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The act of speaking disrespectfully, especially the act of speaking [[contempt]]uously, of someone or something can also be a [[Malice|malicious]] discrediting of what is worthy of respect and honor or detracting from someone's character, accomplishments, etc., by revealing hidden faults, especially by [[slander]], sometimes involving the spreading of [[falsehood]]s believed to be true.

The act of speaking disrespectfully, especially the act of speaking [[contempt]]uously, of someone or something can also be a [[Malice|malicious]] discrediting of what is worthy of respect and honor or detracting from someone's character, accomplishments, etc., by revealing hidden faults, especially by [[slander]], sometimes involving the spreading of [[falsehood]]s believed to be true.

What is called in Christian moral theology the [[Sin]] of Detraction, is a special case. In Roman Catholic theology, detraction is the sin of revealing another person's real faults to a third person without a valid reason, thereby lessening the reputation of that person. As the definition indicates, in order to be guilty of detraction, you have to say something that you either know to be true or a [[falsehood]] you believe to be true. Detraction is therefore defined as the unjust damaging of another's good name by the revelation of some fault or crime of which that other is really guilty or at any rate is seriously believed to be guilty by the defamer. A disordered and misguided sense of justice can motivate the unnecessary disclosure of [[fact]]s that ruin the public [[reputation]] and established [[authority]] and [[influence]] of persons who have sincerely dedicated themselves to doing good, and are seeking to inspire others to do good.

What is called in Christian moral theology the [[Sin]] of Detraction, is a special case. In Roman Catholic theology, detraction is the sin of revealing another person's real faults to a third person without a valid reason, thereby lessening the reputation of that person. As the definition indicates, in order to be guilty of detraction, you have to say something that you either know to be true or a [[falsehood]] you believe to be true. Detraction is therefore defined as the unjust damaging of another's good name by the revelation of some fault or crime of which that other is really guilty or at any rate is seriously believed to be guilty by the defamer (a [[falsehood]] as distinct from a [[lie]]). A disordered and misguided sense of justice can motivate the unnecessary disclosure of [[fact]]s that ruin the public [[reputation]] and established [[authority]] and [[influence]] of persons who have sincerely dedicated themselves to doing good, and are seeking to inspire others to do good.

Detraction differs from the sin of [[calumny]] and the civil wrong of [[defamation]], both of which generally involve false accusations rather than unflattering truths.

Detraction differs from the sin of [[calumny]] and the civil wrong of [[defamation]], both of which generally involve false accusations rather than unflattering truths.