Sin of Defraction question

[fish90]

Catholic Encyclopedia limits the sin of detraction when:

*The employment of this teaching, however, is limited by a twofold restriction.

* The damage which one may soberly apprehend as emerging from the failure to reveal another's sin or vicious propensity must be a notable one as contrasted with the evil of defamation.
* No more in the way of exposure should be done than is required, and even a fraternal admonition ought rather to be substituted if it can be discerned to adequately meet the needs of the situation.*

Taken from:newadvent.org/cathen/04757a.htm

Is it morally acceptable to tell your neighbor John Doe likes to steal so be careful or that John Doe has broken a lot of hearts?

Is watching opinion news shows and listening to opinion talk radio a form of taking part in and helping spread this sin?

Should I not read about whether a politician has had an affair?

But then:
Journalists are entirely within their rights in inveighing against the official shortcomings of public men. Likewise, they may lawfully present whatever information about the life or character of a candidate for public office is necessary to show his unfitness for the station he seeks.
Taken from: newadvent.org/cathen/04757a.htm

Thanks in advance and Happy Advent!

 

[thistle]

Catholic Encyclopedia limits the sin of detraction when:

*The employment of this teaching, however, is limited by a twofold restriction.

* The damage which one may soberly apprehend as emerging from the failure to reveal another's sin or vicious propensity must be a notable one as contrasted with the evil of defamation.
* No more in the way of exposure should be done than is required, and even a fraternal admonition ought rather to be substituted if it can be discerned to adequately meet the needs of the situation.*

Taken from:newadvent.org/cathen/04757a.htm

Is it morally acceptable to tell your neighbor John Doe likes to steal so be careful or that John Doe has broken a lot of hearts?

Is watching opinion news shows and listening to opinion talk radio a form of taking part in and helping spread this sin?

Should I not read about whether a politician has had an affair?

But then:
Journalists are entirely within their rights in inveighing against the official shortcomings of public men. Likewise, they may lawfully present whatever information about the life or character of a candidate for public office is necessary to show his unfitness for the station he seeks.
Taken from: newadvent.org/cathen/04757a.htm

Thanks in advance and Happy Advent!

The Catholic Encyclopedia is not the Magesterium.

The teaching on detraction can be found in the CCC.

CCC 2477 **Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty: **

• of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;

- of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who did not know them;

• of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

 

[VioletMary]

I am so grateful for this question and answer. In this day and age, with communication aided by everything from Facebook/Myspace to cel phones (voice and text), people’s reputations are on the line every second of every day, so unnecessarily. People are largely uncatechized about it, and the Golden Rule just doesn’t explain the effects of calumny. The CCC refs should be shouted from the housetops!!

 

[aarontassin]

Catholic Encyclopedia limits the sin of detraction when:

*The employment of this teaching, however, is limited by a twofold restriction.

* The damage which one may soberly apprehend as emerging from the failure to reveal another's sin or vicious propensity must be a notable one as contrasted with the evil of defamation.
* No more in the way of exposure should be done than is required, and even a fraternal admonition ought rather to be substituted if it can be discerned to adequately meet the needs of the situation.*

Taken from:newadvent.org/cathen/04757a.htm

Is it morally acceptable to tell your neighbor John Doe likes to steal so be careful or that John Doe has broken a lot of hearts?

Is watching opinion news shows and listening to opinion talk radio a form of taking part in and helping spread this sin?

Should I not read about whether a politician has had an affair?

But then:
Journalists are entirely within their rights in inveighing against the official shortcomings of public men. Likewise, they may lawfully present whatever information about the life or character of a candidate for public office is necessary to show his unfitness for the station he seeks.
Taken from: newadvent.org/cathen/04757a.htm

Thanks in advance and Happy Advent!

Scripture tells us that we can determine what is right and wrong based of the fruits of our actions. That should equally apply to lack of action as well. I believe we sin when we fail to act or speak up due to fear or insecurity. For example, if we fail to speak up for righteousness due to our fear or insecurites of how others may think of us, or if we are affraid of a confrontation. But that is just my opinion.

 

[Sarah53]

I have a friend who after getting a divorce became very close to a married man. From the way she talked I assumed they were having an affair. I was outraged because she and I went to a catholic college together. She didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with it. I ran into another friend of ours who we went to college with and ended up divulging my fears about our friend. Is this wrong? Is it a sin to speak up out of dislike of a sin?

 

[tjm190]

I don’t believe it’s a sin to divulge negative information about a person if it concerns the person you’re talking too- it would seem charitable to tell a friend considering rooming with another friend of yours that your second friend is messy and shaves loudly at 5 a.m. because this is information your friend needs to make an informed decision about how to interact with that person- not so with “XXX cheated on his spanish final.”

 

[brittrossiter]

I have a friend who after getting a divorce became very close to a married man. From the way she talked I assumed they were having an affair. I was outraged because she and I went to a catholic college together. She didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with it. I ran into another friend of ours who we went to college with and ended up divulging my fears about our friend. Is this wrong? Is it a sin to speak up out of dislike of a sin?

I am no expert on detraction, but… resorting to CCC paragraph 2477, if you were honestly seeking advice on how (or whether) to approach your wayward friend about her sin, and you did not disclose any more information than was necessary, then you are probably OK.

It is not a sin to call evil for what it is, but it *is *a sin to gossip (as paragraph 2477 makes explicit).

 

[georgette94]

Scripture tells us that we can determine what is right and wrong based of the fruits of our actions. That should equally apply to lack of action as well. I believe we sin when we fail to act or speak up due to fear or insecurity. For example, if we fail to speak up for righteousness due to our fear or insecurites of how others may think of us, or if we are affraid of a confrontation. But that is just my opinion.

Some of the best stuff I have read on detraction is from a Jewish source on the laws against the sins of speech, or what is know as Hashon Lara. The rabbis build fences around sin, and I must say that this is one of the best Rabinic fences I’ve ever seen. Lots of gold in this one. See: torah.org/learning/halashon/

 

[nahbios]

This is certainly something that I try to keep in mind, particularly when conversation turns gossipy. Even though it probably makes me look a little too hesitant, I try to be prudent in what I say.
What worries me is when members of my family and friends reveal things that are harmful to the reputation of others. It’s usually about people who are not well-like by them or the person/people they’re talking to so perhaps its gossip in some cases. However, there’s no need to go and talk about what so-and-so did this time. I know that if I tried to say something, I’d come across as preachy or ‘immature’ or whatever. I don’t know what to do.

 

[grandfather]

I have a friend who after getting a divorce became very close to a married man. From the way she talked I assumed they were having an affair. I was outraged because she and I went to a catholic college together. She didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with it. I ran into another friend of ours who we went to college with and ended up divulging my fears about our friend. Is this wrong? Is it a sin to speak up out of dislike of a sin?

People talk about others all the time. Whether this is detraction or not depends on the motive for the discussion. If there is malice motivating the conversation then it is detraction. You could be talking about a friend with a drinking problem worried about the person, or trying to destroy the persons reputation. You could be talking about a woman having an affair with a married man concerned about the marriage, the woman who is hurting herself and her soul, or trying to expose her and make others think less of her.

It is also sinful to enjoy or take pleasure in listening to malicious gossip.

 

[NicholasGH]

What about discussing such matters with close, trusted friends, who you know for a fact will not spread this knowledge? It seems that the information isn’t malicious, because there is no intent to hurt reputation, nor is there reasonable cause to believe that a harm in reputation will be caused.

 

[grandfather]

What about discussing such matters with close, trusted friends, who you know for a fact will not spread this knowledge? It seems that the information isn’t malicious, because there is no intent to hurt reputation, nor is there reasonable cause to believe that a harm in reputation will be caused.

It depends on the purpose of the discussion. If it is simply gossip then you are talking about someone else’s sins for no purpose and it does ruin his reputation. If you konw someone is a drunk who drives a carpool of kids and your close personal friend has a child who goes in the car you should talk about it. If you know someone is a drunk who went to high school with your friend ten years ago then you have no valid reason to spread the story.

If you know the neighbor lady mother of three was a wild sorority girl ten years ago there is no reason to talk about it with anyone. If your neighbor spent time in jail for molesting children you need to warn the neighborhood of the danger.