What is worse?

[tgilbride]

Here is my question.

Say you have two people.

One is Catholic, believes in the Catholic teachings, and does things that he believes is wrong.

The other is not Catholic, does not beleive in the Catholic teachings, and does that same thing the Catholic does, but does not think they are wrong.

Does God judge merely based on what the person has done? Or does the person’s belief’s / views on the sin come into play?

 

[Kleftiko]

Here is my question.

Say you have two people.

One is Catholic, believes in the Catholic teachings, and does things that he believes is wrong.

The other is not Catholic, does not beleive in the Catholic teachings, and does that same thing the Catholic does, but does not think they are wrong.

Does God judge merely based on what the person has done? Or does the person’s belief’s / views on the sin come into play?

Interesting question. Reasoning from Jesus’ words: “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains,” I think it’s safe to say that Catholics (for the purposes of this arguement) can see better than someone who (again, for the purposes of this argument) is part of a false or non-catholic religion. There is something in James about knowing and being guilty of sin, but the passage is escaping me now. Knowledge is not an idle factor though, in this theology–that much is certain.

 

[tgilbride]

Where did Jesus say this? I have never heard this before, but it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Kleftiko]

Where did Jesus say this? I have never heard this before, but it makes a lot of sense.

John 9:41. It’s a fairly sophisticated concept: you can’t be held culpable for what you don’t know is wrong. I have a theory that this logically extends to non-theists too

 

[ANNE_2]

In order to answer, we would need a hypothetical sin. Most of those past the age of reason understand the Moral and Natural Laws regardless of religious beliefs, and can be held accountable. Even if they do not believe in God, they still have a conscience.
For example, all Americans know it is wrong to steal, kill, rape, etc.

CCC “1796 Conscience is a judgment of reason by which the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act.”

“1801 Conscience can remain in ignorance or make erroneous judgments. Such ignorance and errors are not always free of guilt.”

“1791 This ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man “takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits.”

 

[valentino]

tgilbride: The Catholic is more culpable.However both are guilty of sin.