Can your thoughts send you to Hell?

[Nelka]

If you were a good Catholic, didn’t commit any mortal sins, followed Jesus, prayed, fasted went to Mass etc.

But what about if you kept thinking of sinful stuff, sexual stuff about someone you like or violent stuff, maybe about a serial killer you just read about.

Could your sinful mind send you to Hell?

Thanks.

 

[CountrySteve]

venial sins dont send you to hell js

 

[CopyKat]

Thoughts can be mortal, but remember that in order for a sin to be mortal, one must do it with full knowledge and consent. So, if sinful thoughts creep into your mind, and you push them away, or at least wish for them to be pushed away, that’s not mortal. It’s when you entertain them after realizing their mortal that it’s sinful. This is my understanding.

 

[davidv]

The Catechism defines sin:

1849 Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law."121
1850 Sin is an offense against God: "Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight."122 Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become "like gods,"123 knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus "love of oneself even to contempt of God."124 In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.125

In addition is states:

1853 Sins can be distinguished according to their objects, as can every human act; or according to the virtues they oppose, by excess or defect; or according to the commandments they violate. They can also be classed according to whether they concern God, neighbor, or oneself; they can be divided into spiritual and carnal sins, or again as sins in thought, word, deed, or omission. The root of sin is in the heart of man, in his free will, according to the teaching of the Lord: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man."128 But in the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works, which sin wounds.

In addition, Jesus said in Matt 5:28

But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

So clearly, if one’s thoughts are gravely disordered, their gravity is know, and are freely entertained one separates themselves from God and is in danger of hell if one remains unrepentent.

 

[Nelka]

So clearly, if one’s thoughts are gravely disordered, their gravity is know, and are freely entertained one separates themselves from God and is in danger of hell if one remains unrepentent.

Scary.

I think too much, usually about nonsense, especially due to boredom at work.

 

[Bookcat]

Yes one can commit mortal sins of thought.

Same criteria as other mortal sins. Grave matter, Full knowledge and complete consent.

One example is lustful thoughts (which of course involve “sexual stuff”)

Catechism:

1853 Sins can be distinguished according to their objects, as can every human act; or according to the virtues they oppose, by excess or defect; or according to the commandments they violate. They can also be classed according to whether they concern God, neighbor, or oneself; they can be divided into spiritual and carnal sins, or again as sins in thought, word, deed, or omission. the root of sin is in the heart of man, in his free will, according to the teaching of the Lord: "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man."128 But in the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works, which sin wounds.

Compendium issued by Pope Benedict XVI

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.

Now of course… reading story about murder and thinking about the murders per se in some reasonable way is not necessarily any sin. Though they could become so…such as desiring to murder your boss…etc…

 

[Tomek]

If you were a good Catholic, didn’t commit any mortal sins, followed Jesus, prayed, fasted went to Mass etc.

But what about if you kept thinking of sinful stuff, sexual stuff about someone you like or violent stuff, maybe about a serial killer you just read about.

Could your sinful mind send you to Hell?

Thanks.

I think the key is that you intend to get better, try no matter what, and are repentant.

 

[HNA444]

I get worried I sin through thoughts sometimes also. I have gotten better controlling my thoughts, but sometimes people and or situations get me thinking bad thoughts. For example, I had a sexual dream last night and today I was thinking about it and kind of having some sexual thoughts here and there. I don’t want them but I feel like if they come to my head than maybe I do want them? It confuses me , i just tried staying focused on other things, so I would assume that this wouldn’t be mortal sin?

And sometimes if a guy I like or someone talks sexual, I start thinking about things they were saying and start getting curious. I really hope I haven’t committed any mortal sins through my thoughts… Because, I plan on going to confession soon and if I mention any thoughts I know I won’t be able to explain them correctly. Could I just say i’ve had sexual thoughts ?

 

[Lisa44]

Great question.

My answer: no.

It is our commandment to love our neighbor and that means we must make right wrongs against them. (Matthew 5-21-26) (Ie: if we have wronged someone and they are angry at us we must quickly settle with them so that they do not turn us over to the police or worse, take action into their own hands). If we go around making people angry then we are guilty if they murder us if we have acted unjustly towards them. If you do nothing wrong to anyone then they will not have a cause to murder you, and you will not be complicit in that murder because of the wrongs you have done to them.

It is also our duty to not desire evil. (Matthew 5:27-30). “…everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her…” Means that this person is looking at woman as sexual objects. Such a person does not have the love of God in their heart.

Matthew 5:31-32 Jesus says that a person who does divorces his wife, and marries someone else (except for sexual immorality) commits adultery. Why? If divorce is legal why is this sinful? Because this person does not have the love of God in their heart, but the love of pleasure. And they put their own desire for pleasure above the needs of their wife by divorcing her so that they can have more pleasure.

So you can see in Matthew chapter 5 he is not condemning anyone who has an immoral thought, he is condemning the man who has wronged another man but yet goes to the temple to make an offering to God thinking this wipes away his sins somehow. And he is condemning the man who views women as objects for his sexual gratification. And he is condemning a man who already has a wife, of putting her away because he desires pleasure from someone else and is willing to put his wife out in the cold so that he can gratify his lusts.

None of these people had simple thoughts in their head that came and went. They all committed a sin literally. The first had wronged someone in his community, the second was a pervert who had no love for his neighbor but only considered them objects for his sexual pleasure, and the third mistreated his wife.

If you do the above then you will go to Hell, that is what Jesus says.

 

[Boulder257]

I once heard an analogy, I think it was from Dr. Laura when I used to listen to her a LONG time ago…it’s probably the only thing she ever said that stuck with me…anyway, the analogy goes like this:

You can’t help if a bird lands on your head, but you can stop it from making a nest there.

Basically, we can’t control our immediate thoughts, but when they pop into out head we can use it as a time of prayer to remind ourselves of how much we need God and what we are without him. For me saying a Hail Mary with the intention of removing the thought sometimes does the trick. You will probably find over time that the thoughts subside and don’t happen as often.

God bless,