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Objection 1: It would seem that scandal is a mortal sin. For every
sin that is contrary to charity is a mortal sin, as stated above
(Question 24, Article 12; Question 35, Article 3). But
scandal is contrary to charity, as stated above (Articles 2,3).
Therefore scandal is a mortal sin.
Objection 2: Further, no sin, save mortal sin, deserves the
punishment of eternal damnation. But scandal deserves the punishment
of eternal damnation, according to Mt. 18:6: "He that shall
scandalize one of these little ones, that believe in Me, it were
better for him that a mill-stone should be hanged about his neck, and
that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea." For, as Jerome
says on this passage, "it is much better to receive a brief punishment
for a fault, than to await everlasting torments." Therefore scandal
is a mortal sin.
Objection 3: Further, every sin committed against God is a mortal
sin, because mortal sin alone turns man away from God. Now scandal
is a sin against God, for the Apostle says (1 Cor. 8:12):
"When you wound the weak conscience of the brethren, you sin against
Christ." Therefore scandal is always a mortal sin.
On the contrary, It may be a venial sin to lead a person into venial
sin: and yet this would be to give scandal. Therefore scandal may be
a venial sin.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), scandal denotes a
stumbling whereby a person is disposed to a spiritual downfall.
Consequently passive scandal may sometimes be a venial sin, when it
consists in a stumbling and nothing more; for instance, when a person
is disturbed by a movement of venial sin occasioned by another's
inordinate word or deed: while sometimes it is a mortal sin, when the
stumbling results in a downfall, for instance, when a person goes so
far as to commit a mortal sin through another's inordinate word or
deed.
Active scandal, if it be accidental, may sometimes be a venial sin;
for instance, when, through a slight indiscretion, a person either
commits a venial sin, or does something that is not a sin in itself,
but has some appearance of evil. On the other hand, it is sometimes a
mortal sin, either because a person commits a mortal sin, or because
he has such contempt for his neighbor's spiritual welfare that he
declines, for the sake of procuring it, to forego doing what he wishes
to do. But in the case of active direct scandal, as when a person
intends to lead another into sin, if he intends to lead him into mortal
sin, his own sin will be mortal; and in like manner if he intends by
committing a mortal sin himself, to lead another into venial sin;
whereas if he intends, by committing a venial sin, to lead another
into venial sin, there will be a venial sin of scandal.
And this suffices for the Replies to the Objections.
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