Did I committ a mortal sin?

[reclaimed]

Guys, I’ve been struggling some with pornography, and I was battling/toying with the idea of looking at it tonight, and I think I gave in and opened the browser window, and all of a sudden all the guilt and pain (including my fiancee’s) struck me and I realized I couldn’t go through with it again and left my computer. It all happened so fast I don’t know if I committed a mortal sin or not? Maybe because I was just sitting there doing nothing, bordering on the decided/undecided, which usually means I’m just working up the guts to do it without thinking about it, without fully deciding… does this make any sense? Like I wanted to do it and didn’t do anything to distract myself, then when I finally opened the browser window everything immediately hit me and I didn’t want to do it any more, but I still felt the same guilt as if I had done it. After writing this out, I think I should probably go to confession, it sounds bad. Do you think I committed a mortal sin?

 

[Lazerlike42]

It sounds to me as though you did just the opposite, and didn’t commit a mortal sin. You may only have stopped out of guilt, but you did stop right at the moment when you would have done something evil.

Imagine a fellow plans to rob a bank. He gets all the things he needs, and drives up to the bank, but then decides not to do it. He hasn’t actually robbed the bank.

Recall Jesus’ parable about the father who asked two sons to go into the field. One said he would but didn’t do it. The other said he wouldn’t, but then changed his mind and went into the field. Which one, he asked, actually did his father’s will?

Now certainly you committed some sins, and placed yourself in the occasion of sin, and you ought to confess these. In fact, you ought to confess it all anyways just to be sure, but if I were to make a judgment for myself in that situation, say, about receiving Communion, I’d probably say no, I did not commit a mortal sin.

 

[reclaimed]

I’m just not sure because I’ve had a respected priest say that even if you decide to commit a mortal sin and don’t carry through, because you intended to do it, the sin is there. It all happened so fast I don’t know if I gave full consent of the will, but maybe I’m just kidding myself too. I know you guys can’t help me out there.

 

[StCsDavid]

I would go to confession for the sacramental grace, but praise God you had the grace to walk away from temptation. That was a victory. Sin is in the will and the sacraments can give us graces to transform the will. I wouldn’t obsess over whether this was mortal sin. It was wrong. You knew it, and you walked away and seem to be remorseful over the act. Blessed are those who mourn. Christ was talking about those who mourn for their sins. Let the priest in the confessional tell you if this was mortal sin or not. Also, there’s dozens of Internet filters that can help block you from going to these kind of sites. Why not install one, tonight?

 

[reclaimed]

…bump.

 

[Hastrman]

I’m just not sure because I’ve had a respected priest say that even if you decide to commit a mortal sin and don’t carry through, because you intended to do it, the sin is there. It all happened so fast I don’t know if I gave full consent of the will, but maybe I’m just kidding myself too. I know you guys can’t help me out there.

If you begin to commit a sin, decide to do it, and then stop yourself, I do believe St. Ignatius among others consider that actually better than not sinning at all.

Some passage in the Gospel somewhere, about there being more rejoicing in heaven over a repentant sinner?

 

[holdencaulfield]

Guys, I’ve been struggling some with pornography, and I was battling/toying with the idea of looking at it tonight, and I think I gave in and opened the browser window, and all of a sudden all the guilt and pain (including my fiancee’s) struck me and I realized I couldn’t go through with it again and left my computer. It all happened so fast I don’t know if I committed a mortal sin or not? Maybe because I was just sitting there doing nothing, bordering on the decided/undecided, which usually means I’m just working up the guts to do it without thinking about it, without fully deciding… does this make any sense? Like I wanted to do it and didn’t do anything to distract myself, then when I finally opened the browser window everything immediately hit me and I didn’t want to do it any more, but I still felt the same guilt as if I had done it. After writing this out, I think I should probably go to confession, it sounds bad. Do you think I committed a mortal sin?

No, because you persevered over the temptation.