Am I in sin?

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billcu1

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Well I guess I mean mortal sin. I want to take the host tomorrow but…I have intentionally looked at nudity but tried to stay away from porn and sexual acts. If that popped up on the screen I immediately looked away before looking at. Whew… To my knowledge pornography and masturbation are grave matter. Not looking at a nude. Or is it?

Bill
 
As far as I know, looking at someone that is nude is similar to pornography … isn’t it?
 
Right. Was it something in the area of ART? Or was it meant to arouse?
That’s the difference as to whether or not it an lead to sin.
Remember, Adam and Eve were naked int he garden. God created the human body.
In art, the field of anatomy, or medicinal study or treatment, a nudity is not sinful.
 
In my opinion nudity-nude pictures don’t just “Pop” up. You had to open Pandora’s Box at some point. Go into your files and delete the source. Peace.
 
Naughty internet pop up ads coming in front of your eyes isn’t in itself a mortal sin. Did you intend to bring it up? Did you choose (make a conscious, deliberate choice) to look at them?

Perhaps you can do better at avoiding them, and maybe you did do something intentional here (there’s not enough info), but that and this is best discussed with a priest either way.

Edit: You did say you intentionally looked at something nude but not a sex act. What were you looking at it for? Did you find yourself staring too hard for the wrong reason? Were you trying to toe the line, looking at something provocative for the wrong reasons?
 
pianistclare said:
Right. Was it something in the area of ART? Or was it meant to arouse?
That’s the difference as to whether or not it an lead to sin.
Remember, Adam and Eve were naked int he garden. God created the human body.
In art, the field of anatomy, or medicinal study or treatment, a nudity is not sinful.
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I’m sure there are plenty of people that can be aroused by completely clothed images. More than enough nudes had fig leafs attached to them over the years, clearly the church viewed them as pronographic at somepoint. It wasn’t that uncommon for Bishops to have their own private collections of scandalous nudes either.
 
PJH_74 said:
I’m sure there are plenty of people that can be aroused by completely clothed images. More than enough nudes had fig leafs attached to them over the years, clearly the church viewed them as pronographic at somepoint. It wasn’t that uncommon for Bishops to have their own private collections of scandalous nudes either.
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Well now, isn’t that helpful. :o

I think intent is the deciding factor.

I see your point, and raise you two fig leaves. 😉
 
Wesrock said:
Naughty internet pop up ads coming in front of your eyes isn’t in itself a mortal sin. Did you intend to bring it up? Did you choose (make a conscious, deliberate choice) to look at them?

Perhaps you can do better at avoiding them, and maybe you did do something intentional here (there’s not enough info), but that and this is best discussed with a priest either way.

Edit: You did say you intentionally looked at something nude but not a sex act. What were you looking at it for? Did you find yourself staring too hard for the wrong reason? Were you trying to toe the line, looking at something provocative for the wrong reasons?
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I was looking at and intending to look at nudity. Not sex acts or people doing things. And it seems it’s hard over the internet to get a separation. I did not continue to look if my eyes scanned a image I wasn’t intending to view. And there are pop ups and a priest told me that isn’t a sin. But this was google images. You can see anything there. It may be best avoided.

The subject being nudity. Is it normal to want to see that? Or part of OS? I think that’s what’s relevant here myself.

Bill
 
OK, now that you have clarifies…Don’t go looking.

Is it “normal”?

Many folks don’t find it terribly appealing. But most do.
Normal doesn’t excuse sin.

Guard your soul, friend. And listen to your confessor.
God bless.
 
billcu1 said:
I was looking at and intending to look at nudity. Not sex acts or people doing things. And it seems it’s hard over the internet to get a separation. I did not continue to look if my eyes scanned a image I wasn’t intending to view. And there are pop ups and a priest told me that isn’t a sin. But this was google images. You can see anything there. It may be best avoided.

The subject being nudity. Is it normal to want to see that? Or part of OS? I think that’s what’s relevant here myself.

Bill
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Yes it is normal to have sexual desires for the opposite sex. However, it stops being normal and OK when you entertain and encourage impure thoughts about people.

I would say that because you were intending to look at nude pictures of other people for your personal gain (arousal), then that amounts to objectifying those people and selfishly using them without regard for their dignity as children of God. This is a major part of why things like pornography are wrong: Because they not only take the sexual act outside of it’s intended purpose, but because they also diminish the human person to a mere object to be used selfishly.

Now, that may not have been your line of thinking, and you may not have seen it that clearly in the moment, so your culpability may be diminished. You may also have an inordinate attachment to this type of sin.
CCC 1735 Imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors.
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Best to talk over the specifics of your situation with a priest in the confessional to determine whether you’re in a state of mortal sin… But as a rule of thumb the fact that you have to question if you are or are not would suggest that you probably are not.
 
Word of advice: don’t try to convince yourself that intentionally looking at nudity ok, because “it’s not porn”

Unless you are doing it for art research, are at a museum, or are touring places, just don’t get involved with it. It can only lead to more serious offenses. Especially since you’ve said you’ve looked at inappropriate images before, this can definitely be a near occasion of sin for you. Im not trying to bash you or put you down, but I just know how serious this can be.

Peace and Prayers
 
omgriley said:
I would say that because you were intending to look at nude pictures of other people for your personal gain (arousal), then that amounts to objectifying those people and selfishly using them without regard for their dignity as children of God. This is a major part of why things like pornography are wrong: Because they not only take the sexual act outside of it’s intended purpose, but because they also diminish the human person to a mere object to be used selfishly.

Now, that may not have been your line of thinking, and you may not have seen it that clearly in the moment, so your culpability may be diminished. You may also have an inordinate attachment to this type of sin.

Best to talk over the specifics of your situation with a priest in the confessional to determine whether you’re in a state of mortal sin… But as a rule of thumb the fact that you have to question if you are or are not would suggest that you probably are not.
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Thanks for that quote from the Catechism. I have one but sometimes the little things in there can be hard to find. I am aware of masturbation being grave matter. I do seem to have attachment. I do devotions everyday and they help with things. But not attachment. Today I am taking the day off I guess that’s ok. I read the gospel reading for today. I usually do daily the divine mercy chaplet and several prayers. I have no doubt there’s venial sin there. But there are people in populations that go naked. Idk if it’s right. We aren’t them. They just don’t wear clothing. In South America and such. I don’t mean nudist camps.

Bill
 
billcu1 said:
Thanks for that quote from the Catechism. I have one but sometimes the little things in there can be hard to find. I am aware of masturbation being grave matter. I do seem to have attachment. I do devotions everyday and they help with things. But not attachment. Today I am taking the day off I guess that’s ok. I read the gospel reading for today. I usually do daily the divine mercy chaplet and several prayers. I have no doubt there’s venial sin there. But there are people in populations that go naked. Idk if it’s right. We aren’t them. They just don’t wear clothing. In South America and such. I don’t mean nudist camps.

Bill
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You’re not alone, Bill. Many of us have struggled with this sort of thing, including me. One trick the devil uses against us is getting us to believe that we’re the only ones who commit that sort of sin. It’s an attempt to isolate you and make you feel unforgivable. When something like that enters your mind, know that it’s a lie straight from the devil himself.

There’s a copy of the Catechism online at the Vatican website (just google it). Then hit the “CTL F” and just type for the topic your searching for. Always helps for me.

One more thing that has always helped me is constantly praying to Jesus that he help me overcome my sexual temptations. He will not fail you. When you are tempted, invoke the Blood of Christ and pray hard my friend. 👍
 
The human body is beautiful, with or without clothing. God made it.

The human body is clothed in Western culture because that is our custom. It is not the custom in many parts of the world. I can remember when National Geographic was banned from high school libraries because of all the pictures of unclothed individuals.

One of the most shocking discoveries in my mother-in-law’s estate was her sketchbook from college art class. She was an incredibly accurate artist.

So, back to the OP: if it is an occasion of sin for you, stirring up lust and pride, confess it and avoid it. Don’t kid yourself by tap-dancing around the edges of the pornography problem. I can’t read your conscience, but you can. If pop-ups “just happen,” avert your eyes and move on. A wise pastor once told me, “don’t dwell on it.” And clean out your browser cache and cookie history.
 
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