Blackout

[PartoftheBody]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

 

[pensmama87]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

Objectively, all of these things are grave matter (so could be mortal sins). I would address culpability with a priest.

Legally speaking, it seems to be up in the air whether or not it’s sexual assault. My own feeling is that a person ought to be considered legally responsible for their actions even while inebriated (as they are for drunk driving.) But these cases are frequently very difficult.

Practically speaking, it’s a bad, bad idea to get that drunk. If one habitually has a problem stopping before they get to that point, it would be wiser to not drink at all.

 

[Hatikvah]

Objectively, all of these things are grave matter (so could be mortal sins). I would address culpability with a priest.

Legally speaking, it seems to be up in the air whether or not it’s sexual assault. My own feeling is that a person ought to be considered legally responsible for their actions even while inebriated (as they are for drunk driving.) But these cases are frequently very difficult.

Practically speaking, it’s a bad, bad idea to get that drunk. If one habitually has a problem stopping before they get to that point, it would be wiser to not drink at all.

Yes, especially take this [the bold text] into mind. The only forms of alcohol that should be consumed are the sacramental wine in the Eucharist and alcohol for medicinal purposes. Simply, intoxication is a bad idea all-together and should absolutely be avoided at all costs.

Think like a young child in adult matters, I suppose… they are more moral than adults. A young child, having known what alcohol does, would not drink it; a young child would be peaceable and well-behaved, avoiding sin.

God bless.

 

[pensmama87]

Yes, especially take this [the bold text] into mind.** The only forms of alcohol that should be consumed are the sacramental wine in the Eucharist and alcohol for medicinal purposes.** Simply, intoxication is a bad idea all-together and should absolutely be avoided at all costs.

Think like a young child in adult matters, I suppose… they are more moral than adults. A young child, having known what alcohol does, would not drink it; a young child would be peaceable and well-behaved, avoiding sin.

God bless.

That does not necessarily follow from what I said.

Catholics are not teetotalers. If an individual must abstain, OK, but a Catholic does not sin by drinking alcohol, only by not exercising temperance.

 

[Sarcelle]

Yes, especially take this [the bold text] into mind. The only forms of alcohol that should be consumed are the sacramental wine in the Eucharist and alcohol for medicinal purposes. Simply, intoxication is a bad idea all-together and should absolutely be avoided at all costs.

Think like a young child in adult matters, I suppose… they are more moral than adults. A young child, having known what alcohol does, would not drink it; a young child would be peaceable and well-behaved, avoiding sin.

God bless.

This is not official Catholic doctrine. Alcohol is not forbidden to Catholics. We are required to exercise temperance in food and drink.

 

[Hatikvah]

This is not official Catholic doctrine. Alcohol is not forbidden to Catholics. We are required to exercise temperance in food and drink.

I never did say that it was official Catholic doctrine, nor that it was forbidden; however, it might be wise to reasonably abstain. Each person could know his or her limit wisely.

 

[GEddie]

One is not (sinfully) responsible for what one does while not in control of their mind; However, becoming so intoxicated (by alcohol or otherwise) as to reach that point is a mortal sin in itself, if done deliberately.

As to sexual law, that is another matter entirely. It depends on the legal standards locally, and is entirely dependent on the word of the woman. Getting involved in sexual “recreation” while drinking is a bad, bad, bad idea. IMINWHO, only drinking and driving would be worse.

(Sexual recreation is of course a very bad “sinful mistake” as well, but we all know that.)

ICXC NIKA

 

[GEddie]

Yes, especially take this [the bold text] into mind. The only forms of alcohol that should be consumed are the sacramental wine in the Eucharist and alcohol for medicinal purposes. Simply, intoxication is a bad idea all-together and should absolutely be avoided at all costs.

Think like a young child in adult matters, I suppose… they are more moral than adults. A young child, having known what alcohol does, would not drink it; a young child would be peaceable and well-behaved, avoiding sin.

God bless.

I myself choose not to use alcohol, except very rarely, not caring to spend my “caloric budget” on it. Otherwise, I have no strong feelings about it either way.

But seeing how others behave while on it, I cannot for the life in me imagine how it’s “fun” or desirable.

ICXC NIKA

 

[on_the_hill]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

If he blacks out, how can he do anything other than lay on the floor under a barstool?

I think you mean what if he gets so drunk that he can’t control himself. My vote is that he is culpable. How culpable can be decided by the judge, but the “I was so drunk I didn’t know what I was doing,” excuse doesn’t really fly with me. And probably not with the DA, either.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

1. Sexual assault is a legal matter not a moral one.
2. Biology makes it hard for the scenario to be common.
3. Let’s assume the person was not drugged. He chose to drink to excess that in itself is a serious sin that many don’t understand as such.

Did the man sin? Hypothetically probably, realistically he would need to go to confession to figure that out. But there is a real alchohol issue here. The knee jerk reaction is to talk of the evil of “satan’s juice”. That is not really the problem though. The person who drank to excess is. So without saying that everyone should not drink at all, this person in the scenario laid out should never drink again.

Pregnancy tests and std tests all around and a knock on the door of the nearest AA facility are in order.

This scenario is playing out in my current diocese. It’s not a pretty picture.

One should also look at the sin of the perpetrator as well.

 

[Catholic1954]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

Sexual assault is a matter of consent from the other party. If the sex act was completed and it was not with one’s spouse, then it is adultery. The mortal sin matter should taken up with a confessor at the first opportunity.

 

[Tim_D]

I myself choose not to use alcohol, except very rarely…

Then what you state is not true. You should have said, “I choose to use alcohol rarely.”

 

[GEddie]

Sexual assault is a matter of consent from the other party. If the sex act was completed and it was not with one’s spouse, then it is adultery. The mortal sin matter should taken up with a confessor at the first opportunity.

According to the Gospel, adultery occurs even without completion. The spouse would probably say the same.

ICXC NIKA

 

[CB_Catholic]

If he blacks out, how can he do anything other than lay on the floor under a barstool?

I think you mean what if he gets so drunk that he can’t control himself. My vote is that he is culpable. How culpable can be decided by the judge, but the “I was so drunk I didn’t know what I was doing,” excuse doesn’t really fly with me. And probably not with the DA, either.

On the contrary, an alcoholic “blackout” does not mean a person cannot physically act. They say and do things and not remember any of it. It is not the same as “passing out” from alcohol consumption. In fact, it often is a sign of serious alcohol abuse problem.

I am not a moral theologian, but it seems to me that at some point a person needs to take responsibility for drinking to such excess that they experience a blackout and lose control of their actions. I would think this would be grave enough matter to be considered mortal sin, esp. if another person is harmed in some way. They may not have intended harm, but because they drank to that level of excess, the harm was done and they need to be held morally responsible for it. I am with you on the culpability bit.

 

[Lea101]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

It would be sexual assault if she was sober/sober enough and took advantage of you, I guess. Same goes if a woman were to be in that situation.

If the guy was a victim of sexual assault, he wouldn’t be sinning at all. If it isn’t sexual assault, it could be a sin. It’s honestly best if the guy just say that in confession and try his best to not drink that amount again imo

 

[Rosebud77]

**If he blacks out, how can he do anything other than lay on the floor under a barstool? **

I think you mean what if he gets so drunk that he can’t control himself. My vote is that he is culpable. How culpable can be decided by the judge, but the “I was so drunk I didn’t know what I was doing,” excuse doesn’t really fly with me. And probably not with the DA, either.

Alcoholics have memory blackouts before they crash so are still "active"and totally uncontrolled… the scenario is therefore valid.

 

[LethalMouse]

Is it sexual assault if a man gets so drunk that he blacks out and wakes up in bed with a woman he had no intention of sleeping with? Has he committed adultery? Is he in mortal sin, since he didn’t freely choose it?

2016, according to current events if he is drunk it is his fault

if she is drunk she was raped

if they are both drunk she was raped.

either way he is wrong because equality works like that

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

1. Sexual assault is a legal matter not a moral one.

Sexual assault is not a moral matter?

Shows ya what I know…

 

[Maximilan_Kolbe]

1. Sexual assault is a legal matter not a moral one.
2. Biology makes it hard for the scenario to be common.
3. Let’s assume the person was not drugged. He chose to drink to excess that in itself is a serious sin that many don’t understand as such.

Did the man sin? Hypothetically probably, realistically he would need to go to confession to figure that out. But there is a real alchohol issue here. The knee jerk reaction is to talk of the evil of “satan’s juice”. That is not really the problem though. The person who drank to excess is. So without saying that everyone should not drink at all, this person in the scenario laid out should never drink again.

Pregnancy tests and std tests all around and a knock on the door of the nearest AA facility are in order.

This scenario is playing out in my current diocese. It’s not a pretty picture.

One should also look at the sin of the perpetrator as well.

Regardless of a man’s ability to function while so impaired, I would suspect that if a woman were to grope and fondle a man while he was passed out, it would be treated the same way it is when a man does that to a woman.

Now the fact is likely that the former occurs way less than the latter, but unwanted sexual assault or whatever it would deemed legally should be treated the same way.

 

[LethalMouse]

Regardless of a man’s ability to function while so impaired, I would suspect that if a woman were to grope and fondle a man while he was passed out, it would be treated the same way it is when a man does that to a woman.

Now the fact is likely that the former occurs way less than the latter, but unwanted sexual assault or whatever it would deemed legally should be treated the same way.

Outside of religious involvment in morality etc… men just dont care.

Ie: it happens more than you think but we blame ourselves. I know alot of men who if they were women would qualify as sexually assaulted… doesnt change them idk and yes I am talking tyoical people not the few with morals.

The avg person has at least 8 partners, I am talking of them not the modern rare virgin types.