Sins against the Truth
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified
Public Statements against Truth (2475-2476)
Christ's disciples are to "put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander" (1 Pet 2:1).
A public statement contrary to the truth has particular gravity. In court, this is false witness. When made under oath it is perjury. Because these acts can condemn the innocent or exonerate the guilty, they compromise the justice needed in judicial decisions.
Inflicting Unjust Injury (2477-2479)
Respect for the reputation of others forbids every attitude or words which inflict unjust injury. These include:
- Rash judgment - Which assumes as true the moral fault of another without sufficient evidence
- Detraction - Which discloses a person's faults to another without any valid reason
- Calumny (slander) - Which harms another's reputation by saying what is not true
A disciple avoids rash judgment by being careful in interpreting the deeds of another. "Every good Christian must be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to a person's words than to condemn them" (St. Ignatius of Loyola).
Everyone has a right to their good name. Therefore, detraction and calumny (which destroy that reputation) are sins against justice and charity.
Offenses against the Truth (2480-2481)
Every word or attitude (adulation, flattery) which encourages or confirms a person in their evil deeds is forbidden. This adulation is grave if it makes someone an accomplice in a grave matter. Adulation is venial if done to be agreeable or to meet a need. Friendship (or any other reason) never justifies duplicitous speech.
Boasting and bragging offend truth. Irony (aimed to hurt another by maliciously caricaturing them) also offends truth.
The Lie - Direct Offense against Truth (2482-2484)
A lie is a falsehood spoken with the intent to deceive. Jesus denounces lying as the work of the devil. "He is a liar and the father of lies" (Jn 8:44).
Lying (the attempt to lead into error someone who has the right to know the truth) is the most direct offense against the truth. Lies injure man's relation to the truth, to his neighbor, and to the Lord.
The gravity of a lie depends upon the truth which it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions, and the harm suffered by the victims. A lie is usually venial and becomes mortal when it does grave injury.
Effects of Lying (2485-2486)
Lying is condemned because it profanes speech which is meant to communicate truth. The culpability is greater if the lie entails the risk of serious consequences for those who are led astray.
Lying does violence to the other person by affecting his ability to know (a condition for every decision). It sows discord, destroys society, undermines trust, and tears apart social relationships.
Reparation for Lying (2487)
The person who lied must make reparation, even if this can only be done secretly. The victim must be compensated, or (if that is impossible) be given moral satisfaction. The reparation of harm or of a good reputation must be judged according to the extent of the damage inflicted.
Truth - A Correct Response (2488-2489)
The right to be told the truth is not unconditional. The person must judge if it is appropriate to reveal the truth.
Both truth and charity dictate the correct response to someone seeking information. Some reasons (safety, privacy, the common good) allow silence or discreet language. Avoiding scandal demands great discretion. The truth need not be revealed to someone who has no right to know.
Special Cases (2490-2491)
The priest cannot violate the secret of the sacrament of Reconciliation. "The sacramental seal is inviolable. It is a crime for a confessor in any way to betray a penitent by word or any other manner for any reason" (Canon 983).
Professional secrets (known to office holders, doctors, lawyers, etc.) or confidential information given under secrecy must be kept secret unless grave harm to the person, to the confidant, or to a third part can be avoided only by divulging the truth. Private information prejudicial to another (even when not given under secrecy) cannot be divulged without a serious and proportionate reason.
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