As mortal sin is so serious why do many people commit it

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oliver109

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I was thinking about the prevalence of mortal sin and how so many people commit it despite it’s gravity, why do so many commit mortal sin despite knowing about it’s grave consequences?
 
That is true but how to people do it when the consequences are so grave?
 
They are overcome by one of three enemies: the flesh, the world, the devil.
 
Self-deception. They convince themselves it’s no big deal, even though they know better.
 
I don’t think it is self deception, they know it’s wrong and they still do it!
 
Because of our remarkable ability to attend to just these particular consequences and not the remainder, while simultaneously producing a suitable rationalization with which to plaster them over if they dare raise their heads.
 
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Because they choose to hate God and love creatures, chiefly themselves, in that moment. They justify themselves with excuses also.

If you have ever tried to do a mortal sin without rationalization, you will see how nearly impossible it is to force the will to do something evil when it hasn’t first been justified. Weirdly enough, that act of trying to will evil itself causes temptation to be destroyed. Not sure what to make of it.
 
It is also possible for a person to think “I can get by with this — I’ll just gamble that I won’t die suddenly, after all, how often do you hear of that happening? — I’ll get the thing I want, and I’ll settle up later, when I’m done having fun”.

And some people just numb themselves, or tell themselves “this couldn’t be wrong, or at least couldn’t be so bad, I mean, look at all the people who do this thing, are they all going to hell?”.
 
Never underestimate humanity’s power of self-deception and entitlement.
“Sure the Church SAYS it’s grave matter and I totally understand it is for other people but I’m different!”
“God will understand that it’s not wrong in my case. My reasons are so good and pure”.
“Surely this isn’t really that bad. So many people say it isn’t. How can I be sure the Church really ‘got it right’ about this. They’ve changed so many other things. Surely this will be one.”
“If I can’t do this, I’ll just die. God doesn’t want me to die; if He really loves me and wants me to be happy He’ll let me do what I want.”
“I’m a good person. I’m not Hitler. Surely God won’t punish me when I’ve done so many good things. And maybe this isn’t really that bad—how can it be when it feels so good and right? “

Etc. etc.
 
I wonder if mortal sin was punished in the same way racism is(for example an ex CEO was in the news recently after losing his job because he insulted an Asian person sitting near him in a restaurant) would it be so prevalent? like someone who commits adultery would lose their job or someone who looks at porn gets their online accounts on Instagram etc suspended, i am not saying that we should enforce laws like that, just thinking about how people would probably drastically reduce the amount they sin.
 
oliver109 said:
That is true but how to people do it when the consequences are so grave?
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You would be amazed how many devout cradle Catholics know little about what the Church teaches. Many of them may not be committing mortal sins due to ignorance about a particular teaching.
 
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I’m not amazed lol, though i can bet that more than a million Catholics who know the consequences of serious sin still commit it!
 
oliver109 said:
I was thinking about the prevalence of mortal sin and how so many people commit it despite it’s gravity, why do so many commit mortal sin despite knowing about it’s grave consequences?
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Catholic Encyclopedia:
The complete and sufficient cause of sin is the will, which is regulated in its actions by the reason, and acted upon by the sensitive appetites.
…
The true malice of mortal sin consists in a conscious and voluntary transgression of the eternal law, and implies a contempt of the Divine will, a complete turning away from God, our true last end, and a preferring of some created thing to which we subject ourselves.
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O’Neil, A.C. (1912). Sin. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm
 
oliver109 said:
I don’t think it is self deception, they know it’s wrong and they still do it!
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Well, I think there are few kinds of people here:
  1. people who don’t believe it’s wrong
  2. people who think it’s just a minor (venial) sin
  3. people who are addicted to the sin
  4. etc
 
Personally, I think a mortal sin is stupid.
For someone to live with mortal sin is stupidity.
When they die and face God they will fully realize that they have made a terrible mistake, not giving heed to what it could mean for them then.
.
Personally, if I think I have–or may have–committed a mortal sin, I go to confession soon afterwards.
 
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