A lie offends against justice, charity and trust. A jocose lie is a story made up for the purpose of amusing or instructing others. It becomes sinful if the person telling it does not make it clear that it must not be taken literally. 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 certain meaning. To make a complete reservation to the truth is a lie.
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 persons. Rash judgment is believing, without sufficient reason, something harmful to another s character. Slander or calumny is to injure the good name of another by lying. 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.