SINS AGAINST THE SEVENTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS
Lesson 23 from La Moral Católica – Editorial Luis Vives, 1954.
(A home-made translation, my comments into [ ])
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269. What the Seventh Commandment forbids.- The Seventh Commandment forbids external acts contrary to justice and the right to property, such as theft, robbery, fraud, usury, unjust retention, unjust cooperation, and any other voluntary action that causes harm to others in their property, such as: maliciously not paying owed debts and wages, or receiving these without having earned them; violating contracts and commitments, etc.
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All these sins are called sins of injustice or injury.
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[Injury meaning: Harmful deeds or words without reason or justice.]
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270. What the Tenth commandment forbids.- With this Commandment God forbids internal acts contrary to the right of property, that is, willful and unjust thoughts and desires to have other’s property, that is, covetousness and avarice.
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God decrees this to us so that we may be inwardly righteous and to always keep away from unrighteous actions.
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This does not prevent us from desiring to acquire the goods of others by lawful means, as would be, for example, to earn money to buy a farm.
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271. Injustice and its kinds.- Injustice, in general, is the violation of another's right. It may be:
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1º Formal or informal, depending on whether it is voluntary or involuntary.
2º Positive or negative, depending on whether an action contrary to the right of property is committed, or an obligation is omitted.
3º Personal or real, depending on whether it is directly against the person, or against any of his material assets.
4º Serious or slight, depending on the amount of the damage that was caused.
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272. Theft and its types: Theft consists of taking, in a hidden or unjust manner, that which belongs to another's person against the reasonable will of the owner.
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[The reasonable will is explained, for example, if someone has a fruit tree in a fenced but easily accessible place, and does not mind that some children, from time to time, enter and take some fruits. Those children would not be going against the reasonable will of the owner. But if he complains at least once, they can no longer take those fruits. Or if a bakery employee sometimes takes a loaf of bread to eat, he would be going against the reasonable will of the owner if he eats too much bread or keeps it to take home without permission.].
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It is called robbery if it is carried out concealed; robbery with violence, when it is executed quickly, with violence, as it happens in a robbery or assault (to the unlawfulness of theft it adds a personal injury, and, therefore, it contains a double sin). Sacrilege is the theft of a sacred thing, or perpetrated in a sacred place; and embezzlement, when it is taken from the public, national, provincial or municipal treasury. There are also domestic and family thefts, committed within the home by the children of the family or by servants.
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Thieves, of whatever category they may be, can be compared to horseflies, which live at the expense of oxen and horses, to which they cause serious inconvenience by pricking their skin to extract the blood on which they feed and live. Thus do those who, with their thefts, robberies, and other injustices, seem to have no other patrimony than that of living criminally at the expense of the desires and profits of others.
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273. Gravity of theft and other robberies.- The gravity of theft in all its forms depends on three things:
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1st. On the quantity, esteem and value of the stolen, swindled or defrauded material. A fixed and determined amount cannot be established, especially in these times when the value of currency fluctuates so much. The gravity of the theft is in direct proportion to the appreciation of the stolen thing by the person from whom it is stolen. It will be a grave sin to steal a very dear family memory, a rare specimen from a collector, etc., because of the considerable sadness caused to the person who is robbed.
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2ª On the condition of the person from whom it is stolen or damaged, and on his economic state, that is to say, it depends on the harm caused to the person who was robbed. Thus, it would be a grave sin to steal a few cents from a poor person in great need; to rob a craftsman of the only instrument he has for his work, even if it is of little value.
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3ª On other circumstances of place, time, manner, intention, etc. It is not the same thing to steal money in a store as in a church, neither to do it concealed than by using violence, etc. He who, with the spirit and intention of stealing large sums of money, goes about stealing and committing small thefts so that those will not be noticed as much as possible, sins mortally from the first moment of his intention.
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In children’s domestic thefts, one must take into account their age, the economic position of the family, the manner of appreciation of those actions by the parents [if a child says "my parents do not mind if I take money from their pockets", it means that that child is not being well educated at home], the value of the objects, etc. For there to be grave sin in those thefts, a greater quantity or value is required than in common thefts; but let it not be said that there is no sin in them, because "he who steals from his father or his mother, and says that he is not evil, is a worthy companion of the bandit" (Proverbs, XXVIII, 24).
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The thefts of servants are measured by the general rule of theft and they add the aggravation of infidelity, unless it is only food or drink, for one's own immediate use and in not excessive quantities.
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In all these cases it is necessary to differentiate:
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1º. The absolutely grave matter, which, because of its importance, always constitutes mortal sin, even if the person from whom it is stolen is rich;
2º. The relatively grave matter, which depends on the degree of wealth of the person who is the victim of the theft. As such, an example would be: the necessary amount for the daily sustenance of the person robbed and his family, whether he is a worker, a modest employee, a middle-class man, or a rich man.
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In three main cases a larger amount is required: when the thief is a close relative [it is obvious that the last title and the two points were added by a not-true-Catholic… we must love our neighbor (that means to make the good and not to harm, unless in case of defense of our life), a close relative is a very close neighbor and sometimes those relatives may be included in the category of parents, and to rob small measures of sth. IT IS TO ROB. And the 10th. Commandment tells us NOT TO COVET. So, those exceptions according to quantity are out of place. An individual can only steal from another person who has surplus of things only if that individual is starving to death. But the first thing that person must do is to pray to God and then beg the neighbor. The example given to us by God is Lazarus’. And I’m talking about material things external to the body, because if not, it is a grave sin against the 5th Commandment (to keep the health of soul and body, our own and others’)]; when the stolen object has several owners, and in the case of many repeated small thefts. [If it is theft, it is robbery. “Not to steal” means not to steal. A true Catholic had written in this chapter that, he that makes several small thefts sins since the first thought of it.]
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Theft can be compared to poison: it is deadly in itself; taken in small doses it may not cause death, but this does not diminish its malice; it always remains poison. Small theft does not kill the soul, but in the long run it leads to death and to the abyss of crime. [Of course, because he who seeks God sincerely, obeying Him all the time, with effort, and places himself with faith in His Hands and trusts in His Providence, will necessarily see the Hand of God helping him in everything, even in great things. That person gets ahead and does not need to rob, on the contrary, he manages to help other poorer families. But he who excuses himself saying those are small thefts, he never looks for God].
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EXAMPLES.
1. In 1893, in Berlin, the thief and murderer Khum died on the scaffold. On the eve of his execution his mother went to see him, and tearfully wanted to embrace him, but he refused her, saying: "You, mother, are to blame for everything. If the first time I brought you stolen eggs, instead of laughing, as if it were a joke, you had punished me, I would not now be on the scaffold".
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2. The thief Judas Iscariot began with little thing and ended up selling his Divine Master and hanging himself. Another thief who, at the end of the 18th century, died on a scaffold in the north of France, he began stealing a little pin. Before dying, repentant of his misdeeds, he made a public confession of them. [Church says that, if someone is going to die, and there is no a priest nearby, he can confess his sins to Jesus Christ and He forgives him. But the one that said this, he was a priest and also added that he was once in a hospital about to die, and the last thing that came to his mind was to make that confession. May be his conscience was well, but the fact is that little venial sins lead us astray from the Way, and if we are used to live without thinking in God, most probably we end not thinking in God.]
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274. Cases in which there is no sin of theft.-
There are cases in which the concept of theft is not verified, because, in them, the reasonable will of the owner is not opposed to such thefts. They are mainly two: extreme necessity and hidden compensation.
1. He who is in extreme necessity, that is to say, in certain or very probable danger of losing his life or a good that is far superior to material goods, has the right to take from the goods of others what is necessary and sufficient to get out of that necessity, because in extreme cases all goods are common. In such necessities the owner cannot in justice prevent the needy from exercising his right, and in charity he must help him. If, after the danger has passed, the thing he took is not consumed, he must return it to the owner.
EXAMPLES.
1. A traveler assaulted by a bandit who asks for his wallet or his life, with grave danger to his life, he can give the money he has, even if it is not his own, to avoid death. Or if a horse is at hand, he can take it to save himself.
When David and his companions were beset by famine and in great distress, he did not hesitate to enter the Tabernacle; he took the loaves [he ASKED for some to the Priest and the GAVE them to him. As I know, the Tabernacle in King David’s time it was the fence that limited a yard where the Tent of Yahweh was, only the priests could enter in that Tent] and distributed them among his own, even though it was not lawful for him or the soldiers to eat them, but only for the priests.
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2° Concealed [hidden] compensation is the act by which a creditor compensates himself secretly taking things from the goods of a debtor who does not pay him. For this to be just and licit, it is required that the debt be of strict justice, that it be at least morally certain, that there be no other way to collect the debt without grave inconvenience, and that harm to the debtor or to another person be avoided. Before acting, it is very prudent to take the advice of a confessor, to avoid the danger of obfuscation (confusion of ideas).
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3º Nor is there guilt when it is known that the owner of what is taken will not take it wrong and readily consents to it, especially in the case of an acquaintance or needy person who takes some fruit or vegetables for domestic use one day when he has a shortage. [When HE HAS a shortage, not if there is a general shortage].
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275. Unjust withholding.-
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There is a strict obligation to return to its owner -when he is known- what is unjustly withheld, because things cry out for their owner (No. 264, 3ª), and only the owner has the right to possess what is his. However, if someone is a possessor in good faith and there were prescription, he could keep it.
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The owner has the right to possession before having to bring a lawsuit against someone, if he was deprived of the thing with violence. It is, therefore, an act of strict justice that the usurper returns it to its original possessor.
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They sin against this general principle of justice:
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1º Those who do not return to their owner what has been stolen, or hide what has been stolen by others.
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2. Masters and employers who do not pay their employees and workers the corresponding salaries or defer payment to the detriment of the latter.
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3º Those who, being able to do so, do not pay debts or delay payment without reason.
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4º Those who, knowingly, settle accounts in their favor. [It seems that he is speaking of those who cheat when settling accounts.]
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5º The fraudsters and embezzlers of public funds who do not pay.
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6º The heirs who do not pay the debts of the will.
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7º Those who do not return what they had received in deposit or in custody.
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276. Unjust damages: This is another way of violating the rights of others. It consists of voluntarily and unjustly causing harm to others in their material goods, without benefit to the wrongdoer. [The so common and miserable envy].
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For the harm to be unjust, there must be no motive for causing it; a motive would be, for example, legitimate self-defense, as happens in a just war with the destruction and harm it causes.
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It is also necessary that there be an effective cause and not only an occasion for the harm, and that the action be voluntary, otherwise there would be juridical guilt, but not theological guilt; there would be guilt before human law, but not before God.
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[This should be reviewed, because if they are slaves who cannot flee, they are excused (e.g. the catholic slaves in muslim ships who had to row, participating in their piracy), or very tender children who cannot oppose their parents, tutors, etc. but everybody should look at the goal of "rather die than sin", and look for a way out of the situation that forces him to harm his neighbor. In the spiritual growth we have to follow the luminous footsteps of the saints, and always look upwards, as when climbing a mountain, and never look towards ourselves as to put ourselves as a measure of things, we must have hope and make the daily effort to live in the Light, maintain what we have spiritually conquered, and continue improving, even if our steps are small.
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We must not rob God of the love above all things and the obedience we owe Him, neither seek laws that justify us in lukewarmness, because He will not justify us, remember:
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Rev. 3:16 "So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am about-to spew you out of My mouth"
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Revelation 21, 7-8 "He that shall overcome shall possess these things in inheritance, and I will be God to him, and he shall be son to Me. But as for the cowards, and unfaithful, and abominable*, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, they shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
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* dogs, i.e. homosexuals.
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Neither should we “steal” from God the souls of children in our care, we must give them the good Catholic Doctrine, that is, according to the Holy Tradition, and good example. Our Lady said that sins of OMISSION and sins of the FLESH are the ones that condemn most people to Hell.]
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Those who voluntarily spoil or destroy the material goods of their neighbor, such as a harvest, a house, or who, by evil means, prevent their neighbor from acquiring some good to which he has a right, such as a job or a reward, are guilty of unjust harm.
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277. Unjust cooperation.- Theft, and in general, any injustice to the property of others, may be committed by a single person or by several in combination. All those who contribute to harming their neighbor in any way whatsoever, sinfully cooperate in those injustices and, therefore, they are each guilty according to the degree of their participation.
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Positive cooperators are, for example, those who incite to steal, or advise, praise, aid and abet those delinquents; those who, knowingly, buy stolen goods, those who cover up for, protect, etc., those wrongdoers. Negative cooperators are those who, being able and even owing to, do not prevent the unjust harm, or do not denounce the perpetrators.
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278. Restitution and reparation.- Commutative justice demands that each one be given his own and, therefore, that any unjust harm caused to others in their property by theft, unjust retention or injury be repaired: by restoring what was stolen or what is unjustly held, and by compensating for the harm and damage caused.
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This obligation is of natural law and of positive divine law, since God commands it in the Sacred Scripture (Ex. XXII, 5). Reason itself dictates it, since the violation of the rights of others is repugnant to it.
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To be justified, therefore, it is not enough to confess the sin. With confession, one satisfies God, if there is true sorrow and sincere repentance; but for the sin to be forgiven, one must also satisfy one's neighbor, for which one must make reparation for the injustice committed.
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Absolution cannot be validly received unless there is at least an intention to make restitution. Restitution, or condemnation.
This obligation is grave or slight, depending on whether the matter stolen or the damage caused was grave or slight.
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279. Circumstances of restitution.- The main ones are: How much is to be restituted, to whom, in what order, how, where, and when.
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1º Commutative justice demands that it must be restored as much as was stolen or damaged. If not everything can be restored, make restitution as much as possible.
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2° It must be restored to the one from whom it was stolen or damaged, unless he is not the true owner, in which case it must be returned to its owner and, if he is dead, to his heirs, and, if he has no heirs, it must be distributed to the poor or given to a charitable work.
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3º The order to be kept in restitution and reparation is considered in relation to the cooperators for theft and damage, and to the creditors for compensation. The cooperators are obliged to repair the damage jointly, that is, not only the part that corresponds to each one, but also the part that the others cannot or do not want to compensate.
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4º Reparation and restitution must be made in such a way that the violated justice is entirely repaired; the debtor can do it by himself or by another with a work, or by simulating a gift or present.
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5º Restitution must be made where it is convenient to the creditor and, if there are shipping costs, they are to be paid by the offender.
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6º Restitution must be made as soon as possible, provided there is no serious reason to delay it. When there is unjust delay, the debtor must satisfy the damages caused by the delay. In general, he who waits without reason until death to make restitution, sins gravely.
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He who cannot make restitution in any way, he must at least pray for the injured party.
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280. Particular cases of restitution.- He who unjustly causes spiritual injury to another is obliged to make reparation in the same field of the injury he caused. Thus, he who teaches a practical error has the duty to retract it.
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He who injures another unjustly must pay the expenses of cure and loss of wages.
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The murderous criminal must give food to the needy survivors, if the deceased did not pardon or condone this obligation before dying.
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281. Causes that exempt from restitution.- The obligation to make restitution is totally exempted in the following cases:
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1) Free and spontaneous forgiveness by the injured party;
2) Hidden compensation made by the creditor;
3) Prescription, if it meets the conditions required by civil law;
4) Composition or remission of the debt made by the authority, by means of the Bull of Composition;
5) The judicial sentence, when the courts are called upon to clarify doubts about the existence or amount of the debt; [the restitution is made obeying that sentence, if that sentence was right]
6) The consumption of the thing being in real need, and without probable hope of being able to return it.
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Temporary exemption:
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1º The physical impossibility, when there is nothing with which to return;
2º The moral impossibility, for real and not apparent causes; for example, if the debtor had to lose his reputation, or to decay of his social position acquired honestly. But there remains the obligation to do all that is possible and to pay little by little.
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[It's better to lose the reputation than to have to pay for the remaining compensation in the Purgatory, if that person reaches it, where things are paid 10 times more painfully].
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EXAMPLES
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1. On July 31, 1830, a man was dying in Toulouse, in great distress, for having acquired his fortune by illicit means, he had to return it, and he feared for his wife and children. She knew, and, being a good christian, she said to him: "Look, dear husband, save your soul, and do not worry for us: God will provide." He returned 200,000 francs and died with the serene peace of repentance.
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2. St. Alphonsus of Liguori tells us the case of a man who was burned in the arm and was in a trance of death. He called his confessor; the latter reminded him of his obligation to return what he had unjustly acquired, "And what will become of my children?" the dying man asked, “they will have to beg for alms!” Seeing that he could not convince him, the priest used a stratagem. -There is a way," he said, "for you to recover your health and keep your life. On those wounds of the arm, which lack flesh, it is enough to drop the fat of human limbs, melted over a flame; in this way you will certainly be healed". They tell this to his children, but alas, none of them is willing to suffer a burn for their father. –“Have you seen?" the priest asks. To keep you alive, none of your sons wants to put his arm to the fire. And you, so as not to deprive them of the inheritance, do you want to go to burn eternally in Hell? –“Father, you have opened my eyes", said the dying man. And he confessed immediately and paid back what he owed.
[I’ve updated a comment in the previous lesson, regarding scientists that do not recognize human souls even having the scientific evidence of Eucharistic Miracles]