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Objection 1: It would seem that it is unlawful to curse an
irrational creature. Cursing would seem to be lawful chiefly in its
relation to punishment. Now irrational creatures are not competent
subjects either of guilt or of punishment. Therefore it is unlawful to
curse them.
Objection 2: Further, in an irrational creature there is nothing
but the nature which God made. But it is unlawful to curse this even
in the devil, as stated above (Article 1). Therefore it is nowise
lawful to curse an irrational creature.
Objection 3: Further, irrational creatures are either stable, as
bodies, or transient, as the seasons. Now, according to Gregory
(Moral. iv, 2), "it is useless to curse what does not exist,
and wicked to curse what exists." Therefore it is nowise lawful to
curse an irrational creature.
On the contrary, our Lord cursed the fig tree, as related in Mt.
21:19; and Job cursed his day, according to Job 3:1.
I answer that, Benediction and malediction, properly speaking,
regard things to which good or evil may happen, viz. rational
creatures: while good and evil are said to happen to irrational
creatures in relation to the rational creature for whose sake they are.
Now they are related to the rational creature in several ways. First
by way of ministration, in so far as irrational creatures minister to
the needs of man. In this sense the Lord said to man (Gn.
3:17): "Cursed is the earth in thy work," so that its
barrenness would be a punishment to man. Thus also David cursed the
mountains of Gelboe, according to Gregory's expounding (Moral.
iv, 3). Again the irrational creature is related to the rational
creature by way of signification: and thus our Lord cursed the fig
tree in signification of Judea. Thirdly, the irrational creature is
related to rational creatures as something containing them, namely by
way of time or place: and thus Job cursed the day of his birth, on
account of the original sin which he contracted in birth, and on
account of the consequent penalties. In this sense also we may
understand David to have cursed the mountains of Gelboe, as we read
in 2 Kgs. 1:21, namely on account of the people slaughtered
there.
But to curse irrational beings, considered as creatures of God, is a
sin of blasphemy; while to curse them considered in themselves is idle
and vain and consequently unlawful.
From this the Replies to the objections may easily be gathered.
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