Should you tell people they are sinning?

[CupOfMilk]

Well 1 of my friends said ‘that girl should be in a nude magizine’ and i jokenly said that he’d like an overweight girl in that magizine. Should i tell this person that i was wrong and so was he?

 

[LilyM]

you don’t need to say it’s a sin, just say its wrong because it’s totally demeaning to the human dignity of women.

After all I’m sure he’d love to know his mother, sister, wife or daughter was being ogled in the nude by readers of such magazines.

 

[KCT]

Regarding sinning, keep in mind that while we can say objectively that something is a sin, if the person is not formed or catechized, we have to be careful about calling them sinners.

Mortal sin anyway takes full knowledge, which the person may or may not have.

 

[buffalo]

True Christian Charity demands fraternal correction.

Truth with Love

not Truth without love

nor

Love without truth.

 

[Starwynd]

Judge not lest ye be judged in kind.

Essentially I don’t judge people. I leave that up to God. it’s not my job to judge people and tell them they’re sinning.

However, if they ask me if I think it is a sin then I will tell them.

 

[rlg94086]

Judge not lest ye be judged in kind.

Essentially I don’t judge people. I leave that up to God. it’s not my job to judge people and tell them they’re sinning.

However, if they ask me if I think it is a sin then I will tell them.

Hi Starwynd,

Since your religion is “undetermined,” I will give you some biblical passages and only one reference from the Catechism:
Colossians 3:

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Titus 1:

12 One of them, a prophet of their own, once said, “Cretans have always been liars, vicious beasts, and lazy gluttons.” 5 13 That testimony is true. Therefore, admonish them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith,

1 Thessalonians 5:

11 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do. 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are laboring among you and who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you, 13 and to show esteem for them with special love on account of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 We urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, cheer the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one returns evil for evil; rather, always seek what is good (both) for each other and for all.

**1829 **The *fruits *of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion: Love is itself the fulfillment of all our works. There is the goal; that is why we run: we run toward it, and once we reach it, in it we shall find rest.

What’s my point? The “judge not…” verse is not properly applied by a lot of people. What it means, basically, is that we can not say “you are going to hell because of your sins,” as some Christians unfortunately do. That judgment can only be made Our Lord. However, we are called to admonish each other and build each other up. If you see or participate in a sin such as the example given by the OP , the loving and charitable thing to do is to let your friend know, in humility, that both of you should not have made such uncharitable, inappropriate jokes.

 

[buffalo]

Judge not lest ye be judged in kind.

Essentially I don’t judge people. I leave that up to God. it’s not my job to judge people and tell them they’re sinning.

However, if they ask me if I think it is a sin then I will tell them.

Continue reading the verse for full context.