Curse at time of death - historical

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mo0004

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This is a historical question - about how our Church would have treated it. Watching the show “Haunted History” in the History Channel brought this question to mind.

In 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, one Giles Corey was accused of witchcraft amid a witch hunting frenzy that saw 141 arrests and 19 executions on the same charge in six months, not including his. Because he refused to confess, he was pressed under large rocks, with rocks being added each time he refused to confess. Quoting from Wikipedia (taking out one objectionable word), “Three mouthfuls of bread and water were fed to the old man during his many hours of pain. Finally, Giles Corey cried out at Sheriff Corwin, 'I curse you and Salem!” and died.’"

My question: According to our moral theology, would Giles Corey’s dying words have put him in a state of mortal sin? Could there be diminished responsibility given the stress that he was under?
 
Only God Himself could know if this man was
repentant before insanity,
repentant after cursing,
repentant before cursing,
insane while cursing,
insane,
not insane,
repentant,
nonrepentant,
ignorant of the sin of cursing,
etc. etc. etc:doh2: .:hypno:
🤷

Fun Question.
 
I prefer to reflect on my great-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-grandmother Mary Easty’s petition before she was hanged…
I petition your honours not for my own life for I know I must die and my appointed time is sett but the Lord he knowes it is that if be possible no more Innocent blood may be shed…
Click to expand...
hawthorneinsalem.org/Literature/Quakers&Witches/AliceDoane/MMD2139.html

I don’t think the Lord would hold Mr. Corey’s dying words as a mortal sin. But, it is for Him to judge.
 
mo0004 said:
…{snip}…

“Three mouthfuls of bread and water were fed to the old man during his many hours of pain. Finally, Giles Corey cried out at Sheriff Corwin, 'I curse you and Salem!” and died.’"

My question: According to our moral theology, would Giles Corey’s dying words have put him in a state of mortal sin? Could there be diminished responsibility given the stress that he was under?
Click to expand...
We don’t REALLY know what he meant by “curse you”, do we.

Perhaps that was his “phrase” for, “…God will deal with you all as He will keeping in His mind how you have unjustly pained and ultimately murdered an innocent such as I am!”

That would hardly seem to be a damnable offense.

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui.
 
mo0004 said:
This is a historical question - about how our Church would have treated it. Watching the show “Haunted History” in the History Channel brought this question to mind.

In 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, one Giles Corey was accused of witchcraft amid a witch hunting frenzy that saw 141 arrests and 19 executions on the same charge in six months, not including his. Because he refused to confess, he was pressed under large rocks, with rocks being added each time he refused to confess. Quoting from Wikipedia (taking out one objectionable word), “Three mouthfuls of bread and water were fed to the old man during his many hours of pain. Finally, Giles Corey cried out at Sheriff Corwin, 'I curse you and Salem!” and died.’"

My question: According to our moral theology, would Giles Corey’s dying words have put him in a state of mortal sin? Could there be diminished responsibility given the stress that he was under?
Click to expand...
I can’t imagine being in this poor man’s predicament and not cursing someone.
 
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