At what point is something a mortal sin?

[coleraine]

when exactly is something a mortal sin? say you engaged in something that teenage boys typically do, although they shouldent, but stop like a second before its over because your senses kick in? please i need to know. oh, and one more thing, its not like it was like, “oh i dont care about god, im gonna do this”. it wasnt like that, thats why i tried to stop. thanks.

 

[jpjd]

For something to be a mortal sin, it requires 3 things:

1. the action is of a serious matter
2. the person has full knowledge that it is a sin
3. the person made deliberate consent to commit the sin.

There are many threads that address the act you are talking about. Do a search and you will find lots of info.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

when exactly is something a mortal sin? say you engaged in something that teenage boys typically do, although they shouldent, but stop like a second before its over because your senses kick in? please i need to know. oh, and one more thing, its not like it was like, “oh i dont care about god, im gonna do this”. it wasnt like that, thats why i tried to stop. thanks.

Once one goes from thinking about it, to consenting to do it. It may be worth pointing out that we can sin by our thoughts - as Christ Himself teaches.​

Whether our consent is always culpable, is another matter; a sin can be mortal in principle, but not mortal for the person doing or saying or thinking the thing that is in principle sinful. For example, lack of moral freedom does not alter the mortal character of all sins of lust in principle, but it does mean that a sin of lust often committed may not be truly mortal for the person enslaved to it.

Lack of freedom can even take away all blameworthiness. But if I were you, I’d see a priest - I don’t think we laity can be trusted to cope with such questions; issues of sin, blame, guilt & moral responsibility are issues of people’s consciences - not questions in a book. So it would be terrible if anyone were given bad advice.

 

[Lepanto]

For something to be a mortal sin, it requires 3 things:

1. the action is of a serious matter
2. the person has full knowledge that it is a sin
3. the person made deliberate consent to commit the sin.

There are many threads that address the act you are talking about. Do a search and you will find lots of info.

Please define “serious matter.”

 

[catharina]

when exactly is something a mortal sin? say you engaged in something that teenage boys typically do, although they shouldent, but stop like a second before its over because your senses kick in? please i need to know. oh, and one more thing, its not like it was like, “oh i dont care about god, im gonna do this”. it wasnt like that, thats why i tried to stop. thanks.

Hi. Rather than wasting your time wondering and worrying about “something teenaged boys typically do” (according to your opinion), you might want to take a look at the defintions of the Ten Commandments as described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Each commandment is named, defined and offenses against each commandment are presented in terms of greater and lesser offenses.

Your reference work on this would start with this link:

usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt1ind.htm

 

[Inego_de_Loyola]

when exactly is something a mortal sin? say you engaged in something that teenage boys typically do, although they shouldent, but stop like a second before its over because your senses kick in? please i need to know. oh, and one more thing, its not like it was like, “oh i dont care about god, im gonna do this”. it wasnt like that, thats why i tried to stop. thanks.

Go to confession regardless of whether or not its mortal or venial.
You will need the grace and power of the sacrament to overcome this sin once and for all. And remember, if you fall again, do not hesitate to go to confession get back up and go forward with god!

 

[followerofGod]

I was reading the Catechism and I came to the part where it read on this topic, and I quote directly from it.

“when the will sets itself upon something that is of its nature incompatible with the charity that orients man towards his ultimate end, then the sin is mortal by its very object…Whether it contradicts the love of God, such as blasphemy or perjury of the love of neighbor, such as homicide or adultery…But when the sinner’s will is set upon something that in its nature involves disorder, but is not opposed to the love of God and neighbor, such as thoughtless chatter or immoderate laughter and the like, such sin are venial.”

Not sure how to interpret other than by saying it is mortal if you do (what you do with full knowledge of it as a sin with full consent of will and if it is grave matter. All of which can only be judged on a personal matter between you God and your confessor. My priest gave me an analogy once and it went something like this… Say I stole $10,000 from a company like Microsoft. to Microsoft $10,000 is like pocket change and therefore though wrong to steal in the first place the sin may not be grave because it had little to no affect on the business or the people who work there. On the other hand if I stole even $2000 from a newly opened business that was just getting on its feet where that $2000 dollars is a big deal and affects the lively hood of the business and the people that work at it seriously.Than that could be grave matter.

I know I have committed sin that I knew were wrong but personally never did them with the intent of denying Gods love or hurting him (though the act of sin is just that and i realize that now). Things that were more of like absent minded and caught up in the moment kinds of things that I after realizing them feel terrible for. These I do not know if they would be classified as mortal or venial. It’s better to just confess it and end it.

 

[thistle]

Please define “serious matter.”

Serious matter is grave matter and is defined in the CCC.

CCC 1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother."The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.