Calling People on TV Names?

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Last night me and my father were watching HGTV and they were putting in a renovation, which in my opinion was quite ugly. I got distressed/mad and called the interior designer a rude version of a female dog. After that I felt stupid/guilty for calling the poor woman a name. šŸ˜Š

Did I commit a mortal sin? I donā€™t know if this is Grave Matter or not. I know anger can be grave matter, but would calling a person a name who you will never even meet face to face be grave matter?

On occasion I have trouble controlling my anger, but I would never insult anyone to their face.
 
Probably not.

You didnā€™t ruin her reputation and it doesnā€™t seem like a frequent habit.

You had an outburst that was not intentional.

If you experience frequent anger toward people or anger that results in damage to people, and it is done willingly, then youā€™d have something to think about.

If you are worried, there are many good books on combating sin.
Hope this helps.
 
I think you were expressing an opinion, not casting an aspersion. If it is the designer Iā€™m thinking of, she really does some awful work! Iā€™ll usually, think or say, ā€œwhat makes you think you can design anything!ā€ I stay away from name calling, since I really donā€™t know them! Except the ghost hunter types or bigfooters šŸ™‚ then I say dumb expletive a lot!
 
I would recommend, humbly, two things for you.

First is this wonderful article on scrupulosity: catholicpamphlets.net/pamphlets/Are%20You%20Scrupulous.pdf

It makes a good case for many things, including the principle that, if you have to ask if your actions were mortally sinful, then they probably werenā€™t.

(Edit: By the way Iā€™m in no way intending in to imply that your question is scrupulous. On the contrary, I simply interpret it is as a new Catholic asking questions to help form their conscience in accordance with what the Church teaches. BUT ā€¦ that article is simply wonderful and I think youā€™ll learn a lot from it.)

Secondly is this incredibly long and detailed examination of conscience: materdeiparish.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Examination-of-Conscience-for-Adults.pdf

That examination should not lead you to be intimated, but rather is an excellent resource to help form your conscience insofar as knowing what type of sin is venial and which is mortal.

Indeed, on the section on meekness in that examination, youā€™ll read the following:
*
Have I given in to sudden spurts of anger by harsh words, by calling names, by abusive language?
*
Youā€™ll also note that this is listed as being a venial sin.

But a mortally sinful version of anger might look something like this:

*Have I deliberately permitted myself to become so violently angry that it destroyed my reason for a time and made me incapable of acting like a human being?
*

Very few examinations are broken up by degrees of seriousness, as this one is, and I think it is a tremendous help in analyzing oneā€™s actions.
 
Very nice response from AttendeDomine.

While your outburst was certainly a sin against the virtue of charity it really doesnā€™t rise to the level of mortal sin unless you are of the habit of swearing at every little thing that annoys you to the point of allowing yourself to lose control of your reason.

Please also follow AttendeDomineā€™s advice about examining yourself for signs of scrupulosity. A little outburst like this should not cause one so much concern.
 
Thanks for the replies! šŸ™‚

I have been trying to control my anger (I get mad every now and then). The hard part is trying to remember to control my anger. :o

One last thing. Do I need to go to confession?
 
Big question.

For this particular sin, no, Confession is not strictly necessary.

But the practice of regular Confession is a good one to follow, even if confessing ā€˜justā€™ venial sins. I have found that regular Confession is helping me to overcome (though not completely eliminate) a number of sins and vices I struggle with.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! šŸ™‚

I have been trying to control my anger (I get mad every now and then). The hard part is trying to remember to control my anger. :o

One last thing. Do I need to go to confession?
Click to expand...
Side-topic:

Did you finish RCIA?
Last we heard you were thinking about taking classes, much to your parents dismay.
Now you are listed a Catholic. Iā€™m confuzzled. šŸ¤·
 
Melodeonist said:
Last night me and my father were watching HGTV and they were putting in a renovation, which in my opinion was quite ugly. I got distressed/mad and called the interior designer a rude version of a female dog. After that I felt stupid/guilty for calling the poor woman a name. šŸ˜Š

Did I commit a mortal sin? I donā€™t know if this is Grave Matter or not. I know anger can be grave matter, but would calling a person a name who you will never even meet face to face be grave matter?

On occasion I have trouble controlling my anger, but I would never insult anyone to their face.
Click to expand...
Ok, lets flip thisā€¦

Jesus says "do onto others as you would like others to do onto youā€™. Now, granted, you were not within earshot of this person to hear what you said, but what if you were? Is this something youā€™d wish someone would do to you? What if someone said that about you to someone else even though you were not there to hear about itā€¦ would you like it? Probably not- lets say the person who heard the nasty opinion about you took that opinion as truth- furthermore, lets say that person met you and was rude to you because of that personā€™s rude interpretation of you. Do you see how this works. I know I"ll get ridiculed for saying that- saying its too ā€˜snowflakeā€™ or ā€˜pansyā€™. I never said though to take it roughly, Iā€™m only pointing out that what we say about others colors others opinions of that person. We should instead seek to love others as God says toā€¦ which is donā€™t do anything to anyone else that you wouldnā€™t want done to you.

Mortal sinā€¦ wellā€¦ ask a priest. ā€¦ in confession over this. Heā€™ll let you know.

Say a prayer for this person you called a ā€œfemale dogā€. Ask God to show you what she means to Him. (Enough to die for her.)
 
Why not go to confessionā€¦ The Saints say to run to this wonderful sacrament. Its no abuse to say a venial sin in confession. Its not even scrupulousā€¦ but it would be if you were more concerned about ā€˜making itā€™ (concern for self) rather than true sorrow for your sin (hurts Jesus, others).
 
pianistclare said:
Side-topic:

Did you finish RCIA?
Last we heard you were thinking about taking classes, much to your parents dismay.
Now you are listed a Catholic. Iā€™m confuzzled. šŸ¤·
Click to expand...
I did finish RCIA. I got baptized on the 26th at the Vigil mass. Originally my Grandfather was going to be my Sponsor, but my Aunt had to replace him because he was recovering from a knee replacement replacement. My parents went, but my father had too much to drink and was acting drunk during the mass. I chose the confirmation name Hubertus. šŸ™‚

My parents were not dismayed that I was in the RCIA. Iā€™m a bit confused where you got that from. šŸ¤·

I donā€™t plan on going to confession tomorrow, but I donā€™t know if I should receive the Eucharist. I am afraid to ask my parents if I can go to confession. Iā€™d be afraid that they might ask why I am going, or tell me that confession isnā€™t required ever (they are both not religious.)
 
I donā€™t plan on going to confession tomorrow, but I donā€™t know if I should receive the Eucharist. I am afraid to ask my parents if I can go to confession. Iā€™d be afraid that they might ask why I am going, or tell me that confession isnā€™t required ever (they are both not religious.
Click to expand...
You are a college aged Catholic. Go if you feel you need to.
 
No, youā€™re fine. I can be quite scrupulous, and when I first converted I was very scrupulous. I even asked a priest if I had sinned by yelling during a football game on tv for the QB to get sacked, and when he did, I cheered. He just smiled and said ā€œno, youā€™re fine.ā€ šŸ˜ƒ
 
Melodeonist said:
I did finish RCIA. I got baptized on the 26th at the Vigil mass. Originally my Grandfather was going to be my Sponsor, but my Aunt had to replace him because he was recovering from a knee replacement replacement. My parents went, but my father had too much to drink and was acting drunk during the mass. I chose the confirmation name Hubertus. šŸ™‚

My parents were not dismayed that I was in the RCIA. Iā€™m a bit confused where you got that from. šŸ¤·

I donā€™t plan on going to confession tomorrow, but I donā€™t know if I should receive the Eucharist. I am afraid to ask my parents if I can go to confession. Iā€™d be afraid that they might ask why I am going, or tell me that confession isnā€™t required ever (they are both not religious.)
Click to expand...
Congratulations on completing RCIA and on being baptized and confirmed. Welcome to the church! šŸ™‚
 
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