems to me that we can call an action a sin. And I think that if I specifically state that I’m skipping Mass to sleep in, others would be justified in telling me that I am sinning.

Please separate the act, which in your OP may not sinful, from the guilt of sin. They are not the same. You personnally can, given enough information, determine the first. However, unless your are the sinner, you cannot determine the guilt.

 

[francisca]

St. Thomas Aquinas would appear to support my position. If anyone can refute Thomas, I’m all ears!

In this case, I’ll refute Thomas Aquinas: forgive.

Have your peace this way: no human is perfect. Everyone is struggling daily.

Remember Jesus did not appreciate “unecessarily meticulous tradition”. In doing so, while you fail to forgive their imperfections, you commit greater sin. No body is perfect. All humans fail from time to time. So again: forgive. Let it go and let God.

By the way, I think laity participation is good for the church.