Ccc 2290

[Ave Maria]

2290 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air.

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2290.htm

My question is mainly about the second sentence in this paragraph. Does this mean that one should never exceed the speed limit while driving? Or does this simply mean that if you endanger your own safety or others' safety by speeding you incur grave guilt (which I am thinking means you incur a grave or mortal sin on yourself)? Sorry, this has confused me for quite some time and I would love to know the answer.

 

[BillH]

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2290.htm

My question is mainly about the second sentence in this paragraph. Does this mean that one should never exceed the speed limit while driving? Or does this simply mean that if you endanger your own safety or others' safety by speeding you incur grave guilt (which I am thinking means you incur a grave or mortal sin on yourself)? Sorry, this has confused me for quite some time and I would love to know the answer.

I think that it's mainly the latter. A careful reading of the text would seem to indicate that it's only a grave matter if your speeding endangers others. My personal opinion is that it's hard for me to believe that God would condemn me to everlasting damnation for doing 32 in a 30 zone.

Btw, a grave sin is not necessarily a mortal sin (though all mortal sins are necessarily grave). Depending on one's knowledge about an action's sinfulness and how much you consented to the action, your sin could be grave, but not mortal.

 

[Ave Maria]

I think that it's mainly the latter. A careful reading of the text would seem to indicate that it's only a grave matter if your speeding endangers others. My personal opinion is that it's hard for me to believe that God would condemn me to everlasting damnation for doing 32 in a 30 zone.

Btw, a grave sin is not necessarily a mortal sin (though all mortal sins are necessarily grave). Depending on one's knowledge about an action's sinfulness and how much you consented to the action, your sin could be grave, but not mortal.

Ah okay. Well, I do generally try to keep my speed within 5 mph of the speed limit so I'm probably pretty safe!

 

[IgnatiusOfAntioch]

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2290.htm

My question is mainly about the second sentence in this paragraph. Does this mean that one should never exceed the speed limit while driving? Or does this simply mean that if you endanger your own safety or others' safety by speeding you incur grave guilt (which I am thinking means you incur a grave or mortal sin on yourself)? Sorry, this has confused me for quite some time and I would love to know the answer.

Hi Holly,

I don't think that we should be overly scrupulous about anything. I think a prudent and thoughtful interpretation will yield the correct understanding.

 

[Ave Maria]

The question of whether or not speeding is a sin has apparently come up recently at Catholic Answers Forums in the Ask an Apologist section. Here is what I found:

Is it a sin to drive faster than the speed limit? I try to obey all traffic laws but there are times -- such as on a freeway -- when driving the speed limit seems to put me "in the way" and it is better to adjust my speed to the majority of the traffic even though it is faster than the posted speed limit. While I'm sure it would not be a mortal sin, would it be venial or anything at all?

Actually, speeding can indeed be grave matter if it endangers the safety of you or anyone else. When done with full knowledge and full and free consent of the will, a grave matter becomes a mortal sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess: the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine. Those incur grave guilt who, by drunkenness or a love of speed, endanger their own and others' safety on the road, at sea, or in the air
(CCC 2290, emphasis in original).

Although matching the speed of everyone else may seem like a solution to the problem of speeding, in fact it can compound the problem. Basically, it works as peer pressure to up the "standard" speed until everyone is exceeding the limit and causing a road hazard. Perhaps a better solution might be to move into one of the "slow lanes" and obey the speed limit.

Any further input?

 

[Called2Grace]

My opinion would be that any speeding that puts others at risk becuase it reduces the drivers ability to control the car would be sinful. There is a reason that speed limits are set. They aren't a suggested speed, and in Australia, they are actually a representation of the MAXIMUM SAFE SPEED, not the minimum.

But that is just my opinion.

 

[Servus Iesu]

According to the scholastics, one is obliged to follow all human laws established by legitimate authority which do not contradict the divine law.

 

[Y_Cathol]

According to the scholastics, one is obliged to follow all human laws established by legitimate authority which do not contradict the divine law.

exactly... and following the speed limit does not contradict it

 

[RedTulipMom]

i better stop reading these threads..my list of sins is starting to grow..

 

[KingZzub]

i better stop reading these threads..my list of sins is starting to grow..

Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Romans 6)

Cheers,
|ZZ|

 

[Vedant]

Have you ever considered practicing certain elements your faith to fall under this?

 

[alkan]

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2290.htm

My question is mainly about the second sentence in this paragraph. Does this mean that one should never exceed the speed limit while driving? Or does this simply mean that if you endanger your own safety or others' safety by speeding you incur grave guilt (which I am thinking means you incur a grave or mortal sin on yourself)? Sorry, this has confused me for quite some time and I would love to know the answer.

IMO- I would interpret this as meaning:

If you break the speed limit but are driving carefully and are sober and are not putting other drivers off by zooming past, you are not comitting a sin.

If you Do an irresponsible act for the love of it's addictive properties (Driving fast) you are sinning. There are deep reasons for this; if you get carried away at the wheel of a car you'll possibly kill yourself/someone else.


I believe this is what it means.

 

[Iluminatius]

I interpret this paragraph as a critic of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or with inclinations to exuberant speed, risking the lifes of others.

But, unless there was no drinking before the ride, I don't think that a small breaking of the speed limit would be a sin.

 

[JacktheCatholic]

My opinion would be that any speeding that puts others at risk becuase it reduces the drivers ability to control the car would be sinful. There is a reason that speed limits are set. They aren't a suggested speed, and in Australia, they are actually a representation of the MAXIMUM SAFE SPEED, not the minimum.

But that is just my opinion.

Interestingly enough I was ticketed for speeding a few years ago and I was going the speed of the traffic around me. I felt it safer to stay close to the speed of the traffic because I have seen problems where one slow car can cause an accident.

In this case the posted speed was 55 and everyone was doing 65 to 80 and I was doing 70. I know, that is bad and goes against the 10 commandments for driving that were published.

What I found out in researching this (to fight my ticket) is that road commisions are to perform a test of the speed zone like every five years and when new roads are built. They do what is called an 85 percentile. This means that trap all the cars speeds as they pass a point in the road and when enough data is gathered they take the 85 percentile and that should be the posted speed. Apparently it is safer for everyone to be doing the same speed roughly.

For my story they never did an 85 percentile. With in a year they did do one and the speed limit went from 55 to 70.

Not sure if this story helps but I found some greater insight into posted speed limits and safety.

Based on this I think any speed that causes an unsafe environment for ourselves and others is a grave matter. This means 20 below or 20 over the speed limit. And as stated already we are told to obey the laws unless they contradict divine laws.

 

[Foundthelight]

It really can be situational. There are sections of highway where going the speed limit can actually create a danger for others because the average speed is 15 mph higher. Use your judgment. Don't use excessive speed. Don't be weaving in and out of traffic. Don't be holding up traffic.

 

[BrRichSFO]

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2290.htm

My question is mainly about the second sentence in this paragraph. Does this mean that one should never exceed the speed limit while driving? Or does this simply mean that if you endanger your own safety or others' safety by speeding you incur grave guilt (which I am thinking means you incur a grave or mortal sin on yourself)? Sorry, this has confused me for quite some time and I would love to know the answer.

That passage is specifically saying that if you "endanger your own safety or others' safety" you commit Mortal sin. It must also be remembered that it is possible to commit venial sin by exceeding the speed limit simply because it is a lawfully established law by a lawful authority, which we are seriously bound to obey. If you don't like the posted speed limit work to have it changed, don't simply ignore it or think it does not apply to you.

 

[AetheriusLamia]

Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more (Romans 6)

Cheers,
|ZZ|

But at the same time, Paul indicts -- for lack of a better word -- the old Jewish way of doing things, with all those laws ... that sin entered through knowledge of the law, that if he had not known the law, he would not have known the sin ... (I suppose it's a bit like a child reading where the Catechism teaches against masturbation, and the child had never before heard of masturbation ...) Is it not the primary reason Protestants dislike Catholicism? They feel we have "all these laws", when "the only law is to accept Jesus into your heart and know that he died and was resurrected for your sins" ...

... but I think their view is a bit like boiling away a pot of soup.