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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Verbal Sins against Charity	Ryan	Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Question: Is it a sin to call a woman a s$%# as part of a string of name calling? The word I am referring to here is the s-word that means "promiscuous woman," which I do not feel like spelling out because it is a disgusting word. My sentiment is that it is because it is a deliberate offense against charity via the name of the person. I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong, that it qualifies for defamation of character. For example, I know it is not a sin to say someone is a promiscuous person if A) it is ostensibly public to the person in conversation, which the "name caller" knows indeed is aware of the information (which makes it not detraction per se) and B) if it is true, and there is a just reason for discussing it in the first place. However, using it in a sense of uncharitable name calling I am confused about. Even if it is a result of an observance of something public, does it qualify as sinful? I would say, and have argued that it often does, but I want to make sure that conviction is not based on exaggeration but on truth able to be backed up by Catholic doctrine. I am aware that name calling is not always sin. Jesus called the Pharisees heavy names like "hypocrite" and "brood of vipers," so if that was sin in and of itself then God sinned, which of course is ridiculous.
Question Answered by Dear Ryan: To accuse anyone of illicit sexual behavior that is not true is a slander under law, if I remember correctly. It does not matter what word is used to commit the slander. As for Christian charity to tell the truth about someone, regardless of the word used, can be the sin of detraction. CCC 2477 states that detraction is committed when, "without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them." Thus, telling the truth about someone for malicious reasons, out of gossip, out of hatred, or any other reason that is not objectively valid (objective means that is a fact not determined by opinion) is sin. When the truth about someone is made the "s" word, in my opinion, is uncharitable because it is slang. Jesus, the Apostles, and the Saints have, in certain situations, have called people all sorts of names, but they did not use slang. Chapter 19-21 of the book, Liberalism is a Sin talks about this. To quote from the book, "The seraphic St. Bonaventure, so full of sweetness, overwhelms his adversary Gerard with such epithets as 'impudent, calumniator, spirit of malice, impious, shameless, ignorant, impostor, malefactor, perfidious, ingrate!'" How the "s" word can be sinful, implies a motivation other than telling the truth (e.g. detraction). But, then again, the epithets of St. Bonaventure, some would say, also implies something other than telling the truth. The world will accuse us of hatred in any case. The "s" word, however, is slang, giving our enemies an opportunity. If you notice the epithet of St. Bonaventure were not slang. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Verbal Sins against Charity

Ryan

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Question:

Is it a sin to call a woman a s$%# as part of a string of name calling? The word I am referring to here is the s-word that means "promiscuous woman," which I do not feel like spelling out because it is a disgusting word.

My sentiment is that it is because it is a deliberate offense against charity via the name of the person. I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong, that it qualifies for defamation of character.

For example, I know it is not a sin to say someone is a promiscuous person if A) it is ostensibly public to the person in conversation, which the "name caller" knows indeed is aware of the information (which makes it not detraction per se) and B) if it is true, and there is a just reason for discussing it in the first place.

However, using it in a sense of uncharitable name calling I am confused about. Even if it is a result of an observance of something public, does it qualify as sinful? I would say, and have argued that it often does, but I want to make sure that conviction is not based on exaggeration but on truth able to be backed up by Catholic doctrine.

I am aware that name calling is not always sin. Jesus called the Pharisees heavy names like "hypocrite" and "brood of vipers," so if that was sin in and of itself then God sinned, which of course is ridiculous.

Question Answered by

Dear Ryan:

To accuse anyone of illicit sexual behavior that is not true is a slander under law, if I remember correctly. It does not matter what word is used to commit the slander.

As for Christian charity to tell the truth about someone, regardless of the word used, can be the sin of detraction. CCC 2477 states that detraction is committed when, "without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them."

Thus, telling the truth about someone for malicious reasons, out of gossip, out of hatred, or any other reason that is not objectively valid (objective means that is a fact not determined by opinion) is sin.

When the truth about someone is made the "s" word, in my opinion, is uncharitable because it is slang. Jesus, the Apostles, and the Saints have, in certain situations, have called people all sorts of names, but they did not use slang. Chapter 19-21 of the book, Liberalism is a Sin talks about this.

To quote from the book, "The seraphic St. Bonaventure, so full of sweetness, overwhelms his adversary Gerard with such epithets as 'impudent, calumniator, spirit of malice, impious, shameless, ignorant, impostor, malefactor, perfidious, ingrate!'"

How the "s" word can be sinful, implies a motivation other than telling the truth (e.g. detraction). But, then again, the epithets of St. Bonaventure, some would say, also implies something other than telling the truth. The world will accuse us of hatred in any case. The "s" word, however, is slang, giving our enemies an opportunity. If you notice the epithet of St. Bonaventure were not slang.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum