EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
206. The eighth commandment is: Do not give false testimony or lie.
207. In the eighth commandment it is commanded to always say the truth and to respect the good reputation of one’s neighbour.
208. In the eighth commandment it is forbidden to testify the false in judgment, to slander the neighbor, all kinds of lies, to murmur and judge evil of the neighbor without foundation and to discover without reason his defects.
The eighth commandment, "Do not bear false witness," forbids unjustly taking away one’s good repute and telling lies.
He commands us to always speak the truth, think and speak well of our neighbor.
The good reputation of one’s neighbor is unjustly taken away by detraction, slander, suspicion or reckless judgment.
This commandment especially forbids testifying false in judgment.
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Defamation or murmuring
Defamation or murmuring is to reveal, without just reason, the hidden faults of the absent neighbor.
To know the gravity of the sin of murmuring, one must pay more attention to the greater or lesser harm that it can cause, rather than to the fault that is murmured.
The malice of murmuring is to make him lose the good repute that he has right to it.
The causes for which it is lawful to say the secret faults of one’s neighbor, even if he loses his esteem, are:
1. Remarkable self-utility to ask for advice, favor or comfort.
2. Usefulness of the offender for instruction and correction.
3. Public utility to prevent the evils that may befall society.
4. Remarkable usefulness of individuals, to free them from certain dangers and inconveniences.
It is advisable to know who are the cheaters, thieves, the enemies of paying debts, and in general all those individuals whose treatment may offer moral or material dangers.
It is not murmuring to learn wisely about the behavior of a person or family, before admitting them as special friends or bringing them into the home.
It is not murmuring to speak of a fault that is public or almost public, especially when it has been published by the newspapers or has mediated sentence of judge.
It is not possible to reveal what was once public, but which at present is not, because time has already made it forgotten, especially if the person concerned made amends.
One cannot discover the secret faults of those who have died.
He who causes to murmur sins against justice.
He that listens willingly to the murmuring without having been cause of it, sinneth against charity.
It is not a sin to enjoy, not the detraction itself, but to hear something new or curious.
The superior sins against charity, if, being able, does not prevent murmuration.
He who is not superior and can easily prevent murmuration, sins slightly if he does not.
He is excused of sin if he does not prevent it for fear that correction will not profit.
Slander is to say a fault of another knowing that he does not have it.
It is never lawful to slander.
“Contumelia” [in Spanish, I found no translation] is the unjust harm done to the honor of one who is present, and he realizes it.
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Reckless judgement
Reckless judgment is when, with firm assent of the mind, a fault is attributed to the neighbor without just reasons.
Suspicion is to be inclined to think wrong, but believing that, perhaps, the neighbor is innocent.
Doubt is to suspend the judgment on the goodness or evil of the neighbor.
The reckless judgment, fully warned, about serious thing, is mortal sin.
There is no sin if, seeing that judgment is recklessness, one tries to discard it.
Reckless suspicions and doubts are only venial sins, usually.
We must always think good of our neighbor as much as possible.
[This last teaching is very good for peace of mind. Santa Teresita, when something bothered her from some nun, she mentally "lent her the good intentions, which surely she must have had"]
Let us judge others as we wish to be judged.
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The secret
Secret is that which, by its nature or by special contract, must be kept hidden.
The secret can be natural, promised and trusted.
In certain cases, it may be lawful and even obligatory to disclose the natural and promised secret.
The secret entrusted to a doctor, lawyer, etc., by reason of his office, cannot be revealed to anyone, nor to the judge who asks it.
He who opens or reads letters of another, without the permission at least tacit or implied of him who has written them or to whom they are addressed, commits grave fault.
It is not serious fault:
1. If they are known or presumed to contain minor items;
2. If it is done with just cause, to avoid a public or private evil, provided that it opens or reads letters of the one who has the right to do so, and does not read more than necessary to achieve that end;
3. If the cards are opened by some lightness or unawareness.
209. He who without reason defames the neighbor by seriously saying of him some false or true crime, but hidden, in addition to confessing his sin, has the serious obligation to restore him the honor or fame that has taken away from him.
He who has transgressed the eighth commandment must, if possible, repair the damage caused.
He who has slandered must retract.
He who has needlessly discovered the faults of his neighbor must excuse him as much as he can and recommend his good qualities.
210. It is never allowed to lie.
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The lie
To lie is to manifest with words or deeds the opposite of what one thinks, with intent to deceive.
Lying can be harmful, informal and humorous.
Harmful is that who causes unjust harm.
Informal (*) is that which is said to be of own or others' utility
[ (*) the word in Spanish is: “oficiosa”, and its synonyms are: helpful, solicitous, kind, accommodating, eager, servile, constrained]
Humorous is the one that is said for fun only.
A harmful lie is a serious or mild sin, according to the harm it causes.
The informal and humorous lies are venial sins.
It is not a humorous lie, and therefore it is not a sin, when those who hear already know that this is said only for fun, without any intention to deceive.
Every lie is sin, because it is contrary to the truth, and therefore contrary to God, who is The Truth.
As children of God we must love the truth.
Jesus said that the devil is the father of lies.
The lie is always a vileness, a cowardice.
Therefore, it is never lawful to lie, not even to avoid death or any other evil of one’s own or the neighbor’s.
Sometimes you can’t clearly say everything you know, and you have to resort to what is called mental restraint.
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Mental restraint
Mental restraint is an act of understanding that gives the word a meaning different from the obvious and natural.
For it to be lawful it is necessary:
1. Not to be purely mental, but that the meaning of the words can be inferred from the adjoining circumstances;
2. That he who asks does not have the right to be told the truth with all clarity;
3. That saying it will produce inconveniences.
In some very serious case it would be lawful even to swear with this mental restriction.
Doing mental restraint in the conditions indicated is not lying, but hiding the truth.
Charity, prudence and duty inherent in the office often require concealment of the truth.
He who borrows money may be answered: I have not; thinking: I have not to lend.
To the one who asks for a matter that does not concern him, and giving him an account would cause some inconvenience, he may be answered: I know nothing; thinking: I know nothing to tell you.
Hypocrisy is pretending virtue or piety in order to deceive.
He who promises something to another, must do everything possible to fulfill what he has promised.