'Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ....Therefore, putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of another." (Ephesians 4: 15, 25).
When communicating with others, we all have certain responsibilities. For example, we all have a responsibility to submit ourselves to truth when communicating. Dr. Germain Grisez explains that, “As creatures, human persons are utterly dependent on God. Their freedom and action presuppose realities whose meaning and value cannot be changed. Therefore, human fulfillment requires knowing and conforming to the truth, and especially to the truth about what is good. But since genuine community is cooperation in seeking common fulfillment, it depends on submission to truth. Consequently, since all parties to communication should be open to genuine community, they should submit themselves to truth. The alternative is pursuing what they want regardless of truth, caring about no common good beyond themselves, and so, while using means of communication, failing to promote genuine community.”
The Eighth Commandment does not say, "You shall not bear false witness unless you have a really good reason." Rather, the Commandment calls on us to be honest because, as God's children, we are called to imitate our Father who can neither deceive nor be deceived (Job 12: 16). The Lord hates lying lips (Proverbs 12: 22); He hates a lying tongue (Proverbs 6: 17); He destroys those who speak falsehood (Psalm 5: 6).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that, "The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundations of the covenant." (2464). And again: "Christ's disciples have "put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."274 By "putting away falsehood," they are to "put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander." (2475)
How serious is a lie when it is made under oath?
"False witness and perjury. When it is made publicly, a statement contrary to the truth takes on a particular gravity. In court it becomes false witness. When it is under oath, it is perjury. Acts such as these contribute to condemnation of the innocent, exoneration of the guilty, or the increased punishment of the accused. They gravely compromise the exercise of justice and the fairness of judicial decisions." (2476).
In 2477 the Catechism explains that: "Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty....of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them."
Calumny is a lie told about someone, accusing him of something of which he is not guilty. It is a sin against charity and justice. It is more or less serious depending on the importance of the object of the slanderous lie and also on the evils caused to the victim. In my last post, see here, I noted how Kaliko Estates, LLC, a landlord company, is seeking to evict my mother because of her legitimate complaints regarding maintenance issues as well as being billed for water and sewer services in violation of Massachusetts law. The Property Manager has falsely accused my mother - under oath no less - of pounding on walls.
As part of his response to her age discrimination complaint, Mr. Pochini asserted (under oath) that former tenants who lived next to my mother moved out because she was pounding on walls. Unfortunately for Mr. Pochini, in another section of his response, he admits - without realizing the contradiction in his testimony - that he received a phone call that these tenants were moving out, that he had no advance knowledge of this fact, and that they were behind in their rent. In other words, they were attempting to flee their unit because they were behind in their rent!
It should be noted that these tenants never called the police to complain about noise nor did they contact this property manager.
Later in his response, he asserts that, "In April of 2013 Kaliko Estates LLC proceeded to lease Unit 10 to a single woman, living alone, and occasionally having her children and grand-children over to visit. The 'Wall Pounding' became worse....Shortly after her move in, I received a call from our new tenant that she could no longer live under this stress and wanted to move out and break her lease.."
Again, this woman has never called the police. In fact, she invited my mother to a party last September! A strange thing for someone to do if they have complained about incessant noise and are so stressed that they want to break their lease! Later last year, at Christmas, the tenant in Unit 10 sent my mother a Christmas card (actually including my name as well) and presented her with a gift (see attached photos).
Those of us who haven't lost our faith and who battle it out in the trenches know full well that all is not well. "Erit enim tempus, cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt, sed ad sua desideria coacervabunt sibi magistros, prurientes auribus. Et a veritate quidem auditum avertent, ad fabulas autem convertentur." (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).
And that time is now. New Age philosophies are spreading throughout the Church. Homosexuality and lesbianism are celebrated. Even in some Catholic parishes. Intoxicated with their own knowledge and learning, those who have succumbed to friendship with the world tell us that we must leave behind the "old complexes" and reject 'backward thinking' so that we may evolve into more "civilized" beings who may then build an earthly paradise. These misguided souls are not interested in knowledge for the sake of truth, but for power and possession.
We live in a society that is turned on its head; A society in which good becomes evil and evil becomes good. Abortion, the killing of innocents, is extolled as a good. Homosexuality, a sin which cries to Heaven for vengeance, is called "gay," merely an "alternative lifestyle." Catholics who stand with the Magisterium are deemed to be harmful to the community while those who dissent from Church teaching are praised and given top posts within the Church.
The words of Isaiah condemn our sin-sick society:
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own sight, and prudent in their own esteem!" (Isaiah 5: 20, 21).
The man who started Kaliko Estates believed that "To whom much is given, much will be required." (Luke 12: 48). See here. I wonder if those who now run the company he started also believe this?
Update: The retaliatory eviction failed. The landlord agreed to waive use and occupancy for the summer. It was revealed during the May 9th hearing that Kaliko Estates had been violating Massachusetts security deposit law for three and a half years.
Kaliko Estates Unit 10
How serious is a lie when it is made under oath?
"False witness and perjury. When it is made publicly, a statement contrary to the truth takes on a particular gravity. In court it becomes false witness. When it is under oath, it is perjury. Acts such as these contribute to condemnation of the innocent, exoneration of the guilty, or the increased punishment of the accused. They gravely compromise the exercise of justice and the fairness of judicial decisions." (2476).
In 2477 the Catechism explains that: "Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty....of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them."
Calumny is a lie told about someone, accusing him of something of which he is not guilty. It is a sin against charity and justice. It is more or less serious depending on the importance of the object of the slanderous lie and also on the evils caused to the victim. In my last post, see here, I noted how Kaliko Estates, LLC, a landlord company, is seeking to evict my mother because of her legitimate complaints regarding maintenance issues as well as being billed for water and sewer services in violation of Massachusetts law. The Property Manager has falsely accused my mother - under oath no less - of pounding on walls.
As part of his response to her age discrimination complaint, Mr. Pochini asserted (under oath) that former tenants who lived next to my mother moved out because she was pounding on walls. Unfortunately for Mr. Pochini, in another section of his response, he admits - without realizing the contradiction in his testimony - that he received a phone call that these tenants were moving out, that he had no advance knowledge of this fact, and that they were behind in their rent. In other words, they were attempting to flee their unit because they were behind in their rent!
It should be noted that these tenants never called the police to complain about noise nor did they contact this property manager.
Later in his response, he asserts that, "In April of 2013 Kaliko Estates LLC proceeded to lease Unit 10 to a single woman, living alone, and occasionally having her children and grand-children over to visit. The 'Wall Pounding' became worse....Shortly after her move in, I received a call from our new tenant that she could no longer live under this stress and wanted to move out and break her lease.."
Again, this woman has never called the police. In fact, she invited my mother to a party last September! A strange thing for someone to do if they have complained about incessant noise and are so stressed that they want to break their lease! Later last year, at Christmas, the tenant in Unit 10 sent my mother a Christmas card (actually including my name as well) and presented her with a gift (see attached photos).
Those of us who haven't lost our faith and who battle it out in the trenches know full well that all is not well. "Erit enim tempus, cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt, sed ad sua desideria coacervabunt sibi magistros, prurientes auribus. Et a veritate quidem auditum avertent, ad fabulas autem convertentur." (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).
And that time is now. New Age philosophies are spreading throughout the Church. Homosexuality and lesbianism are celebrated. Even in some Catholic parishes. Intoxicated with their own knowledge and learning, those who have succumbed to friendship with the world tell us that we must leave behind the "old complexes" and reject 'backward thinking' so that we may evolve into more "civilized" beings who may then build an earthly paradise. These misguided souls are not interested in knowledge for the sake of truth, but for power and possession.
We live in a society that is turned on its head; A society in which good becomes evil and evil becomes good. Abortion, the killing of innocents, is extolled as a good. Homosexuality, a sin which cries to Heaven for vengeance, is called "gay," merely an "alternative lifestyle." Catholics who stand with the Magisterium are deemed to be harmful to the community while those who dissent from Church teaching are praised and given top posts within the Church.
The words of Isaiah condemn our sin-sick society:
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own sight, and prudent in their own esteem!" (Isaiah 5: 20, 21).
The man who started Kaliko Estates believed that "To whom much is given, much will be required." (Luke 12: 48). See here. I wonder if those who now run the company he started also believe this?
Update: The retaliatory eviction failed. The landlord agreed to waive use and occupancy for the summer. It was revealed during the May 9th hearing that Kaliko Estates had been violating Massachusetts security deposit law for three and a half years.
Kaliko Estates Unit 10
