addictive sins

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if someone is addict to something that are mortally sinful (eg drugs, alcohol) but doesn’t know they’re mortal sins, as CCC states he isn’t in a state of mortal sin, then why should we let him know that abusing drugs is a mortal sin? doesn’t it just send him to hell since it’s difficult to stop?
 
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abcdefg:
if someone is addict to something that are mortally sinful (eg drugs, alcohol) but doesn’t know they’re mortal sins, as CCC states he isn’t in a state of mortal sin, then why should we let him know that abusing drugs is a mortal sin? doesn’t it just send him to hell since it’s difficult to stop?
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The principal of hiding Gods truth to protect one from God doesn’t seem ok to me. Christs love would seem to dictate helping a drug addict to get help in any way possible and the best source of help is Gods truth.

-D
 
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abcdefg:
if someone is addict to something that are mortally sinful (eg drugs, alcohol) but doesn’t know they’re mortal sins, as CCC states he isn’t in a state of mortal sin, then why should we let him know that abusing drugs is a mortal sin? doesn’t it just send him to hell since it’s difficult to stop?
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Because then YOU would be held accountable by God.
 
I have no trouble spreading church’s teachings but if asked why, I can’t say “I don’t know” can I?😃
 
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abcdefg:
if someone is addict to something that are mortally sinful (eg drugs, alcohol) but doesn’t know they’re mortal sins, as CCC states he isn’t in a state of mortal sin, then why should we let him know that abusing drugs is a mortal sin? doesn’t it just send him to hell since it’s difficult to stop?
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Because Christ is the remedy for the addiction. He can be liberated and set upon the right path for which he was designed by God.
 
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abcdefg:
I have no trouble spreading church’s teachings but if asked why, I can’t say “I don’t know” can I?😃
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Uh uh 😃 Sorry (provided, of course you DO know). The Bible makes it clear that if you don’t correct a sinner, he will die, but God will demand an accounting of you. The Catechism also teaches that we are culpable if we remain silent when we have the moral obligation and opportunity to speak out against sin.
 
“If I say to the wicked, `You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his** blood I will require at your hand. Again, if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood **I will require at your hand.”
-Ezekiel 3:18-20

If you know that someone’s sin is mortal and allow him to die in it without warning him, he still dies in his sin and you are responsible for his sin in addition to that. . .scary.
 
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abcdefg:
if someone is addict to something that are mortally sinful (eg drugs, alcohol) but doesn’t know they’re mortal sins, as CCC states he isn’t in a state of mortal sin, then why should we let him know that abusing drugs is a mortal sin? doesn’t it just send him to hell since it’s difficult to stop?
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Even after you tell this person that the sin is of grave matter it is still not a mortal sin.

For a sin to be a mortal sin three conditions must be met.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
1857 For a *sin *to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”
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So in the case of this person who is addicted only the first two conditions would be met, that is that the sin is of grave matter and it is committed with full knowledge. The addiction means that the sin is not committed with deliberate consent as the additction does not allow this by definition.

Hope that clears that up.
 
David, this will really help me since my friends and I have been having this very same discussion on culpability. (sp?) I read this same CCC article, but am still left with some nagging questions that spring from present circumstances. Maybe some of you can help.

How do you define what is and isn’t addiction? Does it only apply to physical addictions or any sinful act not neccessarily physical (since any sin can really be addictive)? Then once the person is aware of the gravity when does an addiction become deliberate consent? Would an “oh well, I’m addicted so there’s not really anything I can do about it” attitude be considered deliberate consent? If one knows their addiction is grave and does nothing in the way of correcting that (confession, counseling, prayer. . .) and allows it to go on does the culpability increase? People beat addictions everyday through the grace of God. I know because I have. . .and I would consider myself fully culpable for that even while in addiction to it because I knew full well what I was doing, had I made no attempt at repentance.

Any thoughts?
 
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joandarc:
David, this will really help me since my friends and I have been having this very same discussion on culpability. (sp?) I read this same CCC article, but am still left with some nagging questions that spring from present circumstances. Maybe some of you can help.

How do you define what is and isn’t addiction? Does it only apply to physical addictions or any sinful act not neccessarily physical (since any sin can really be addictive)? Then once the person is aware of the gravity when does an addiction become deliberate consent? Would an “oh well, I’m addicted so there’s not really anything I can do about it” attitude be considered deliberate consent? If one knows their addiction is grave and does nothing in the way of correcting that (confession, counseling, prayer. . .) and allows it to go on does the culpability increase? People beat addictions everyday through the grace of God. I know because I have. . .and I would consider myself fully culpable for that even while in addiction to it because I knew full well what I was doing, had I made no attempt at repentance.

Any thoughts?
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This is something I can not really answer. This would have to be dealt with between the individual and their confessor/spiritual director.

But in the case of a “oh well, I’m addicted so there’s not really anything I can do about it” attitude, I would say that they then become culpable as they are not making any attempt to quit the addiction.

Many people do beat addiction, but many relapse and many have a hard time quiting. When you are trying to quit but relapse due to physiological/psychological reasons I think you are not culpable, but to have the attitude above does not mean that you are free to sin.
 
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ByzCath:
Even after you tell this person that the sin is of grave matter it is still not a mortal sin.

For a sin to be a mortal sin three conditions must be met.

So in the case of this person who is addicted only the first two conditions would be met, that is that the sin is of grave matter and it is committed with full knowledge. The addiction means that the sin is not committed with deliberate consent as the additction does not allow this by definition.

Hope that clears that up.
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Yah, but still the obligation to inform him remains, so that he may break the habit. The moral obligation to correct him still stands, lest we be held accountable.
 
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abcdefg:
if someone is addict to something that are mortally sinful (eg drugs, alcohol) but doesn’t know they’re mortal sins, as CCC states he isn’t in a state of mortal sin, then why should we let him know that abusing drugs is a mortal sin? doesn’t it just send him to hell since it’s difficult to stop?
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I sometimes think I am addicted to Impure actions alone.??
 
One of the spiritual works of mercy requires that we admonish the sinner. To admonish is not to judge that the person is necessarily in a state of mortal sin, but only that the observed actions or omissions are objectively sinful.
Addiction diminishes culpability but in my opinion only a regular confessor would be able to evaluate this. Addiction is not an excuse for doing nothing to fight the sin. If a serious sin is confessed with repentance and an intention to strive not commit that sin again it does not invalidate that forgiveness if one knows he will sin again due to weakness at a later time. If at the time of confesssion one would intend or plan to commit that sin again things become very iffy.
 
CCC 1860 “Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offence. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man”

CCC 1863 " Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disorded affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment."

CCC 1860-1864 seems to me gives a good answer, maybe Romans 1 too. Even if the addiction is not a grave sin, it has probably lead them to do other acts which are. Knowing that they shouldn’t do them, but do anyway. But really I don’t think it really matters to the addict if the sin is mortal or not, in their heart, if they show it or not, they probably know something is not quite right. Mortal or not, they are consumed by the sin which the fruits of that can often be depression and anger. They lack the gifts that can be given if they stray from the the sins.

In the case of the prodigal son, would you say that the younger son should have stayed in the place where the pigs ate better than him. If he didn’t get the idea to get back home, should have we not told him, becuase it’d be better than him not being able to get home and feel bad about it. No we should help him home, he will be much better off there where he can be love and is able to love. And his father misses him too. I’d think the father would be so thankful, he’d be happy to invite you to the coming home feast too, if your around to partake.
 
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