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Objection 1: It would seem that derision cannot be a mortal sin.
Every mortal sin is contrary to charity. But derision does not seem
contrary to charity, for sometimes it takes place in jest among
friends, wherefore it is known as "making fun." Therefore derision
cannot be a mortal sin.
Objection 2: Further, the greatest derision would appear to be that
which is done as an injury to God. But derision is not always a
mortal sin when it tends to the injury of God: else it would be a
mortal sin to relapse into a venial sin of which one has repented. For
Isidore says (De Sum. Bon. ii, 16) that "he who continues to
do what he has repented of, is a derider and not a penitent." It
would likewise follow that all hypocrisy is a mortal sin, because,
according to Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 15) "the ostrich signifies
the hypocrite, who derides the horse, i.e. the just man, and his
rider, i.e. God." Therefore derision is not a mortal sin.
Objection 3: Further, reviling and backbiting seem to be graver
sins than derision, because it is more to do a thing seriously than in
jest. But not all backbiting or reviling is a mortal sin. Much less
therefore is derision a mortal sin.
On the contrary, It is written (Prov. 3:34): "He derideth
the scorners." But God's derision is eternal punishment for mortal
sin, as appears from the words of Ps. 2:4, "He that dwelleth in
heaven shall laugh at them." Therefore derision is a mortal sin.
I answer that, The object of derision is always some evil or defect.
Now when an evil is great, it is taken, not in jest, but seriously:
consequently if it is taken in jest or turned to ridicule (whence the
terms 'derision' and 'jesting'), this is because it is considered
to be slight. Now an evil may be considered to be slight in two ways:
first, in itself, secondly, in relation to the person. When anyone
makes game or fun of another's evil or defect, because it is a slight
evil in itself, this is a venial sin by reason of its genus. on the
other hand this defect may be considered as a slight evil in relation to
the person, just as we are wont to think little of the defects of
children and imbeciles: and then to make game or fun of a person, is
to scorn him altogether, and to think him so despicable that his
misfortune troubles us not one whit, but is held as an object of
derision. In this way derision is a mortal sin, and more grievous
than reviling, which is also done openly: because the reviler would
seem to take another's evil seriously; whereas the derider does so in
fun, and so would seem the more to despise and dishonor the other man.
Wherefore, in this sense, derision is a grievous sin, and all the
more grievous according as a greater respect is due to the person
derided.
Consequently it is an exceedingly grievous sin to deride God and the
things of God, according to Is. 37:23, "Whom hast thou
reproached, and whom hast thou blasphemed, and against whom hast thou
exalted thy voice?" and he replies: "Against the Holy One of
Israel." In the second place comes derision of one's parents,
wherefore it is written (Prov. 30:17): "The eye that mocketh
at his father, and that despiseth the labor of his mother in bearing
him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles
eat it." Further, the derision of good persons is grievous, because
honor is the reward of virtue, and against this it is written (Job
12:4): "The simplicity of the just man is laughed to scorn."
Such like derision does very much harm: because it turns men away from
good deeds, according to Gregory (Moral. xx, 14), "Who when
they perceive any good points appearing in the acts of others, directly
pluck them up with the hand of a mischievous reviling."
Reply to Objection 1: Jesting implies nothing contrary to charity
in relation to the person with whom one jests, but it may imply
something against charity in relation to the person who is the object of
the jest, on account of contempt, as stated above.
Reply to Objection 2: Neither he that relapses into a sin of which
he has repented, nor a hypocrite, derides God explicitly, but
implicitly, in so far as either's behavior is like a derider's. Nor
is it true that to commit a venial sin is to relapse or dissimulate
altogether, but only dispositively and imperfectly.
Reply to Objection 3: Derision considered in itself is less
grievous than backbiting or reviling, because it does not imply
contempt, but jest. Sometimes however it includes greater contempt
than reviling does, as stated above, and then it is a grave sin.
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