What’s your moral I. Q.? [quiz]

Title

Language

English

Source

Questions and answers.

Year

1947

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

What's Your Moral I. Q.? Forbidden Reading 1. May one read all books that are not explicitly forbidden by the Church’s Index of Forbidden Books? 2. What is meant by “books forbidden by the natural law”? 3. Tomas, a high-school student, receives a seven-page letter from his atheistic uncle. It is entirely devoted to attacking the Church with clever and insidious arguments. Does Church law, natural law, or both prohibit Tomas from reading the letter? 4. A certain lascivious novel is a proximate occasion of sin for Maria, seventeen-year old senior. Is it necessarily forbidden to Maria’s older married sister? 5. LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo is expressly forbidden by the Church. Alfredo says it would not cause him the slightest tempta tion to read it? Is he therefore exempt from the prohibition? 6. Pablo, a college student, reads books defending birth control and mercy killing in order that he may “l£arn the opponents’ argu ments.” Is this permissible? 7. Is It forbidden to attend a movie based on a forbidden book? 8. Is it always a mortal sin to read any part of a book prohibited by the Church? Why? 9. Josefina’s literature book contains excerpts from the forbidden hovels of Hugo, Emile Zola, Anatole France, etc. Must Josefina skip these selections? 10. What does it mean to say that a book has an IMPRIMATUR? (Answers on page 36) 34 36 THE CROSS MORAL QUIZ ANSWERS 1. No. Books that are proximate occasions of sin are also forbidden by the natural law. 2. This refers to books not necessarily prohibited by an explicit law of the Church, but nonetheless forbidden because by their very nature they endanger one’s spiritual health. 3. Church law does not deal with such things as letter in treating for forbidden literature, but if the letter would be a proximate danger to Tomas* Faith he would be forbidden by the natural law from reading it. 4. It is forbidden only if it is a proximate occasion of sin for the older sister. 5. No. Books forbidden by positive Church law bind all Catholics'Cven though in an individual case the book would not be dangerous. 6. No. Books against morals are forbidden by positive Church law which is binding on all Catholics. 7. Not necessarily. Only if the movie itself is forbidden by the natural law or some other positive law of the diocese. 8. Not always a mortal sin, but always at least venial. Because ac cording to the nature of the books, one may read a greater or less portion without sinning seriously. 9. No, since the literature books usually contain selections from these authors which are not harmful. 10. It means that the book has the stamp of ecclesiastical approval. The word is latin for “it may be printed.” Adapted from The Queen’s Work DOGMA QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Yes. 2. a—No. b—No. c—Yes. 3. a—No. b—No. c—Yes. 4. a—Yes b—Yes. c—Yes. d—Yes. 5. No. 6. Yes. 7. a—No. b—No. c—No. 8. a—Yes. b—Yes. c—No. 9. Yes. 10. Yes. Adapted from The Queen’s Work

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