523. What is forbidden by the eighth commandment? (part 4 continuation)

523. What is forbidden by the eighth commandment? (part 4 continuation)     

(Comp 523 repetition) The eighth commandment forbids: * false witness, perjury, and lying, the gravity of which is measured by the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims; * rash judgment, slander, defamation and calumny which diminish or destroy the good reputation and honor to which every person has a right; * flattery, adulation, or complaisance, especially if directed to serious sins or toward the achievement of illicit advantages. A sin committed against truth demands reparation if it has caused harm to others.

“In brief”

(CCC 2507) Respect for the reputation and honor of persons forbids all detraction and calumny in word or attitude. (CCC 2508) Lying consists in saying what is false with the intention of deceiving one’s neighbor.      

To deepen and explain

(CCC 2485) By its very nature, lying is to be condemned. It is a profanation of speech, whereas the purpose of speech is to communicate known truth to others. The deliberate intention of leading a neighbor into error by saying things contrary to the truth constitutes a failure in justice and charity. The culpability is greater when the intention of deceiving entails the risk of deadly consequences for those who are led astray. (CCC 2486) Since it violates the virtue of truthfulness, a lie does real violence to another. It affects his ability to know, which is a condition of every judgment and decision. It contains the seed of discord and all consequent evils. Lying is destructive of society; it undermines trust among men and tears apart the fabric of social relationships.    

Reflection

(CCC 2487) Every offense committed against justice and truth entails the duty of reparation, even if its author has been forgiven. When it is impossible publicly to make reparation for a wrong, it must be made secretly. If someone who has suffered harm cannot be directly compensated, he must be given moral satisfaction in the name of charity. This duty of reparation also concerns offenses against another's reputation. This reparation, moral and sometimes material, must be evaluated in terms of the extent of the damage inflicted. It obliges in conscience. [END]  

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