Sins the Average High Schooler should avoid

[Melchior_1]

Hey Angel7,

Drug use is a path that is best not to go down. If you’ve started, get out while you can. If you haven’t yet, remove yourself from situations where it’s happening. If you got friends who are using (especially hard drugs), try to help them as much as you can…but be wary. This is one path you DO NOT want to take. PERIOD.

I must admit I’m concerned that at first this thread was about assignments and now you mention drug use.

Regarding the cheating of tests, if YOU"RE cheating on them you’re doing yourself a disservice as it pertains to your education. One could also say this is a theft if done without consent. Don’t cheat yourself out of an education. The assignment, considering it happened once you passed it on and said “no thanks” to the second guy, I wouldn’t consider it a big deal. But that’s me, you’re you.

Oh, and talking in class? A sign of disrespect. Certainly not a grave matter though IMHO.

If it bugs you enough and when in doubt about if you’ve committed a grave matter, hit up the sin bin (ie; Confession).

 

[jmcrae]

Now I have new probelms…

1. If we see a friend or anyone cheating on a test or quiz, or helping them cheat on a test or quiz, should we tell the teacher? (It’s hard when they are people you are friends with, or are familiar with)
2. When we overhear someone talking about drug or alcohol use (maybe smoking too, but smoking is a bit more open) should we alert a teacher or someone? This include overhearing anything that is drug related. It might be a joke, or one of those 1 time mistakes.

If someone used a drug but said they regret it and never want to do that again, do we tell a teacher anyway?

First, do you have authority over these people? While it’s good to have everyone’s best interests at heart, we don’t have the right to correct people who are not under our authority. Ask yourself, “Am I that person’s parent, teacher, employer, or spiritual guide?” If not, then apart from mentioning your thoughts if you are asked for your opinion, you should mind your own business.

1. If my parents do not allow me to go To Confession. and I feel that I have commited a mortal sin (I think I have scrupulousity, I’m not certain) am I justified to lie to them? and say I’m going somewhere else? While actually, I’m going To Confess my sins?

If you can get to Confession on your own, simply tell them that you are going over to the Church for a bit, and then go.

1. Should we avoid talking in class?

If the teacher is inviting you to give your (name removed by moderator)ut, or if the teacher has asked you to discuss something in a small group, then go ahead and do this, but otherwise, your attention should be on the teacher, and what the teacher is saying and/or demonstrating.

1. Is it wrong to be embarressed/ashamed that people think of you as a rule following, Religious, very religious Catholic, (goody goody two shoes)

That’s not a “goody-goody two shoes”; that’s a “future millionaire.”

1. When someone uses bad language and profanity should we tell them not to?

Only if a) they are swearing at you, or b) if they ask your opinion on the subject. Otherwise, leave them alone. (Unless they are your child, student, employee, or parishioner.)

1. When someone “uses God’s name carelessly or in anger.” (copied that )
   should we tell them not to say that? Is it wrong to be embarressed/ashamed to tell someone not to say that? because your afraid of the opinion of others towards you (similar situation to #5)?

Again, only if it is in some way your business.

 

[jmcrae]

My views don’t reflect those of the Catholic church, but I don’t see it as this AT ALL. What about if the person lets you cheat off of them?

You’re not stealing from the other person; you’re stealing from yourself.

By copying someone else’s answers, you rob yourself of the opportunity to find out how those answers were arrived at - which is what the whole process is supposed to be about.

The important thing is not to know that 2+2=4 - the important part is to understand how it is that small sets can come together to become a larger set.

 

[Langdell]

1. Is it wrong to be embarressed/ashamed that people think of you as a rule following, Religious, very religious Catholic, (goody goody two shoes)

I can certainly relate to this one. When I started high school, I was very religious. As time went by, however, I found it harder and harder to live my faith. I went to a good high school, with almost no bullying and what-not, but I still felt like an outsider because I tried to put the Gospel into practice. Part of what led me to question and then leave the Church was the fact that even the Catholic adults I knew seemed to be too willing to “go along to get along” when it came to the Church’s teachings.

When I look back on my teenage years now, some of the things I am most pleased to remember are the times when I was most embarrassed – when I tried to do the right thing regardless of the social cost. I wish there had been more of those moments.

Try to hang in there! Pretty soon you’ll be an adult, and the real world is not high school. You are in my prayers.



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[hellopeople]

Hey Angel7,

Drug use is a path that is best not to go down. If you’ve started, get out while you can. If you haven’t yet, remove yourself from situations where it’s happening. If you got friends who are using (especially hard drugs), try to help them as much as you can…but be wary. This is one path you DO NOT want to take. PERIOD.

Drug use is serious. This is great advice. If you are using drugs, stop immediately. Try to help friends that are doing drugs, but if they will not listen to you, it might be best to cut off ties with them. I did a lot of drugs in high school and the beginning of college. Right now I am paying for it to be honest. I have done so well in my second half of college, but when I was doing drugs I did so poorly that my overall GPA is pretty bad. I don’t even know if I will be able to get into grad school because of it.

Basically, drugs are not a great thing to get into. This is ESPECIALLY true if you are doing anything more than weed, but weed can be extremely damaging itself. It is safe to just completely avoid drugs altogether.

 

[hellopeople]

I can certainly relate to this one. When I started high school, I was very religious. As time went by, however, I found it harder and harder to live my faith. I went to a good high school, with almost no bullying and what-not, but I still felt like an outsider because I tried to put the Gospel into practice. Part of what led me to question and then leave the Church was the fact that even the Catholic adults I knew seemed to be too willing to “go along to get along” when it came to the Church’s teachings.

When I look back on my teenage years now, some of the things I am most pleased to remember are the times when I was most embarrassed – when I tried to do the right thing regardless of the social cost. I wish there had been more of those moments.

Try to hang in there! Pretty soon you’ll be an adult, and the real world is not high school. You are in my prayers.



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I have to agree with this. As you grow up, these times of “being an outcast for doing the right thing” become times that people start respecting you for being a good person (at least when people start to mature). The people I hung out with in high school were not always the greatest people. As I get older, I start to look at other qualities in friends, such as loyalty and compassion. There are many things that I look back on and regret. I thought I was being cool when I would make fun of kids…boy how I was wrong.