Archbishop urges honesty among Argentina’s leaders

Last updated on: June 28, 2012 at 6:08 pm by CNA Daily News

Archbishop urges honesty among Argentina’s leaders 2012-06-28T18:08:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jun 28, 2012 / 12:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Archbishop Hector Aguer of La Plata, Argentina warned that society is gravely harmed when those in positions of authority engage in lying.

“St. Thomas Aquinas taught that people could not live together without mutual trust and without living in the truth,” Archbishop Aguer said in his program Keys to a Better World.

“In other words, lying, when done on a massive scale and when done by somebody in a position of great responsibility, causes harm to our life together and is disastrous for all of society,” he explained.

“I think of cases involving people, for example, priests, politicians, especially those in government, journalists or manages or owners of media outlets, who have more responsibility towards those around them, because they cause great harm,” the archbishop said.

Truth is a value that should not be betrayed, and according to Christian morality, lying “is evil by its very nature.”

“Jesus says the devil is a liar and the father of lies,” he said.

Archbishop Aguer also argued that there are no such things as white lies. While lying is not always a mortal sin, he noted, white lies do not exist because whenever we lie “we are skirting the need to convey the truth.”

“It is true that a lie does not always have the same degree of gravity and sinfulness,” he continued.

“Some lies are grave and others are less serious, it depends on the nature of the truth that is in question, the truth that is being betrayed by lies, and it also depends on the harm that comes from telling a lie,” the archbishop explained.

“We are always responsible for the lies we tell and we have the obligation to repair the harm our lies cause. Why do I bring this up? Because I think that in Argentinean society there is a strong tendency to bend the truth,” he said.

Archbishop Aguer said such a tendency would be difficult to reverse if it becomes a cultural habit. “I think we need to begin by upholding the truth and telling the truth in our everyday relationships.

We don’t have to lie just because we think it is a white lie, because when we do that we are tricking the person with whom we are talking. It is in those small things every day that we strengthen the beautiful Christian virtue of truthfulness,” he said.

Americas

Previous Post

June 28, 2012

Supreme Court upholds health care law, individual mandate

Next Post

June 28, 2012 Court ruling allows religious freedom lawsuits to proceed with hope

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Jabez" mean in Hebrew?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Lord Saves Sorrow Strength Victory