Another in this series - so, how did you hear this, answer 1 or answer 2 ?
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
1. If you're not careful around children, God'll probably do worse to you than the mafia would.
2. Rather than suffering the knowledge that one has mislead children, it would be better for them if they hadn't any spiritual life, but rather, remained relegated deep in the sea of man, equipped to grind their meal from seed.
1. ; ;If you're not ;careful around children, God'll probably do worse ;to you than the mafia would.
God is just. If you cause an innocent person (a child) to sin, you are guilty of a worse sin which demands punishment.
2. ; Rather than suffering the knowledge that one has mislead children, it would be better for them if they hadn't any ;spiritual life, but rather, ;remained relegated deep in the sea of man, ;equipped to grind their meal from seed.
By this question, you are implying that it is best to raise a child in atheism rather than in religious error and thereby "mislead them."
I answer that,
For a person to raise a child in error is not a mortal sin for either the person raising the child or the child himself assuming that the person who is raising the child does not know that the faith he is raising that child in is in error. It is not a mortal sin because it does not fulfill the condition of sufficient knowledge of the sinful act for it to be a mortal sin.
Was the question about mortal sin ? I thought it was about how one has understood what is "better" for a particular person - is the wording too odd ? - are you feeling accused of mortal sin or something ?
By this question, you are implying that it is best to raise a child in atheism rather than in religious error and thereby "mislead them."
I didn't think I was, but seeing as you mentioned it, I do believe I'd prefer my children to not be suicide bombers, or kill their sister for having sex or something - or shun them for not believing whacky lying stories.
