Bad thoughts

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Is it a mortal sin to think blasphemous thoughts?

I’m frustrated with myself and unsure if I should have taken communion today. I often have bad thoughts which I then feel bad about and try to push away. Help!
 
Mary_Margaret said:
I often have bad thoughts which I then feel bad about and try to push away. Help!
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  1. When does one commit a mortal sin?
1855-1861
1874

One commits a mortal sin when there are simultaneously present: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. This sin destroys charity in us, deprives us of sanctifying grace, and, if unrepented, leads us to the eternal death of hell. It can be forgiven in the ordinary way by means of the sacraments of Baptism and of Penance or Reconciliation.
  1. When does one commit a venial sin?
1862-1864
1875

One commits a venial sin, which is essentially different from a mortal sin, when the matter involved is less serious or, even if it is grave, when full knowledge or complete consent are absent. Venial sin does not break the covenant with God but it weakens charity and manifests a disordered affection for created goods. It impedes the progress of a soul in the exercise of the virtues and in the practice of moral good. It merits temporal punishment which purifies.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

Can it happen that thoughts say out of the blue “happen to one”? And there be no sin at all? Yes. All sorts of thoughts can “happen” to one without there being any sin. Without there being any consent.

Simply turn to something else (not consent) and ignore them…

Fear of them can actually make them bother one more…

For the next few moments – Try not to think of an apple…

Tick tock…

What did you think of?
 
No, just redirect your thoughts. This isn’t coming from you, just don’t worry.

I sometime answer back depending of the thoughts

No, she is perfect
I don’t think so
This isn’t nice

Anyway, it works for me. You aren’t not a bad person, evil love to put those crazy things in our mind, knows they aren’t from you and redirect them. If you give them power and nourish those thoughts then this is a new thing.

Blessings!
 
Aw thank you Chantal! Thank you Bookcat! 🙂 I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to take communion at Easter.
 
Ok now I’m confused.

I started reading another post about mortal vs venial sins… And I’m afraid because I thought that what I did MIGHT have been a mortal sin, but didn’t go to confession right away after taking communion, I took the chance of it being a mortal sin so that means that since I was willing to take that chance then it WAS a mortal sin. HELP!
 
Ah, the old bad thoughts tactic. It has been used to great distress on various family members and myself for years. And scruples follows fast on its heels. What helps me sometimes is praying “Lord Jesus, you know I don’t mean these things.” A priest told me once “you have to grab yourself by the scruff of your neck and get up that aisle to communion.” Don’t starve yourself of Jesus. He knows what is in your heart.
 
Ah, the old bad thoughts tactic. It has been used to great distress on various family members and myself for years. And scruples follows fast on its heels. What helps me sometimes is praying “Lord Jesus, you know I don’t mean these things.” A priest told me once “you have to grab yourself by the scruff of your neck and get up that aisle to communion.” Don’t starve yourself of Jesus. He knows what is in your heart.
 
In sister Faustina diary, she refrained once from receiving the Eucharist thinking her sin were too great (she wasn’t sure so decided not to go). Jesus told her that he was more hurt that she didn’t go to the communion.

If you can, to have peace, try to grab a priest before the church. Many time they offer confession 15 min before mass.

If not, Say an act of contrition and deeply say sorry to Jesus. I like the prayer that was posted for you in the other post.

Take care!
 
Mary_Margaret said:
Is it a mortal sin to think blasphemous thoughts?

I’m frustrated with myself and unsure if I should have taken communion today. I often have bad thoughts which I then feel bad about and try to push away. Help!
Click to expand...
Do you by any chance suffer from OCD?

People who suffer from OCD and related disorders will often suffer from “intrusive thoughts”. These thoughts are created by a part of the mind that mistakenly thinks that you should always be in a sort of “panic mode”. So if you are relaxed and at peace, about to enjoy a lovely slice of cherry pie, the thoughts might suggest a pie filled instead with oozing gore.

In the above case, you would not think that such a person actually thinks that cherry pies are made of gore, or that they want to offend cherry pies somehow, would you? No, the thought is not directed against the pie but against the self… people with such behaviors are really trying to upset themselves. It is sometimes said to be related to “control issues” and as you can see it is easier to control your environment when you are in panic mode than when you are relaxed.

As always, when considering psychological phenomena there’s also the possibility that the subject is not experiencing a chemical imbalance (a brain problem) or a conceptual confusion (a mind problem) but is actually being attacked by the devil. Obviously the devil and the demons want to create problems for people who love God.

Whatever the root cause, I think that the approach as far as the communicant is concerned is the same: when you have a bad thought, as yourself whether you agree with that thought.

Suppose you are having tea with your mother, and all the sudden you think about her being tortured. This upsets you, of course. But ask yourself: do you want your mother to be tortured, or think that she should be? Of course the answer is “no”. It’s the same with the supposedly ‘blasphemous’ thoughts. They’re not formally blasphemies unless you agree with them.

If it makes you feel better, just think to yourself the word “no” after having such a thought. So you see: you will have rejected it. You’re not morally responsible for a thought that you reject and disagree with. Whatever the source, you will learn to ignore them as trash.
 
Francoist said:
Do you by any chance suffer from OCD?

People who suffer from OCD and related disorders will often suffer from “intrusive thoughts”. These thoughts are created by a part of the mind that mistakenly thinks that you should always be in a sort of “panic mode”. So if you are relaxed and at peace, about to enjoy a lovely slice of cherry pie, the thoughts might suggest a pie filled instead with oozing gore.

In the above case, you would not think that such a person actually thinks that cherry pies are made of gore, or that they want to offend cherry pies somehow, would you? No, the thought is not directed against the pie but against the self… people with such behaviors are really trying to upset themselves. It is sometimes said to be related to “control issues” and as you can see it is easier to control your environment when you are in panic mode than when you are relaxed.

As always, when considering psychological phenomena there’s also the possibility that the subject is not experiencing a chemical imbalance (a brain problem) or a conceptual confusion (a mind problem) but is actually being attacked by the devil. Obviously the devil and the demons want to create problems for people who love God.

Whatever the root cause, I think that the approach as far as the communicant is concerned is the same: when you have a bad thought, as yourself whether you agree with that thought.

Suppose you are having tea with your mother, and all the sudden you think about her being tortured. This upsets you, of course. But ask yourself: do you want your mother to be tortured, or think that she should be? Of course the answer is “no”. It’s the same with the supposedly ‘blasphemous’ thoughts. They’re not formally blasphemies unless you agree with them.

If it makes you feel better, just think to yourself the word “no” after having such a thought. So you see: you will have rejected it. You’re not morally responsible for a thought that you reject and disagree with. Whatever the source, you will learn to ignore them as trash.
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Wow… Are you a priest? I hope you are! No I don’t have OCD but I do have a history of other mental issues. Sigh. Life is hard sometimes!
 
Mary_Margaret said:
Is it a mortal sin to think blasphemous thoughts?

I’m frustrated with myself and unsure if I should have taken communion today. I often have bad thoughts which I then feel bad about and try to push away. Help!
Click to expand...
No just reject them. The Lord knows what’s in your heart. Funny that when I pray and think about not having bad thoughts they all come to mind!
 
Mary_Margaret said:
Wow… Are you a priest? I hope you are! No I don’t have OCD but I do have a history of other mental issues. Sigh. Life is hard sometimes!
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😊

I hate to disappoint you but my wife says I’m called to the married life. 🙂

I agree with you, though… life is hard sometimes. But Jesus Christ will never turn His back on you.
 
I have heard that it can be a trick of the devil to place a really horrible thought in our minds, then try to make us feel evil for having the thought. Immediately go to a good thought. Don’t play with, continue, or dwell on the thought. If you know how to praise and worship God, go to that immediately. It is said that the only two things from us the devil hates and has no defense for are innocence and our intimacy with the Lord. If you “pray in the Spirit” every time the devil attacks you like that, he will stop doing it because he does not want you to have that intimacy. Try it; It works for me!
 
Thank you all very much… I ended up going to confession asap just in case and the priest said much as you all have done — that this is temptation, just push the bad thoughts away and don’t succumb to them, keep trying your best, and its not a mortal sin. Thanks for helping I was quite distressed. Praise the Lord I feel better now and am so excited for Easter!!! 🙂

Love in Christ,

MM
 
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