386 RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF PERSONS

YOUCAT Lesson 386, June 3, 2015

YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth

386  Why does the Fifth Commandment protect the physical and spiritual integrity of a human being as well?

The right to life and human dignity form a unity; they are inseparably connected to each other.  It is possible to put a person to death spiritually also.  [2284-2287, 2326]

Severe overcrowding of refugees. .....138 ..... 386

The commandment “You shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13) applies to both physical and spiritual integrity.  Every seduction and incitement to evil, every use of force is a serious sin, especially when it occurs in a relationship of dependency.  The sin is especially evil when the dependence of children on adults is involved.  This means not only sexual abuse, but also spiritual seduction by parents, priest, teachers, or educators who lead their charges astray from values, and so on.

 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would  be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”  Matthew 18:6

 “If you love yourself, then you love all men as yourself.  As long as you love one single person less than you love yourself, you have not truly begun to love yourself.”  Meister Eckhart (ca. 1260-1328)

 “God loves us far more than we love ourselves.”  St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

 [2284-2287, 2326]

II. RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF PERSONS

Respect for the souls of others: scandal

2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor's tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. -- Catechism of the Catholic Church, Edition Second

2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized. It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6; compare 1 Corinthians 8:10-13. )⁸⁶ Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others. Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep's clothing. (Compare Matthew 7:15.)⁸⁷ –CCC

2286 Scandal can be provoked by laws or institutions, by fashion or opinion. –CCC

Therefore, they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals and the corruption of religious practice, or to "social conditions that, intentionally or not, make Christian conduct and obedience to the Commandments difficult and practically impossible." (Pius XII, Discourse, June 1, 1941.)⁸⁸ This is also true of business leaders who make rules encouraging fraud, teachers who provoke their children to anger, (Compare Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21.)⁸⁹ or manipulators of public opinion who turn it away from moral values. –CCC

 2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!" (Luke 17:1.)⁹⁰ –CCC

 IN BRIEF

 2326 Scandal is a grave offense when by deed or omission it deliberately leads others to sin gravely. –CCC