Drunkedness and mortal sin

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I know it’s a mortal sin to get drunk, but what if it was unintentional? What if someone drank too much wine and got sick…didn’t act silly or beligerent…but just got sick, realizing they had drank too much and promises not to do it again. Is this person in mortal sin? Thank you for your insight.
 
I don’t think gettingn drunk is a mortal sin. Drunkeness (sp??) is a disease. My husband was an alcoholic and our priest NEVER mentioned that his drinking was a mortal sin. He said he had a problem. My husband died from this and got last rights (also died wearing a scapular). Do I believe he is in hell from his drinking? Absolutely not! If you mention your night of getting drunk on wine to your parish priest in confession and he probably wouldn’t say a word about it.
 
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, drunkedness is gluttony, just like eating too much. It’s a sin. Whether mortal or venial depends on the 3 criteria for mortal sin: grave matter, knowledge, full consent. I just don’t know if I gave full consent. I’m not sure. I don’t think I did. Alcoholism is a disease so there probably would be mitigating factors. I just don’t know if I can receive Communion tomorrow or not. I was nursing a hangover all day and couldn’t make it to confession. This is so sad, I know. I’ve definitely learned something.
 
The key here is you say it was unintentional. Why you know this, you don’t say. I have no idea if the person is unaware that alcohol is an intoxicant, but my money rests on it that they do. Are they mentally disabled? Are they unaware of what alcohol’s effects are? Did they have intent (you rule this out by saying it was unintentional) to get drunk? Did they do these things without care about their actions? Did they then drive in this condition?

Too many things we just don’t know and more. And, how did you know about this?😉
Were you with the alleged mortal sinner? In what capacity?
 
Everyone knows alcohol can cause drunkedness. Everyone knows, also, that a drink or two isn’t bad. This person didn’t drive, had drunk the same amount in the past and didn’t get sick. But this time it was on an empty stomach. The intent was to relax and have a few glasses of wine.
 
lwest said:
Everyone knows alcohol can cause drunkedness. Everyone knows, also, that a drink or two isn’t bad. This person didn’t drive, had drunk the same amount in the past and didn’t get sick. But this time it was on an empty stomach. The intent was to relax and have a few glasses of wine.
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Why would that be a mortal sin lwest? Unless there is something else going on. Did this person go on later to do something wrong in a drunken state?
 
StrawberryJam said:
Why would that be a mortal sin lwest? Unless there is something else going on. Did this person go on later to do something wrong in a drunken state?
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No. This person just felt incredibly guilty for (a)getting sick and not stopping at 2 glasses instead of 4. (b)giving bad example because one child was still awake and knew what was going on (c)being in such a state that if an emergency had arouse, this person would have been useless even though a sober adult was around (d)letting Jesus down.

That enough? 🙂
 
lwest said:
No. This person just felt incredibly guilty for (a)getting sick and not stopping at 2 glasses instead of 4. (b)giving bad example because one child was still awake and knew what was going on (c)being in such a state that if an emergency had arouse, this person would have been useless even though a sober adult was around (d)letting Jesus down.

That enough? 🙂
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:o

Not really, but it sure helps to know that.👍

4 drinks tells us nothing. You mentioned empty stomach, but were the 4 drinks in one hour? Two hours?

Do you see how more information makes a lot of difference in this? It does.

Also, your friend may be on medication that does not mix well with alcohol. There are so many factors to consider. I’m just glad no one was driving, and a sober adult was present.

I’m guessing that your friend would not have done this if that were not the case.

But, I can’t decide if they committed a mortal sin even with all this information. Put themselves in a place of temptation to sin, sure. But, I just can’t make the jump to mortal sin with the information you gave here. Then again, I am just learning the ropes on mortal sin and the conditions one must meet to commit it.
 
4 drinks in about 2-3 hours. Not on medication.

So it’s iffy…maybe it’s ‘just’ venial…maybe a heartfelt Act of Contrition, some personal penance will restore the soul to grace. Thanks for talking about this.
 
lwest said:
4 drinks in about 2-3 hours. Not on medication.

So it’s iffy…maybe it’s ‘just’ venial…maybe a heartfelt Act of Contrition, some personal penance will restore the soul to grace. Thanks for talking about this.
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Your welcome. You better get a believer’s view though just to be sure.

It was nice talking to you. I wish the best for you and your friend.

Have a good weekend
 
It needs to be deliberate to be a mortal sin. But remember, don’t use that as an excuse to be reckless, ie, not count how many you’ve had, and claim it was an accident.
 
Havard said:
It needs to be deliberate to be a mortal sin. But remember, don’t use that as an excuse to be reckless, ie, not count how many you’ve had, and claim it was an accident.
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It wasn’t an excuse to be reckless. I was sincerely trying to discern. No need to jump to conclusions.
 
lwest said:
It wasn’t an excuse to be reckless. I was sincerely trying to discern. No need to jump to conclusions.
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I wasn’t, it was a well-intended warning aimed at anyone and everyone, including myself.
 
If it is unintentional and someone didn’t know that they would be drunk, than no mortal sin. But ‘deliberate drunkenness’ is a mortal sin, according to St. Thomas Aquinas.
newadvent.org/summa/3150.htm
 
Havard: Then I thank you for the reminder. It’s also a reminder that the difference between a homeless drunk and myself is a Hail Mary. “But for the grace of God, there go I”

and the other poster (whose ‘handle’ I can’t remember…) thank you.
 
lwest said:
I know it’s a mortal sin to get drunk, but what if it was unintentional? What if someone drank too much wine and got sick…didn’t act silly or beligerent…but just got sick, realizing they had drank too much and promises not to do it again. Is this person in mortal sin? Thank you for your insight.
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Sometime drunkeness sneaks up on you, I know it did me a lot of times when I was younger. I dont believe it would be a sin, maybe unless You set out to get drunk, & are a habitual drunkard & your family suffers from it Then its possible You are addicted, so your not culpable, so a Priest told me
 
Drinking is not a sin (proverbs 31:6-7 tells us to give booze to the poor and suffering) but drunkeness can lead to sin due to loss of self control (sleeping with bar stars, fighting, ect) but it would be wrong to condem drinking in and of it self. We belive Jesus turned water into wine and wine into the blood of God. I have often thought why did jesus use wine for his blood and not say water or juice and I came to the conclusion that he used it becuse it is a mind altering narcotic. alcohol lowers our emotional defences (the drunk telling everyone he loves them) and allows us to admit something we would not usaly admit. alcohol and other drugs (pot, mushrooms ect) can act as a teaching tool if used in moderation and under proper circumstances. But it is a double edged sword and can lead to addiction and other horriable concequences. While the use of mind altering narcotics are not needed for spiritual development it can have some positive effects (years ago my smoking pot expanded my mind enough for me to admit I’m a sinner and mellowed me out enough to seek the way of peace * and to open myself up to god in emotianal I was at the time incapable of.) and it can have negitive effect as well. not all mind altering narcotics are good Such as meth, crack, (becuse they are man made) but god created certain drugs like pot, mushrooms d.m.t. ect, for a reason. I do not advocate drug use for anyone becuse not everyone can handle them (the guy who drinks and becomes the “angry drunk” or the addict) but I do not condem use either (with the exeption of users of meth, crack, heroin I’ve just seen way to many people trash their lives from it). So what I’m saying is everything in moderation becuse virtue is boring and vice is disgusting but that which flows from a heart united to Christ is neither boring or disgusting for what flows from the heart united to god is love and to be drunk on the blood of Christ is to be drunk on love.*
 
I would not take advice from a recovering sociopath who thinks virtue is boring and thinks that certain natural narcotics are okay for some.

But, that’s just me.:o
 
If you drink one too many and get drunk during a celebration of a very important event with a person you care for, it is definitely not a sin. You should be aware of it however – get someone to drive you home or once drunk get a rest or sleep. But if you intentionally go on a drinking rampage, get drunk and vent your passion by doing something silly, it is definitely a sin.

A good guide would be, take a little drink but not until you get drunk. If that is not possible, avoid the situation where it will probably lead to drunkenness.
 
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