Dirty Jokes - Mortal Sin?

[Andy_K]

Would telling a dirty joke constitute “grave matter”?

 

[Liberanosamalo]

Are you telling it to a child or an adult? How dirty is dirty?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Would telling a dirty joke constitute “grave matter”?

Let me read it and I’ll tell you.

Just joking!

Telling such a joke may not be a sin, but it doesn’t reflect Christian virtue.

Better not to tell it, than regret it later.

I’m speaking from experience.

Jim

 

[tm30]

If it profanes God or His Church directly in any way, I’d say that’s grave matter (Violence to the First Commandment). Form is another story.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

If it profanes God or His Church directly in any way, I’d say that’s grave matter (Violence to the First Commandment). Form is another story.

I agree there are only two cases where I can see it as a mortal sin, if it is blasphemous to God then it is a mortal sin. Also if it was a “rated X” joke told to a child that would qualify as well.

Otherwise it wouldnt be a mortal sin.

 

[drafdog]

Nah. Just crude and tasteless. They are usually offensive to someone or other. Just don’t tell such jokes; they’re not particularly funny anyway.

Matthew

 

[Sixtus]

When I was at university a very dear [Protestant] friend of mine, used to go into a public bar, start telling pretty tame jokes. Gradually as his voice became louder, the jokes became more vulgar and there was a noticeable hush as people began to stop speaking and listen to what he had to say.

This used to go on for about 5-10 minutes. Eventually everyone in the bar were by now listening to him and hanging onto his every breath. Then he would come out with something absolutely profound about the Lord, something so profound in fact that I stood in awe. He preached for only about 1-minute, then he left.

I asked him from where these little gems came as they were so powerful. He said ‘from the Holy Spirit who teaches me and tells me what to say at that particular moment’!

It was quite plausible it was the Holy Spirit teaching him as he was pretty useless at writing his essays to get the succinct points across and not because he did not know his material.

We spent many hours, often late into the night debating and discussing the Scriptures. He never came out with any little gems when there was just the two of us. He never came out with them when there was a group of us on campus, but when he was in ‘preaching mode’ boy did he punch it to them.

I often used to stay behind after he had left to test the reaction. Everyone even non-believers were in awe.

It seems plausible therefore that his magnificent preaching performance was not his own, but given to him as he spoke.

Clearly then the HS had no objections to his methods.

 

[ltbpoe43]

great story Sixtus

Consider the audience when telling the tasteless joke.
Consider their age and sensibilities.
Consider that God hears it too.

Sometimes the joke is just as funny without the dirty part or change it so it is not dirty to young ones or your mother.

Good luck.

 

[deb1]

Sixtus, I read your story and I immediately thought of what my reaction would have been before I was a Christian. Strangely, as a nonChristian I used to look for Christians to fall in a way I never did members of other religions.

So, I would have thought, ‘‘see how that man is mixing religion and the vulgar, how typical for a hypocritical Christian.’’ I’m sorry to say that, but I am being honest in what my reaction would have been.

Perhaps if I had been there my reaction would have been different though.

 

[Sixtus]

Hi deb 1, the moral behind his teaching was so profound that the antecedent which preceded it, just paled into insignificance.

 

[AquinaSavio]

If you wouldn’t say it to Jesus’ face, don’t say it at all.

 

[Sixtus]

AquinaSavio

If you wouldn’t say it to Jesus’ face, don’t say it at all./QUOTE

There are a lot of things I would not say to Jesus’ face but that does not mean it is bad.

I would not say that I don’t like haggis I wouldn’t say that in my view haggis makers are a sad lot.

I would not ask the Lord if haggis makers are the least in the kingdom of heaven

I probably would not say anything at all, I would probably just stare into His eyes and He would know that this sad sinful wretch loves Him with all that he holds and posseses

 

[m134e5]

Would telling a dirty joke constitute “grave matter”?

If you scandalize somebody, making them think badly of Catholics, yes (that includes in front of other Catholics). Other times, it’s probably a venial sin.