Msg Base:  AREA 3  - ASK FATHER (AMDG)
  Msg No: 125.  Tue 10-20-92 19:40  (NO KILL)
    From: Father Mateo
      To: David Allen
 Subject: culpability

DA|Hello, Father Mateo,
 
DA|I understand that for  a sin to occur,  three
  |criteria must be present:
  |    1. A person must know it's a sin,
  |    2. A person wills to do the sin,
  |    3. A person does the sin.
 
DA|I have a few questions  regarding  the disre-
  |garding of sin.
 
DA|A person was raised Christian, and was taught
  |that a  certain behavior  was a sin.  Then he
  |decides that it's not a sin,   and engages in
  |the behavior,  or encourages others to engage
  |in the behavior.  What is his culpability?
 
DA|As an example,  I know someone who was raised
  |Catholic,  and was taught  by the Church that
  |living with a woman outside of marriage  is a
  |sin.   When he was older,  he decided that it
  |isn't a sin, and has been living with a woman
  |without marrying her.  He thinks that because
  |he has determined  a sin is no longer  a sin,
  |that therefore he has no culpability.
 
DA|Is the sin in having received and believed in
  |the Truth,  and later  in having rejected it?
  |Perhaps he had begun to read  anthropological
  |and modern psychological, scientific studies,
  |which purported to prove  that a wide variety
  |of personal and social evils were really just
  |plain natural, and uncontrolable to the part-
  |icipants.  These modern  secular  studies had
  |a view of innocence of the individual,  which
  |contradicted  the  Church's  teaching  of the
  |culpability of the individual's sin.   Had he
  |really made an "informed conscience" by plac-
  |ing  as  much  or greater  import to  secular
  |psychological  studies,  as to  the import of
  |divine revelation?
 
DA|As an aside,  what  is  the  culpability of a
  |person who encourages others to sin?  What is
  |the culpability of a person who tolerates and
  |accepts evil?  Does  the  toleration  of evil
  |deeds make one just as guilty  as the doer of
  |evil?
 
DA|Thank you, Father.
 
Dear David,
 
The three conditions that must be present for a sin to be committed
are these: 1) matter, 2) sufficient reflection, and 3) consent of
the will.  "Matter" refers to the sinful act, thought, or omission.
For a serious or mortal sin, the matter must be serious.  "Sufficient
reflection" means that the person recognizes the sinfulness of the
act, thought, or omission before and during the act, etc.  "Consent of
the will" can be diminished by many factors.  For a mortal sin, full
consent is necessary.
 
In discussing culpability, we must remember that Our Lord forbids us
to judge others, i.e. to pass sentence on another person's interior
dispositions.  Only God can do that.  Moral theology can only describe
sinful acts, etc., from the outside, or as we say, "objectively".
Nevertheless, there is an objective moral law, based upon human
nature and God's revelation, as proclaimed in Scripture and Divine
Tradition by the teaching authority of Christ's Church.  Those who
have received the gift of divine faith are obliged to form
their consciences according to the objective moral law.  In this
matter, "different strokes for different folks" or "make up your own
mind" does not lead to eternal salvation.  Everybody in Hell, from
Satan on down, made up his own mind.
 
It is possible that someone's early religious instruction may have
been so defective that later he may reject Christ whom he never came
to know, and in doing so not be guilty of grave sin.  But if a person
is suitably instructed and receives from God the gift of faith, yet
afterwards falls away, he is guilty of serious sin.
 
A person who has even a sneaking suspicion that his lifestyle is
sinful is under grave obligation to investigate the matter; and, if
his suspicion is confirmed by his investigation, he is bound to change
his lifestyle.  Otherwise, he lives in bad faith and commits sin.
 
Of course, we must never encourage others to sin by word or example.
This is the sin of seduction and scandal.  Our Lord said that it would
be better to be drowned in the sea with a millstone around the neck than
to cause others to sin (Matt. 18:6-7).
 
Toleration of evil is allowed if one can do nothing to prevent the
evil.  If I can correct my brother, I must do so (Matt. 18:15-17).
Otherwise, I share in his sin (1 Tim. 5:22).
 
God has called us to community in His family, the Church of Christ.
We are responsible for one another.  We are our brothers' keepers.  Our
first obligation to others is to pray for them.  We should intervene
by word or action only after sincere prayer to the Holy Spirit for
His light and guidance.
 
                                        Sincerely in Christ,
 
 
                                                Father Mateo