What is lying according to Catholic moral teaching, and why is it sinful?
Lying consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving someone who has the right to know the truth.
The Eighth Commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. Speech is a divine gift given to communicate truth and build trust. By its nature, lying violates this essential purpose and does violence to the bond of human communication.
Lying is always an offense against justice and charity, and its gravity is measured by the nature of the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the liar, and the harm suffered by the victims. When a lie causes grave harm to a neighbour's reputation (calumny or detraction), justice demands restitution and an effort to repair the damage caused.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2482
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2484
- Ephesians 4:25
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.