CCC 1735

[dspen2005]

Imputability and responsiblity for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological and social factors.


What social factors dimish imputability and responsibility for acting against Moral Law?

[Cam42]

[quote name='dspen2005' date='Aug 27 2005, 06:05 PM']Imputability and responsiblity for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological and social factors.
What social factors dimish imputability and responsibility for acting against Moral Law?
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[/quote]

Some very easy examples are how the Chinese Catholics had and still have to live. They lived and live underground and cannot overtly act Catholic. If they do, they may lose their lives. That is one example. Another would be a Catholic living in Communist Russia or some such.

Remember, Gaudium et Spes no. 16 says:

[quote]In the depths of his conscience, man detects a law which he does not impose upon himself, but which holds him to obedience. Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience when necessary speaks to his heart: do this, shun that. For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the very dignity of man; according to it he will be judged. Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths. In a wonderful manner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbor. In fidelity to conscience, Christians are joined with the rest of men in the search for truth, and for the genuine solution to the numerous problems which arise in the life of individuals from social relationships. Hence the more right conscience holds sway, the more persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and strive to be guided by the objective norms of morality. Conscience frequently errs from invincible ignorance without losing its dignity. The same cannot be said for a man who cares but little for truth and goodness, or for a conscience which by degrees grows practically sightless as a result of habitual sin.[/quote]