Don't think I sinned but not sure

[Veronica97]

I just started back on a medication for OCD. I had taken it briefly before but stopped due to the fact that it affected the marital embrace. But my dr. said I could try not taking it for a day or two before the marital embrace and see what happens. I’m trying the med again because my scruples are out of control. Anyway, so I was obsessing about the medication and started googling things like “Cymbalta and sexual side effects”, “Not taking Cymbalta for a day or two”–things like that–just to see what other people have experienced or whether or not that has worked for others. I didn’t think I was sinning in doing this. But then I found a message board and one woman had gotten a little too graphic in her post. So I clicked out of the website quickly. Then I decided that it wasn’t prudent for me to continue to research this topic b/c I might get an unwanted thought stuck in my head (which happens frequently). My Examination of Conscience booklet says that reading “reading sexually explicit materials” is a mortal sin. My rational mind says I did not commit mortal sin, yet I can’t help but think maybe I sinned. Can someone with a clear mind help me out?

 

[waanju]

Not a sin:
A) you weren’t reading it to become aroused
B) you didn’t linger in order to become aroused when it popped up.

Think of it as if a sexually explicit pop up were to get through your computer filter. You click it away- it’s not your fault it popped up! You were looking through the threads for a legitimate purpose, you didn’t know anything would be TMI.

 

[Southern]

RELAX!!! God doesn’t want you to live in fear. Even though you were looking up the sexual side affects you were looking up something medical not pornographic. And for what ever popped up it is not your fault. You did not intentionally bring it up. RELAX!!! God Bless!

 

[3DOCTORS]

It’s nothing you did wrong - there are certain keyword searches that are tricky to accomplish without bringing up some things that you’d rather not see and that it’s hard to “unsee” once you have. It might be less stressful for you to call your doc or pharmacist directly in the future with these kinds of questions rather than using the web if that’s going to cause anxiety for you. Peace and God bless!

 

[sirach2v4]

In general, we need to distinguish between temptations and sins. Jesus was tempted, but did not sin.