F
Flopfoot
Guest
Here is CCC 2489
**2489 **Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet language. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.
There are other parts in that section of the catechism (about the 8th commandment, paragraphs 2464 to 2513), which talk about the same thing - knowing when NOT to speak. Most of it relates to talking about others - telling their secrets, or revealing their faults, even if what you are saying is true.
But it also sounds like the Catechism is saying that sometimes it’s best to hide the truth in some cases even if it won’t damage someone’s reputation or put them in harm’s way or reveal their secrets.
Exactly when should we not speak? I’m not entirely sure.
In a youth group called Antioch (which I have spoken of before), every week one of the members of the group will give a talk on an issue, and after that we will break into small groups for discussion. Now, you’re not supposed to reveal what anyone tells you in a discussion group to anyone who wasn’t in that group (“share group confidentiality”), so that’s good, in accordance with the Catechism. But the thing is, should people be revealing things about themselves in the talks and the discussion groups in the first place? In this youth group, people are strongly encouraged to ‘open up’ and to be honest, and when giving talks you’re supposed to include a lot of personal sharing, for 3 reasons - other people can learn from your experiences, it helps keep them interested in your talk, and it helps them to get to know you better. Of course, no one is forced to say anything they don’t want to say - but it is against the ‘spirit’ of the group to be very closed. So in some talks, people will admit to a lot of their faults, sometimes there has been a lot of sin and sadness in their past. And I wonder, is it against Catholic teaching for them to be telling us these things? Maybe people don’t want to hear it, etc. I have given such a talk before, my talk was called ‘My need to change’ and so I spoke a lot about my sins that I needed to turn away from. I tried to be very honest, but after reading the Catechism I discovered that there’s more to respect for the truth than just honesty. Did I do the wrong thing?
**2489 **Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet language. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it.
There are other parts in that section of the catechism (about the 8th commandment, paragraphs 2464 to 2513), which talk about the same thing - knowing when NOT to speak. Most of it relates to talking about others - telling their secrets, or revealing their faults, even if what you are saying is true.
But it also sounds like the Catechism is saying that sometimes it’s best to hide the truth in some cases even if it won’t damage someone’s reputation or put them in harm’s way or reveal their secrets.
Exactly when should we not speak? I’m not entirely sure.
In a youth group called Antioch (which I have spoken of before), every week one of the members of the group will give a talk on an issue, and after that we will break into small groups for discussion. Now, you’re not supposed to reveal what anyone tells you in a discussion group to anyone who wasn’t in that group (“share group confidentiality”), so that’s good, in accordance with the Catechism. But the thing is, should people be revealing things about themselves in the talks and the discussion groups in the first place? In this youth group, people are strongly encouraged to ‘open up’ and to be honest, and when giving talks you’re supposed to include a lot of personal sharing, for 3 reasons - other people can learn from your experiences, it helps keep them interested in your talk, and it helps them to get to know you better. Of course, no one is forced to say anything they don’t want to say - but it is against the ‘spirit’ of the group to be very closed. So in some talks, people will admit to a lot of their faults, sometimes there has been a lot of sin and sadness in their past. And I wonder, is it against Catholic teaching for them to be telling us these things? Maybe people don’t want to hear it, etc. I have given such a talk before, my talk was called ‘My need to change’ and so I spoke a lot about my sins that I needed to turn away from. I tried to be very honest, but after reading the Catechism I discovered that there’s more to respect for the truth than just honesty. Did I do the wrong thing?