8th

COMMANDMENT
“Thou shall not bear false
witness against your neighbor”
I. Meaning
The Eight Commandment forbids misinterpreting
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 the word or

deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness:
they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this
sense; they undermine the foundation of the covenant
(CCC 2464).
WHEN CAN THERE BE A TRUTH?
• There is truth of our thoughts when they correspond to
reality and are not erroneous.

• There is truth of our words when we honestly declare what

we think and are not lying.

• There is truth of our actions that corresponds to our words,

so we are not hypocrites who say one thing and do another
(CFC1218).
“Against Thy Neighbor”
In order that the faithful may have a clear comprehension of this
Commandment , it should be explained as to who is our neighbor against
whom it is unlawful to bear false witness. According to the interpretation of
Christ the lord “Our neighbor is he who needs assistance, whether bound
to us by ties of kindred or not, whether a fellow citizen or a stranger, a
friend or an enemy.” It is wrong to think that one may give false evidence
against an enemy since by the command of God and of our Lord we are
bound to love him.

As every man is bound to love himself, and is thus, in some sense, his
own neighbor , it is unlawful for anyone to bear false witness against
himself and the church which he is a member. Just as in suicide, by his act,
does a wrong to the state.
“Thou shall not bear false witness”
This precept then prohibits deceit, lying and perjury on the part
of witnesses. The same prohibition also extends to plaintiffs,
defendants, promoters, representatives procurators and advocates; in
a word, to all who take any part in lawsuits.

Finally, God prohibits all testimony that may inflict injury or

injustice whether it is a matter of legal evidence or not. In the passage
of Leviticus where the Commandments are repeated, we read: Thou
shall not steal; thou shall not lie; neither shall any man deceive his
neighbor' . To none, therefore can it be a matter of doubt, that this
commandment condemns lies of every sort, as the words of David
explicitly declare: Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie. (19:1ff)
 Values:

We learn two truths:

FIRST is that sins of the tongue are very prevalent which
is confirmed by these words of the Prophet: Every man is
a liar, so that it would almost seem as if this were the only
sin which extends to all mankind.

SECOND the other truth is that the tongue is the source

of innumerable evils.
II. Moral Duties and Prohibitions

• ALL MUST SPEAK TRUTHFULLY AND WITH CHARITY.

• JUDGES MUST PASS SENTENCE ACCORDING TO LAW AND JUSTICE.
• WITNESSES MUST GIVE TESTIMONY TRUTHFULLY.
• LAWYERS AND PLAINTIFFS MUST BE GUIDED BY LOVE OF JUSTICE.
• SHOWING LOYALTY AS CHRIST'S DISCIPLES.
• DUTY TO MAKE REPARATION AND INDEMNIFICATION.
1. LYING
It is an untruth said for deceiving others. This means an intentional
misrepresentation of the truth by word, gesture or even silence.
“Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9).”
No reason, however good, will excuse telling a lie because a lie is
always wrong in itself. It is never allowed, even for a good intention,
to do a thing that is bad in itself. A lie offends against justice,
charity and trust.
 Why do we fall into telling lies?

Lies often begins with self-deception on:

• The way we are

• The way we think to be
• The way we would like to be
Such lying can
seriously harm: • the integrity and reputation
of the person lied about
• those hearing the lie who are
thereby lead into error
• the peace and harmony of the
community
• the genuine good of the
person who lied
Kinds and Motivations of Lying

Common lies:
“white lies” of boasting
“escapist lying” or for saving face
careless lying
simple flattery
Lies of more serious nature

• Lies told from malice to harm others

• Lies of propaganda or for profit
• Lies of hypocrisy or half-truths
• Contrived flattery of others
• Silence
• False witness and perjury
Three kinds of lie

• Jocose lie – is a story made up for the purpose of amusing

or instructing others.
• Officious lie – told to avoid some evil or to gain some
advantage for ourselves of for our neighbor
• Malicious lie - told with the intention of harming others
2. A mental reservation, made in circumstances when
one is bound in conscience not to tell the entire truth,
limits the sense of the speaker’s words to a particular
meaning. To make a complete reservation to the truth is a
lie (CCC 2488-2489).
3. Perjury is to lie while under an oath to be truthful.
Perjury committed in a court of law can cause grave
injustice and injury to innocent person (CCC 2476).
A false witness will not go unpunished (Proverbs
19:9).
4. Rash judgement is believing, without sufficient
reason, something harmful to another’s character (CCC
2477).
5. Detraction is making known, without good reason, the
hidden faults of others. (2477)
6. Slander or calumny is to injure the good name of
another by lying. You shall not utter a false report
(Exodus 23:1)
7. Tale bearing is telling persons what others have said
about them, especially if the things said are evil. It is
wrong because it gives rise to anger, hatred and ill-will
and often causes greater sins.
8. Boasting or bragging offends truth by inflating our
importance or good qualities. Irony also is an offense
when it seeks to take away from the goodness of others
or the worth of their achievements.
9. Flattery and adulation (groveling) can be sinful if they
are used to encourage or praise another’s wrongdoing.
When are we obliged to keep a secret?
“Professional secrets”

“Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence, and he will never

find a congenial friend. (Sirach 27:16)
Is a sacramental
confession a secret?
Why do individuals and society
have a right to information?

• Society needs information in

order to make right decisions.
 Is the right to communication of truth
unconditional?

“ Love your friend and keep faith with him, but if you betray his secrets,
do not run after him (Sirach 27:17)
How should readers, listeners
and viewers use the media?
What role do civil authorities have in
the media?

• To defend and safeguard a true and

just freedom of information.
How are education
and media related?
What is truth in
advertising?
Reference :

Catechism of the Catholic Church – definitive edition