Are Offensive Comments a Mortal Sin?

[nsper7]

Earlier tonight, someone I know and chat with online made some extremely disgusting comments about Our Lord.

I got extremely angry and used profanity (telling him to ‘shut the !@#$ up’ and calling him a ‘piece of !@#$’ and stuff like that) and said some things with the intent to hurt him (basically, he asked me to prove that Jesus was not a pervert [person I was talking to was much more crude and gross than that] and I asked him to prove that the Holocaust occurred [he comes from a Jewish background and I was just trying to retort and hurt him; obviously, I believe the Holocaust occurred and I actually lost family in the Holocaust] and also asking him if making crude and offensive comments was a part of ‘Jewish ethics’, against just I was mad and offended by his words) and then asked him to prove that his Rabbi was not a pervert.

I know this would definitely fall into ‘venial sin’, but is losing one’s tempor, using profanity (but no utterances of the Lord’s name in vain) and being purposely offensive fall under ‘mortal sin’, especially since there was provocation?

 

[Pug]

nsper7,

Sometimes we just lose our heads and say things we don’t mean, especially if we are tired or caught up in some emotion. It can be so disappointing! But it is a good opportunity, now, for you. You might be finding it hard to accept that you wished your words to hurt. We are all capable of that, remember. But that doesn’t make a mortal sin. Some things *feel *like they ought to be, though. A deliberate cutting remark is not usually seen as grave matter, nor is an $%#@!.

If you had said “Damn you to hell” and you actually truly wished this for real, instead of just to be mad, this starts to tread on grave matter. Wishing serious harm upon someone, with full consent, etc., can be mortal.

It sounds to me like you lost it, got too emotional, and stopped paying full attention to your actions. But if this continues to bother you, please speak to someone in person. It is so hard to figure out what exactly is going on without body language and such. This sort of blow up for some people can indicate that they have been letting a number of things slide for awhile, which can lead to trouble. Perhaps things like thinking they need to influence someone, and not focusing on the action of the Holy Spirit. Sort of a self-importance thing, maybe. ()

If I’ve totally missed your point, let me know.

 

[nsper7]

Well, I went to Confession today and received Absolution for this sin. I did, at one point, wish that this guy would suffer as I do (one of the reasons I was telling him to stop the disgusting remarks about Christ and His Church was because I was afraid that they would get stuck in my head…OCD for you) and, when he eventually admitted that he suffers from some similar anxiety disorder (not sure if he was being mocking or serious or what), I at first kind of toyed with him refusing to tell him the things I had done to alleviate my issues (I admit part of it was maybe vindictiveness…he had just gone on a diatribe of filth against Our Lord), but I eventually told him.

Also, when I went to Confession, I did not mention everything (I don’t think it was on purpose, I just forgot), specifically I forgot to tell the Priest about me hoping the guy would suffer as I do and refusing to give advice for dealing with OCD/anxiety disorders. Does that invalidate my confession?

 

[Pug]

Does that invalidate my confession?

No, it does not invalidate your confession. Forgotten sins do not do that. Only deliberately concealed mortal sins cause this trouble.

Follow whatever advice the priest gave you, and give the Lord your worries and concerns. I don’t have OCD (that I know of), but I do understand how a person could be concerned about getting images in their head that will stick around and not go away. I have several of those tucked away. I’ll spend a moment praying for you and the guy you were talking to on chat.