DE MENDACIO
Lying in itself
A moral act takes its species from its object and its end (Q 110, a1) To tell the truth is to make a manifestation by certain signs The object of the manifestation is either true or false The end may be to tell a falsehood or to deceive
Lying and morality
The essence of falsehood is taken from its formality (the end) A man may tell a material falsehood without intending to lie
Division of lies (as lies) (Q 110, a2) Lies
Boasting:
Irony:
Go beyond the truth
Stop short of the truth
Division of lies (as sins) (Q 110, a2) Lies
Mischievous: For malice and injury of another
Jocose: For pleasure
Officious: For usefulness, ie another’s wellbeing or convenience
Division of lies (as regards the end) (Q 110, a2) Lies
Mischievous lies
Against God
Lust of lying
Against man
Profits one, Injures another
Profits no one
Jocose lies
Officious lies
Profits someone in saving money
Saves a man from death
Saves a man from defilement of his body
Lies and sins
“In order for an action to be good it must be right in every respect” (Q 110, a3) A lie is always evil in at least one respect, ie, materially a falsehood is told Hence every lie, for whatever intention, is evil (lacking due good) in this respect
Lies and mortal sins (Q 110, a4) Lies
In themselves
Against God: Mortal sin
Against man: Depends upon the matter
As concerns the end
To injure another: Mortal sin
Accidentally: Mortal sin through scandal
Not to injure another: Venial sin (jocose & officious)
Lying and the Bible “If
any of [the holy men of the Bible’s] statements appear untruthful, we must understand such statements to have been figurative and prophetic” (Q 110, a3, ad3) “We must not judge that someone is lying if several persons fail to describe in the same way and the same words a thing which they remember to have seen or heard” (Ibid, ad 1)
Specific examples
Abraham did not lie; Sara was both his wife and his sister Jacob spoke in a mystical sense when deceiving his father Judith too spoke mystically when deceiving Holofernes