PART VIII
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
THE Eighth Commandment of the Decalogue is, " Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." [1] Primarily it forbids the giving of false evidence, especially in a court of justice, against one's neighbour, by which his reputation is unjustly injured. But because the same effect is produced by rash judgements, calumny, tale-bearing, backbiting, contumely, lying, and the betrayal of secrets, all these sins are also forbidden by this commandment. Inasmuch as it is virtually positive, it prescribes the telling of the truth.
CHAPTER I
ON RASH JUDGEMENTS
I. A JUDGEMENT is a firm assent of the mind to a proposition without fear of mistake, and if such an assent is given without sufficient grounds it is a rash judgement. The term, however, is used here only of judgements without sufficient reasons against the character of others, as that such a one is wicked, untrustworthy, a drunkard, and so on.
2. Such rash judgements, when they are formed deliberately with the consciousness that there is not sufficient ground for them, are sinful, and if the matter be serious they are gravely sinful. The reason is because all have a right to our good esteem unless they have forfeited it by their bad conduct; in judging others rashly we arrogate to ourselves an authority which we do not possess, and we use it unjustly against the character of our neighbour. [2] We thus violate justice, which in serious matters binds under grave sin.
3. Rash judgements, however, to which depraved human nature is so prone, are not usually grave sins in those who are striving to lead good lives. . Rash and evil doubts, or suspicions, or opinions about others are frequent, but these, although wrong, are not as a rule gravely sinful, for they do not inflict serious harm on our neighbour's reputation.
