Blasphemous Thoughts/Mortal Sin

[baldboy]

Does anyone have bad thoughts in confession? Try as I might I cannot stop them from appearing when trying to make my confession. I am terrified that It means that I have had a bad confession and committed a mortal sin by having these thoughts, and that my sins have not been forgiven. This means of course that I am frightened to go to confession, and have to force myself to go every 2 or 3 weeks, but being afraid that I will have a bad thought means that it is in my head when I enter the confessional and that keeps that fear there, and I know I will eventually have a bad thought, and I am almost screaming out loud for them to go away, while the priest is talking to me. I will not stop going to confession, but I feel I have to go so often because of the bad thoughts that are always there during Mass and prayer. I would like to go just every month or so, but the bad thoughts make me feel I need to go usually every 2 weeks. I am in a constant state of anxiety over this. Several priests I have spoken to have said that I should continue to receive communion even though I have explained to them about the thoughts I have when at Mass or trying to pray any time anywhere. Bad thoughts also occur when I am receiving the Blessed Sacrament, again I am screaming out loud in my head for them to go away, so I’m frightened to go to Communion, and the vicious circle continues, though I never stay away and go several times a week.

 

[SHoJjhmou]

Does anyone have bad thoughts in confession? Try as I might I cannot stop them from appearing when trying to make my confession. I am terrified that It means that I have had a bad confession and committed a mortal sin by having these thoughts, and that my sins have not been forgiven. This means of course that I am frightened to go to confession, and have to force myself to go every 2 or 3 weeks, but being afraid that I will have a bad thought means that it is in my head when I enter the confessional and that keeps that fear there, and I know I will eventually have a bad thought, and I am almost screaming out loud for them to go away, while the priest is talking to me. I will not stop going to confession, but I feel I have to go so often because of the bad thoughts that are always there during Mass and prayer. I would like to go just every month or so, but the bad thoughts make me feel I need to go usually every 2 weeks. I am in a constant state of anxiety over this. Several priests I have spoken to have said that I should continue to receive communion even though I have explained to them about the thoughts I have when at Mass or trying to pray any time anywhere. Bad thoughts also occur when I am receiving the Blessed Sacrament, again I am screaming out loud in my head for them to go away, so I’m frightened to go to Communion, and the vicious circle continues, though I never stay away and go several times a week.

Here is a good post by Bookcat

All sorts of thoughts can happen to us out of the blue…

The fact that a though happened to one- does not mean per se there was any sin.

And for mortal sin one needs grave matter, full knowledge and deliberate (complete) consent…

(and there are some persons with such as OCD - who would want to seek out professional assistance with their thoughts - I saved this from Catholic Answers staff on the radio program for those who where seeking such: catholictherapists.com/)

---

Now…

For the next few moments --try real hard NOT to think of an Apple.

then scroll down.

What did you think of?

An apple.

Even though your will was against it -you did not want to think of an apple.

Now back to unwanted thoughts…

The best thing to do with such thoughts is not to fight them directly --not fear that they will come—simply do not consent and simply and calmly turn to something else…(or it may be best to keep doing the good thing one is doing…like they come out of the blue when your at work …keep working…keep praying …etc)

(one can gently - conversi ad Dominum - turn towards the Lord -perhaps with a look of love or a short prayer which is a very ancient practice - pm me if you if you need more).

Ignore such unwanted thoughts like one would ignore a hissing goose or a barking dog. One does not stop to argue with a hissing goose or a barking dog does one? No, one keeps on walking…

(as noted above the image there comes from a Carthusian Monk from centuries ago…)

 

[JoeFreedom]

Tempest,

Sin is in will not the thought. If the thought is not yours…then who does it belong to? The Devil is the master of suggestion. The closer you get to Christ the harder he tries to lure you away. With Christ in your life, Satan is powerless, though he can still be down right annoying.

You certainly nailed the annoying part about Satan. I struggle with and struggle with and struggle with thoughts, constant thoughts, repeated constant thoughts, thoughts I don’t want. I can never really find a hard and fast clear and accurate answer on whether or not my thoughts were sins at all, if they were, then venial or mortal.

I don’t want these thoughts, but I believe that if my mind has them, and for the very few seconds that I think about them, I have entertained them.

 

[Bookcat]

OLD thread…leave it to sleep in peace

 

[SHoJjhmou]

You certainly nailed the annoying part about Satan. I struggle with and struggle with and struggle with thoughts, constant thoughts, repeated constant thoughts, thoughts I don’t want. I can never really find a hard and fast clear and accurate answer on whether or not my thoughts were sins at all, if they were, then venial or mortal.

I don’t want these thoughts, but I believe that if my mind has them, and for the very few seconds that I think about them, I have entertained them.

littlestsouls.wordpress.com/?s=clarity+&submit=Search

 

[JoeFreedom]

According to Father Corapi, this happened to St. Teresa of Avila and other great Saints. His advice was, don’t worry about it. Just keep praying, or doing what you’re doing, say a quick Hail Mary, and carry on. These thoughts are not coming from “you,” so the best you can do is to ignore them. When you resist evil, you gain strength.

I probably know the answer to this, but say these thoughts were constant, like in unceasing. Would it be God’s will that we pray so much that all I am doing is praying and that it gets in the way of work?

 

[Bookcat]

I probably know the answer to this, but say these thoughts were constant, like in unceasing. Would it be God’s will that we pray so much that all I am doing is praying and that it gets in the way of work?

No.

See the post of mine that another provided above.

(also this is an OLD thread- if someone wants to discuss this - start a new thread -those who where on it years ago (2008!) not around often…and we are not to open old threads)