tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post5958850887527886591..comments2024-03-05T14:07:28.062-08:00Comments on Ask Sister Mary Martha: High Definition SinSister Mary Marthahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00580244097177195453noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-60994600720636440842007-09-07T17:36:00.000-07:002007-09-07T17:36:00.000-07:00Is Sr Mary Martha really a nun? I'm not so sure.Is Sr Mary Martha really a nun? I'm not so sure.Sr. Marianne Lorraine Trouvehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17195314713288191226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-41087480930201959062007-09-07T13:58:00.000-07:002007-09-07T13:58:00.000-07:00Sr. Mary Martha does not reveal her order/ affilia...Sr. Mary Martha does not reveal her order/ affiliation, or very much else about herself, which I consider most prudent.Arkanabar Ilarsadinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00098504849466846551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-63045587957310157272007-08-31T16:41:00.000-07:002007-08-31T16:41:00.000-07:00Well, prayers are certainly always welcome.Well, prayers are certainly always welcome.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-28036422595816372032007-08-31T15:45:00.000-07:002007-08-31T15:45:00.000-07:00Sumeko-I meant no disrespect, I was just asking qu...Sumeko-<BR/>I meant no disrespect, I was just asking questions. I seriously am wondering what order she is in, how is that inflammatory and rude? I am sorry I offended you, it was not intended. This is a open comment line, which gives me the right to ask her questions. <BR/><BR/>I believe St Anselm was writing about our belief in God, not in what a nun writes online. I will pray for you, since you are so quick to judge. <BR/><BR/>Sister Mary Martha, I hope you were not hurt, you seem to be "tough" enough to take it. I guess my faith is that of a little child, which I am glad of, my questions are innocent. These are questions that go through my head when I am reading your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-35022026149613876752007-08-29T09:59:00.000-07:002007-08-29T09:59:00.000-07:00Jamie -"What kind of nun are you?"A wee bit inflam...Jamie -<BR/><BR/>"What kind of nun are you?"<BR/><BR/>A wee bit inflammatory and rather rude, don't you think?<BR/><BR/>"Why do you question online, place doubt so to speak?"<BR/><BR/>Hold the phone here. Questioning and seeking to understand are not the same as doubting. Sister said that she hasn't "wrapped my brain around why St. Augustine thought lying is the worst sin." She never said that she disagreed. <BR/><BR/>There is nothing wrong with questioning the reasons why the Church says the things she does, so long as the questions are in the spirit of seeking to understand doctrine (as opposed to [trying to] refute doctrine). By questioning and raising objections we can come to a deeper understanding of our Faith. This does not mean that we don't believe what the Church teaches, only that we desire to understand the teachings better. <BR/><BR/>As St. Anselm wrote: "I do not seek to understand so that I may believe, but believe that I may understand. For this I know to be true: that unless I first believe I shall not understand."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-64702683112213248352007-08-29T06:16:00.000-07:002007-08-29T06:16:00.000-07:00What kind of nun are you? I don't even know what ...What kind of nun are you? I don't even know what half of those things are that the woman spoke of, yet you seem to be SO up on media things...where's the peace in your life? Do you do Adoration with our Lord? <BR/><BR/>Don't get me wrong, I think you are funny, yet, these questions pop up. ARe you just trying to be funny? Like is it ok to lie to save another person, risk your soul to save another? Why do you question online, place doubt so to speak? I just think you might be confusing some....Do you pray to the Holy Spirit before you write? So many questions, is the picture of you, really you, or are you a new age nun who has no habit just pretending to be one who does?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-65400624324810439142007-08-27T18:49:00.000-07:002007-08-27T18:49:00.000-07:00I agree, if there is any question of the couple's ...I agree, if there is any question of the couple's safety, then you must call the police and report the matter.PraiseDivineMercyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15000747762174079070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-69957341457750468792007-08-27T18:22:00.000-07:002007-08-27T18:22:00.000-07:00Andrew, if this really happened this way, then it'...Andrew, if this really happened this way, then it's not so much an interesting discussion as an emergency. I think you have a duty in kindness to Sue and Rex to call the police RIGHT NOW and tell them everything in your post, plus save the phone message for them. It's terribly inconvenient for you, but this scary person has dragged you into a state of knowledge that, if shared, could save someone from harm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-810833468829695132007-08-27T17:34:00.000-07:002007-08-27T17:34:00.000-07:00I would rather err on the side of caution - call y...I would rather err on the side of caution - call your phone company and report the number and the conversation . . . let them take it from there. IF you have the ability to allow them to hear the messages the caller left, I would make that handy to them as well. <BR/><BR/>Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-54579784871154235742007-08-27T16:36:00.000-07:002007-08-27T16:36:00.000-07:00Sister, I have a question completely unrelated to ...Sister, I have a question completely unrelated to the discussion. Last night I was playing cards with a friend and I began getting phone calls from someone mistaking me for a kid who owed his brother money. I asked him if he was just trying to mess with me, but he didn’t answer. He seemed more interested in the money he thought I owed him.<BR/><BR/>The number was from no one I knew. I hung up, but he called back… and called back some more.<BR/><BR/>He seemed like a meth head, a real speed freak, and after a while I put my phone on silent. Which only made him leave messages. About ten of them. I saved a few of the nastier ones. He said he was going to kill my mom and dad if I didn’t give him the money. He also said he was right outside their place and was about to go in and off my mom if I didn’t call him back in the next five minutes (I checked his number out and it was a landline, so he must live next door to whomever he thought my parents were or assumed I was too dumb to realize he wasn’t on a cell phone. B is probably the most likely scenario).<BR/><BR/>Eventually, I decided to actually take one of his calls and explain to him one last time that I wasn’t who he thought I was. So I did, and I think he ultimately got it, because he did stop calling me back.<BR/><BR/>But here’s the rub. I now know who he is (or at least who’s phone he was using), and I still have a few o those messages. Do I let it go and assume everything worked itself out, or do I report it to the police?<BR/><BR/>Thank you for your legal council. (I just thought this might be a fun one to discuss. Maybe everyone can pray for Rex(?) and Sue, the oldsters he thought were my parents, though I didn’t see their names in this morning’s paper).Andrew Cruzehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15600496754671215895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-89282578786270350132007-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:002007-08-27T14:56:00.000-07:00Only two months till Halloween Sister, I know you ...Only two months till Halloween Sister, I know you have posted on Halloween before but...when does harmless fantasy fun become dabbling in the occult? I participate in a 'haunted house' for fundraising every year. Let me tell you we scare ourselves. Is there a line we shouldn't cross?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-9064920132563014922007-08-25T19:54:00.000-07:002007-08-25T19:54:00.000-07:00To anonymous:Is that not similiar to the concept o...To anonymous:<BR/>Is that not similiar to the concept of "sinning by omission? For example, a boy was imprisoned not long ago because he watched a woman get raped. He did not participate in the crime, but by being present and failing to mention the wrong to police he was considered equally responsble.<BR/>Saint Augustine is one of my favorite saints, and I take his arguments very seriously, but I must disagree with him on this point. Lying is usually a sin, but lying to the devil is probably not. If the magisterium authorizes lethal force in the protection of another human being from harm, then it follws that a more peaceful alternative such as lying is allowable under certain circumtances.PraiseDivineMercyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15000747762174079070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-74233269797480653962007-08-25T17:09:00.000-07:002007-08-25T17:09:00.000-07:00I once heard a priest say that it is lying to some...I once heard a priest say that it is lying to someone if that person 'has a right to know'.<BR/><BR/>Sounded good to me although it doesn't answer all the questions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-76006319863985454552007-08-24T16:59:00.000-07:002007-08-24T16:59:00.000-07:00christy, those are my thoughts exactly when I cons...christy, those are my thoughts exactly when I consider how the war even began.<BR/><BR/>But here is the problem. I fear that many many people were being perfectly honest when they put those stars on people's clothing and so forth.Sister Mary Marthahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00580244097177195453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-34408181534825471202007-08-24T11:34:00.000-07:002007-08-24T11:34:00.000-07:00Perhaps if one waits until the Franks are hiding t...Perhaps if one waits until the Franks are hiding the the attic to attack the question of dishonesty, then one has waited too long. Don't you think much lesser lies contributed to those horrible events? Enough people pretended that ghettos weren't really oppressive, that marked clothing wasn't really so very awful, and so forth. I think those little acts of dishonesty create situations where dishonesty seems the only choice.Christyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05225042488117913679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-57955523682301072992007-08-24T10:59:00.000-07:002007-08-24T10:59:00.000-07:00The devil "is a liar, and the father of it." I dun...The devil "is a liar, and the father of it." <BR/><BR/>I dunno about lying being the worst or most fundamental sin - I have been used to thinking of pride as being the most basic component of sin. But perhaps we have to lie to ourselves on some level before having the prideful gall to place our will before God's. <BR/><BR/>This much I know, however: God is Truth, and anything we say in opposition to Truth is in opposition to God. Every lie we tell, no matter how well intentioned, or how noble and just the desired effect, separates us to some degree from God's essence. This statement applies to both the very palest white lie, or the very blackest lie. <BR/><BR/>I also believe that it is through the practice of virtues and vices that we develop habits (either for good or for ill). Once a particular action (ie. lying) has gained the aspect of a habit, we cease to consider [as] carefully before performing this action again (once you've done something once, it's easier to do it again). Our judgment can gradually become so impaired that our very ability to recognize what is true is damaged, so used have we become to lies and lying. (This might explain why theologians would consider lying as the worst of the sins).<BR/><BR/>That being said, while we cannot tell lies under any circumstances, we are not obligated to give information to those that have no right to it, or those who would take the truth in order to do some evil. Under certain circumstances, I believe that the Church admits of the use of "mental reservation" (you can look it up on newadvent.org)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-84177577539759152632007-08-24T10:46:00.000-07:002007-08-24T10:46:00.000-07:00There are a couple of issues mixed up in these two...There are a couple of issues mixed up in these two meta-examples.<BR/><BR/>1. Does this dress make me look fat?<BR/><BR/>A truthful answer is not required to be rude and unkind.<BR/><BR/>"It makes you look like a hippopotamus," or even "Yes," may be a truthful answer, but is neither kind nor polite. Anyway, the person who asked you already knows how many pound she weighs. What she really wants to know is whether the dress looks good on her. That is certainly possible to answer truthfully and kindly.<BR/><BR/>"That dress doesn't really become you."<BR/><BR/>"I like that green dress of yours better."<BR/><BR/>As for the Anne Frank example, I seem to recall reading in some of my many Catholic books that while lying is inherently sinful, the eighth commandment does not require us to indiscriminately furnish any and all information we possess to whoever asks. <BR/><BR/>That certainly covers nosy people who question you about private details which are none of their business.<BR/><BR/>It also covers those Nazi stormtroopers who keep showing up in this kind of discussion. Besides, and this goes all the way to my second grade First Communion CCD class (taught by nuns!), we are not required to obey unjust laws or the demands of even lawful authorities when they require us to do wrong. <BR/><BR/>Not to mention that it is sinful to help someone sin. So those Nazis are just out of luck -- we don't have to tell them anything.Catholic Bibliophagisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10697706672495544901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-21617812945537881812007-08-24T10:45:00.000-07:002007-08-24T10:45:00.000-07:00Wow! So is it okay for her to keep the TV?It make...Wow! So is it okay for her to keep the TV?<BR/>It makes me think of the line, "There's so such thing as a free lunch". <BR/>BJKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-33094791635622964802007-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:002007-08-24T08:56:00.000-07:00i haven't read st. augustine in almost 20 years, s...i haven't read st. augustine in almost 20 years, so i don't recall his exact argument. i would speculate to say something similar to what you said sister, that lying makes all sin possible. it's the medium, that which most other sins exist upon. so he must make the argument that because it is somehow "necessary"for sin (the very act of sin being an attempt at the deception of god) therefore, it is the "mother" (generator?) of all sins, hence his calling it the worst of all sin. also, i would argue that deceiving someone might be seen as even worse than killing them. deception does harm to the soul, that of the deceiver and the deceived, because it's inherently the exact opposite of the truth/good/beautiful/pure. in the example of the dress, it's probably better to think up a kind truthful response, then lie. if they really look hideous, are you doing them any favors by saying they don't? that brings me to the third point, if you are hiding the truth, or from the truth, then the ultimate result is going to be a bad one. the woman in the ugly dress, who you said looked fine, may go get on a bus and sit next to the man who she was supposed to marry, he may see her in the ugly dress and never look at her again. if you had been kind enough to say, hey, another dress might work alot better for you...her life might have turned out totally differently-my only point is, the truth can be much more important than we might realize, even given a stupid, silly example.<BR/>the difficulty with the frank family example, is not setting the precedent for "the ends justifying the means". this is a dangerous road to go down. however, in the case of war, it does seem that the rules do change a bit. a soldier is not considered a murderer as long as the war is a just war. so, if you are hiding good people from a despot hunting them down to kill them, then i would say the war rules apply and you would be justified in lying. it's really a fascinating question sister, i don't begin to do it justice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-20990036593289830332007-08-24T08:47:00.000-07:002007-08-24T08:47:00.000-07:00There's a difference between having a duty not to ...There's a difference between having a duty not to lie and having a duty to inform. We have no duty to tell people everything we know. But we do have a duty not to lie to them. We may have a duty not to tell --and my daughter's Dutch godmother has a great-aunt whose fingers were cut off one by one because she refused to tell where her relatives were hiding. She was right not to tell. And notice that she did not lie.<BR/><BR/>Certainly we have no duty to discuss private matters with strangers. But refusing to tell is different from lying.<BR/><BR/>Any of the commandments may require heroic virtue to obey it. Most of us do not have heroic virtue handy & cannot imagine summoning it. But I think this is supposed to be the part where we can "do all things through Christ who strengthens us."<BR/><BR/>I think anyone heroic enough to have 6 children is heroic enough for anything. I'm not --I'm not and I don't pretend to be able to avoid all sins. And deception isn't necessarily the worst one; murder nd adultery and the other Big Ten are evil, too. But it's a sin; Augustine was right. EVen if we "would never dare to blame" Rahab or the Egyptian midwives.<BR/><BR/>Fortunately our sins are forgiven. We do our best, we fail, we repent. That's life. Why do we need to say it's not a sin to lie? God loves us liars and we love each other. We should try to be truthful to the best of our ability. When we mess up, we mess up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-10204168540148505472007-08-24T05:34:00.000-07:002007-08-24T05:34:00.000-07:00Isn't there something in the CCC about this? I th...Isn't there something in the CCC about this? I think it says that not everyone deserves all the information you know. A possible answer to the Frank situation would be, ""There's no one here but my family!" Because we are all children of God. If you are ever hiding Jews in your attic (or the equivalent situation) it would be worth thinking through an answer since you know you will be asked the question. It still seems like a very minor fault if what comes out of your mouth under pressure is, "No, they're not here!"<BR/><BR/>My mom (my cheif source for answering moral theology questions) also went with the not everyone should know everything line. Hence the dress question should NOT be answered "Wow, you look like a circus tent!". I like my husband's answer, "It doesn't make you look as good as you usually do."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-28538236984036070352007-08-24T01:41:00.000-07:002007-08-24T01:41:00.000-07:00oops, that should say "worst" not "worse"oops, that should say "worst" not "worse"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-47557459568396528972007-08-24T01:40:00.000-07:002007-08-24T01:40:00.000-07:00I have also often thought that "lying", or maybe m...I have also often thought that "lying", or maybe more accurately, "lack of integrity" is probably the worse of sins. <BR/><BR/>It is a major character flaw when a person lacks integrity. It means he can lie and cheat on little things as easily as in big things. That can affect relationships, marriages, businesses and the whole of society. If a person gets into the habit of lying, even just a little, it can become an inherent character trait which may be impossible to get rid of. (Hence the warnings against telling little lies, because even in this way we are giving a "toe into our soul" to the Father of Lies himself.)<BR/><BR/>This is a vice which has a way of growing and spreading and infecting the entire society, too. Take, for instance, the businesses, politicians and governments, the world over, who operate deceitfully on a daily basis. They bring aggravation to countless millions every day, and in the case of big governments, they may bring extreme misery, burdens -- and even death -- to individuals or even entire populations to serve their own deceitful purposes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-18346478844002819422007-08-23T22:14:00.000-07:002007-08-23T22:14:00.000-07:00I agree with Michelle on this point. We may be req...I agree with Michelle on this point. We may be require to "render unto caesar" but disobeying unjust laws falls under giving "to God what is God's."<BR/>Martin Luther King might be in purgatory (after all he didn't get to make a confession) but it's not for breaking those stupid segregation laws during the civil rights movement. When law opposes the gospel, I would say we are duty bound to subvert it. <BR/>It troubles me would choose the avoiding possible venial sin over saving the life of another person. I also question whether Augustine was speaking of protecting another person or in simply protecting individual virtue. Natually, a saint would choose personal bodily harm over sinning. <BR/>Also, think of how many early Christians lied to their neighbors when asked why they were out of the house every Sunday.PraiseDivineMercyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15000747762174079070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30512717.post-43125772799207797642007-08-23T21:40:00.001-07:002007-08-23T21:40:00.001-07:00My grandmother told me it was OK to lie if people ...My grandmother told me it was OK to lie if people ask you nosey questions. My personal answer to the question "were your 6 children planned? Are you having any more?" is "I don't discuss my reproductive plans with strangers". I offended the checker at the grocery store with this response recently. I was amused that she was offended that I wouldn't answer a personal question. <BR/><BR/>On the more serious matter of lying about the Franks in the attic; THe problem I have with the clever response is that I'm not very clever. It's much easier to lie than to think up some clever evasion that doesn't violate the truth, especially under extremely tense conditions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com