To: armydoc
I don't have a problem saying that "sinful" is a subset of "evil". We agree on that then. So, what is the difference between evil (unqualified) and sinfulness? The Church has taught that sinfulness is deliberate disbodience of God, in violation of one's reason and right conscience. If a child is not yet to the age of reason, then the child cannot deliberately offend God or willfully violate its reason or right conscience. What distinguishes sinfulness from evil simpliciter is that sinfulness involves the will of a rational creature knowingly acting against God, reason, or right conscience; evil simpliciter, however, need not involve the will of a rational creature.
-A8
482 posted on
12/14/2006 4:30:16 PM PST by
adiaireton8
("There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse." - Plato, Phaedo 89d)
To: adiaireton8
The Church has taught that sinfulness is deliberate disbodience of God, in violation of one's reason and right conscience.
Well, there's the problem. My definition of sin does not take into account one's own perception of the activity. It's God's perception that counts. Using the Church's definition, any act that did not "violate ones reason and right conscience" could not be sinful. Do you really believe that? I have no doubt that many radical Muslim suicide bombers absolutely believe in their cause; that they actually believe that they are doing God's will. They are not "violating their reason and right conscience". Are their actions sinful? Of course they are. Murder is intrinsically sinful, regardless of one's "reason and conscience". To say otherwise is pure relativism. Do you believe that a sincere Muslim suicide bomber is a mere "evil simpliciter"?
503 posted on
12/14/2006 6:18:43 PM PST by
armydoc
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