Can These Thoughts Be Mortal Sins?

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7violinS

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I’ve been having angry and blasphemeous thoughts that are frightening and annoying. They are quick flashes of words or images that pop up usually when I am angry or frustrated, especially in between confessions. The more I try to keep them away the more they seem to appear. My problem is that I am unsure as to whether these are subconsciously willed:( or my human weakness. I’m scared I have commited various mortal sins in my head and am frequently asking for forgiveness, which in much frustration, causes more of these thoughts to pop up and increases my worry. Does anyone have a similar problem and if so, how can I deal with it? Is it just a self-control thing?
 
A thought that is not dwelled on is not a sin. Most likely it is a temptation that the devil is giving you. I doubt it is internal. It is most like caused by an evil spirit. God is permitting it so you can glorify Him in your response to it.

The Cure of Ars said we should turn these temptations into offerings for conversion. Thus, the devil is defeated by his own tricks!

I forget the exact wording of the prayer as authored by the Cure of Ars, but it’s something like, “I offer this temptation for the conversion of sinners.”

If you can make this a habitual prayer with each thought, you will save many souls!
 
Thanks that helps alot, I was beginning to fear the worst. I’ll try that prayer.👍
 
I too had some weird thoughts while I was praying. It had never happened to me before, but about 2 months ago, it happened quite often.

At first, I did not know what to do and why it happened. I tried to get rid of the thoughts by not thinking about it; however, it came even stronger. I later when to the confession to ask for advice; my confessor told me to bring the problem to the Lord and ask Him to help me. I’ve been doing that and it helps.
 
Dear friend,

St. Catherine of Siena had a very painful struggle with impure thoughts from the devil that tormented her spirit. She asked Our Lord when he was present once again, where was he while she had these thoughts? He replied that he was within her heart helping her to repel and abhor them. [Wish I could put my finger on the text to send you, but I am going by memory]

The devil will use every means possible to attack those who are particularly close to God. You can take comfort that when the attacks are over, the Lord will give you so many interior blessings that the suffering will seem insignificant in comparison. Scripture says after Jesus’s agony in the garden, angels came and ministered to him. Food for thought.
The Cure of Ars said we should turn these temptations into offerings for conversion.
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This is excellent advice, and one that I have done also. St. Stephen, the first martyr, won the conversion of his persecutor, St. Paul, through offering his sufferings and laying not the charge against him. 👍
 
Outdoors in the summertime, there is a difference between:

a) Being bothered by mosquitoes or flies. But swat them away, use bug spray or bug candles.

b) Having mosquitoes around and doing nothing at all – let them bite you as much as they like.

Infrequent thoughts of evil are like gnats or bugs. We live in an evil world. But how do we react? Do we give nutrient to the evil thought and allow a bird to build a nest in our hair?
 
hello … I have the same problem , u might like to read the post scrupolosity and the replys to that post

God bless
 
I think scrupolosity is my problem. All these suggestions are great:D Just hope I can keep my head in check. I was starting to think I should abstain from the eucharist until after my next confession…
 
I’ve been having angry and blasphemeous thoughts that are frightening and annoying. They are quick flashes of words or images that pop up usually when I am angry or frustrated, especially in between confessions. The more I try to keep them away the more they seem to appear. My problem is that I am unsure as to whether these are subconsciously willed or my human weakness. I’m scared I have commited various mortal sins in my head and am frequently asking for forgiveness, which in much frustration, causes more of these thoughts to pop up and increases my worry. Does anyone have a similar problem and if so, how can I deal with it? Is it just a self-control thing?
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From the 10 Commandments for the scruplous:
  1. You shall not consider yourself guilty of bad thoughts, desires, or feelings, unless you can honestly swear before the all-truthful God that you remember clearly and certainly consenting to them.
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This is a very important commandment. The whole area of impure thoughts and desires causes scrupulous people much anxiety. Unfortunately, scrupulous persons often believe that the very appearance of thoughts or desires in their thoughts or imagination means that they have committed a sin. This is most certainly not the case. In fact, it is humanly impossible for us to have absolute control over our interior faculties. Such thoughts and images are going to happen, whether we like them or not.
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Because we simply do not have absolute control over our interior faculties, the emphasis of the commandment is on clear and certain consent. Only a free consent, that is clear and certain, constitutes a sin. You can not accidentally or involuntarily be guilty of sin.
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Take that one to heart, and God bless.
 
These unwanted thoughts are not sins in themselves. For some reason, they tend to plague the scrupulous person. Whenever they appear, just say a short prayer like “Jesus, help me,” or something like that. Don’t be afraid of the thoughts, or else they will cause a great deal of fear and anxiety. Don’t let them have any power over you.
 
I have the same problem, almost exactly as you described it. If you glorify God enough, you can drive them away. Here’s something I tell myself whenever one of these pop into my head: Ain’t nothing Jesus can’t handle. His death on the cross was complete, he died for all sins, no matter hoiw heinous they may seem. Trust in him, and you’ll be fine.

I did a thread on this awhile ago, and let me tell you, it was incredible how helpful people here are!
 
The Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous was a huge help. Especially the 6th one. I have to keep remindinng myself of it. I do sometimes get a dreadful feeling about these thoughts them but a prayer to Jesus helps. 👍
 
7violinS said:
The Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous was a huge help. Especially the 6th one. I have to keep remindinng myself of it. I do sometimes get a dreadful feeling about these thoughts them but a prayer to Jesus helps. 👍
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The website for Scrupulous anonymous has a wealth of information in their past archives. I highly recommend that you go through and read some of the past articles. I also recommend Fr. Thomas Santa’s book, Understanding Scrupulosity. I have also heard, but not read the book A thousand frightening fantasies is good for helping the scrupulous person.
 
7violinS said:
The Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous was a huge help. Especially the 6th one. I have to keep remindinng myself of it. I do sometimes get a dreadful feeling about these thoughts them but a prayer to Jesus helps. 👍
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Remember thoughts come and go but the more that you dwell on them the more they tend to stay. I don’t mean entertain them, there is a difference. I mean dwell on how bad they are and how they should go away. This happens to me all the time. My confessor said the words “pink elephant” to me in the confessional and then told me to stop thinking about it. It is not as easy as we would wish. Remember that the devil always wants us to feel that we are in mortal sin but God wishes all to be saved. Pray for me as I will for you.🙂
 
mommyof4 said:
The website for Scrupulous anonymous has a wealth of information in their past archives. I highly recommend that you go through and read some of the past articles. I also recommend Fr. Thomas Santa’s book, Understanding Scrupulosity. I have also heard, but not read the book A thousand frightening fantasies is good for helping the scrupulous person.
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Father Santa’s book really helped me. Great recommedation!
 
teachccd said:
Remember that the devil always wants us to feel that we are in mortal sin but God wishes all to be saved. Pray for me as I will for you.🙂
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That’s interesting - I never thought of that.

Does he do that in order to make us despair of God’s mercy?
 
I often fell into this trap before – in traffic, irritated customer, angry boss and even during prayer.
One way to get my mind back is to say a short prayer (a Jesuit priest recommended it) “Jesus, I love you.”
Repeat as neccesary 🙂
or reach in my pocket for my rosary.
for serious distraction I will try to fixate my eyes on the crucifix.

HTH

Tak
 
Thoughts, no matter how bad are very rarely mortal sins. Random thoughts are not sins at all. Unless we purposely dwell on such thoughts and then purposely ACT on these thoughts, I don’t think they can become mortal sins.

If you are getting weird evil thought fairly often, say a little prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. He protects us from the assaults of Satan and his demons.
 
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