Posted on 02/03/2016 6:37:39 AM PST by Salvation
Many of you know that I write the Question and Answer Column for Our Sunday Visitor on both their newspaper side and in their magazine, The Catholic Answer. Every now and then a question comes in that seems like a good topic for the blog.
The following question comes up frequently whenever I teach moral theology classes and we cover the issue of lying. In a way it is remarkable that the format of the question almost never changes, and that the usual (and I would argue questionable) answer has taken such deep root in Catholic thinking.
Here is the question followed by my answer to it. (Note that the answers I provide in that venue are required to be brief.)
Q. Is every lie intrinsically evil? I remember 60 years ago, when the Jesuits were still faithful teachers of Holy Mother Church, being taught that if a person was not entitled to the truth, one could, in fact, lead them away from the truth, by lying. For example, if I knew the hideout of Anne Frank and the Gestapo asked me if I knew her whereabouts, according to this theory, if I said I did not that would [not] be intrinsically evil. Ed S., Muscatine, IA
A: Permit a personal reply to this, with the understanding that reasonable people may differ with some aspects of my answer.
Unfortunately, the approach that you cite is a widespread notion related to a questionable concept called "mental reservation." I call it "unfortunate" because it seems to say that a lie is not a lie.
But in the common example you cite, you clearly would be lying since it meets the definition of lying: speaking that which is untrue with the intention of deceiving. Indeed, the entire purpose of the lie is to deceive the officials by saying what is untrue.
It will be granted that the situation described is dreadful and fearsome. But I, like many moral theologians, am not prepared to say that it is not a lie simply because the situation is fearful and the authorities are bad people.
Perhaps the better approach is to say that it is a lie and that, as a lie, it is intrinsically wrong. However, when one is under duress or sees no clear way to avoid a consequent grave evil or injustice, one's culpability for such a lie is lessened. It seems rather doubtful that God would make a big deal of the sort of lie you describe on Judgment Day.
But to call any lie good or justifiable is to harm a moral principle unnecessarily. Call it what it is: a lie. It is not good. And it is not permitted to do evil in order that good may come of it.
With this in mind it is better to say that what you describe would constitute a lie, lamentable but understandable. And given the gravity of the situation, there would not likely much if any blame incurred.
Life sometimes presents us with difficulties that are not easily overcome. But to adjust moral principles to accommodate anomalies is to engage in a kind of casuistry that does harm to moral principles. Sometimes the best we can do is to shrug humbly and say, "Well it's wrong to lie, but let's trustingly leave the judgment on this one up to God, who knows our struggles and will surely factor in the fearsome circumstances."
So there's my view, succinctly stated. There was no room in the column to address the questions that might arise based on my answer, but I will do so here:
OK, now it's your turn. But before answering, remember your Catechism:
A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving ... To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error ... The gravity of a lie is measured against the nature of the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims. If a lie in itself only constitutes a venial sin, it becomes mortal when it does grave injury to the virtues of justice and charity (CCC 2482 - 2484).
That said, should people who were hiding Jews during the Holocaust have said, "Why yes, mr. gestapo agent, I do have some Jews in here, right this way..." Of course not.
The difference between lying and not telling the truth is, IMHO, the same difference as the one between murder and self-defense.
Exodus 5:1
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’”
Hmmm.
The commandment is "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor".
The Gestapo would not have accepted silence as a response. A modern-day equivalent in this country won't accept silence either.
What they accept is their decision. What you provide is yours.
Why is it wrong to lie? It is wrong to lie because you are causing harm to your neighbor.
Your silence could be the same as admitting that you’re hiding someone and you would be guilty of sin because of the harm you would have caused.
And their decision is to shoot you between the eyes, right there, tear your house apart, and find the Jewish family you were hiding in your attic, and haul them off to Bergen-Belsen.
Did Jesus ever lie? Did He not just keep His mouth shut?
Doesn't matter. I am not God to make that decision. I am His creation to follow His decision to not allow lying.
How would one then conduct an election?
How would one then conduct an election?
Silence is admitting nothing. How they interpret your silence is on them.
In the “Anne Frank” example, I’d rather trust Jesus to forgive me for lying to protect a person(s) from being killed by a tyrannical State or a criminal.
I also hope and pray that I will be forgiven for the times I’ve told my mother, who is in hospice, that I’m ok and her grandchildren are in good health. She has always been a worrier, and I see it merciful in saving her from other worries.
These are the only two exceptions I have in my rejection of what was called “situational ethics” back in college philosophical discussions in the late 60s.
May you never be faced with such a decision.
I hope not. It would be very difficult. I won’t even say I would behave properly in that situation, given the circumstances. But I know what’s right.
If someone has an ugly wife, you NEVER say so.
I think God is more concerned with the motive than the act. So if one lies — admittedly a sin, as the good Monsignor demonstrates — but with a pure heart, then I suspect the Almighty will consider that when passing His awful judgment.
Sorry--the two are always tied together. Sinning means you believe you know better than God. Doesn't matter what you tell yourself.
WE have choices between good and evil.
Sometimes we must choose between evils, and choose the lesser evil, such as political candidates.
There was a general rule about lying for your own benefit was wrong, but lying (or not telling the truth) to protect others was acceptable.
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