Responsible for Others SINS?

[WatchingMedia]

The other day we went over “incedulity”, “heresy”, “apostasy” and “schism” #2089.

Today’s question is:
Sin is a personal act. But when do we become responsible for the sins of others ?
(Do not use your Catechism.)

 

[Cristiano]

The other day we went over “incedulity”, “heresy”, “apostasy” and “schism” #2089.

Today’s question is:
Sin is a personal act. But when do we become responsible for the sins of others ?
(Do not use your Catechism.)

Why do you say that sin is a personal act? I can see that it is a personal choice, but the act is public.

For example there are sins that as actions are immediately evident to other people and so they are public. There are other sins that usually are not immediately evident to others (e.g. masturbation) but their consequences on us will be evident to others in the longer term (e.g. impact on marriage).

If we sin then our sin (public sooner or later) affect others and it allows for a culture of acceptance of sin, thus telling our brothers and sisters that it is o.k. to sin. We are responsible for that. This general statement can be divided into specific sins as defined by the Catechism but I am not sure if that is the point that you were trying to get to.

 

[ljubim]

I’d say when we tempt others to sin, through immodesty, bad example, or deliberately, that makes us responsible in part. Just like Christ said about anybody who corrupts? a child, that it would be better to hang a millstone around their neck and to throw them off a cliff

 

[Loboto-Me]

This was discussed a few months ago in the spirituality forum, and my consensus is that as Catholics we are a communion of faithful. We aren’t called to live for only ourselves, we are called to live for our neighbour as well. We pray for each other, we do penance for each other.

Now, indirectly being responsible for someone else’s sins, yes we certainly CAN be in many cases. Through scandal we may cause others to sin. We may not be directly responsible for the sin itself as laymen, but we do reparation for others’ sins always. We live for others, not only for ourselves. We carry our cross and follow Jesus, did Jesus not die for our sins? They surely weren’t His, so we immitate Jesus and do reparation for the sins of others.

Gotta love the Catholic Church

 

[Scoobyshme]

Sin is an act of the will, by which we say, “No!” to God.

However, we can sin by encouraging, participating, or assisting others to sin. And, I think we can sin by omission by our silence in the face of sin. Example: Someone you know says she is going to have an abortion, and you say nothing against the idea. Or, worse, you say something supportive (like “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help you ‘get through’ this, just let me know!”). Or even worse yet, drive them to the clinic and back home.

There is no neutral ground in the spiritual life. We are either swimming upstream to God, or we are floating downstream from Him like dead bodies.

 

[baltobetsy]

Why do you say that sin is a personal act? I can see that it is a personal choice, but the act is public.

“Personal” refers to an act of a human person. It does not mean that the act is private.

 

[Cristiano]

“Personal” refers to an act of a human person. It does not mean that the act is private.

I tend to agree with you, and that is why I was asking the OP. Being personal does not mean not affecting anything, and that is why I was looking at hidden vs. private.

 

[JMJ_coder]

The other day we went over “incedulity”, “heresy”, “apostasy” and “schism” #2089.

Today’s question is:
Sin is a personal act. But when do we become responsible for the sins of others ?
(Do not use your Catechism.)

The Church teaches that there are 9 ways to participate in the sin of another:

1. 
   *]By counsel
   *]By command
   *]By consent
   *]By provocation
   *]By praise
   *]By concealment
   *]By partaking
   *]By silence
   *]By defense of the ill done
   
   Is there a point to these threads?

 

[Loboto-Me]

There is absolutely a point to these threads. Just because someone knows the answers by the book doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be discussed or that the person actually KNOWS them. Take for example my husband who’s a contractor. He works from experience, and has had to correct errors by engineers who have never touched a hammer or a nail in their lives. You can be book learned but not necessarily experienced.

These threads allow us to delve deeper into the subjects intended, not just state the answers and leave.

 

[MerryCatholic]

But when do we become responsible for the sins of others ?
(Do not use your Catechism.)

When do we become responsible? When we are the cause of someone’s sin. That is to say when we are aware of it and don’t stop it before our action or words cause them to sin.

 

[WatchingMedia]

And the Answer is - - - -
No trick question. I’m asking to show many they do not know what they need to know.
Many Catholics are ignorant through their own fault since they have not read the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” which has been provided as a teaching document by our Church.
(I’m not picking on anyone since until I read this Catechism, in ignorance, I never ever thought of many things in our Catechism. Even though I had many years of Catholic Education including at a Jesuit University.
How many times have your Parish priests mentioned this Catechism at Mass to encourage the Faithful to read it ?

From the CCC. 2nd Ed
**1868 **
**"**Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
by protecting evil-doers.

1869 **
Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another and causes concupiscence, violence, and injustice to reign among them. Sins give rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to the divine goodness. “Structures of sin” are the expression and effect of personal sins. They lead their victims to do evil in their turn. In an analogous sense, they constitute a "social sin."**144

 

[JMJ_coder]

How many times have your Parish priests mentioned this Catechism at Mass to encourage the Faithful to read it?

My Pastor has led a campaign in promoting the Compendium of the Catechism, including making copies readily available for all the faithful through the parish.