Excessive Waste - Mortal Sin

[iseekanswers]

Hey there, friends!

So, I admittedly have problems with scrupulosity and, unsurprisingly, have OCD.

I know that “excessive waste” is a sin, but I’ve noticed that my OCD causes me to waste because of my germ-phobia. I waste water when showering and washing my hands, I waste (often a LOT of) toilet paper when I use the restroom, I waste food (by either not eating food that I feel has touched contaminated objects, or spitting out food [eww!] that I think has been contaminated).

So, when it comes to these matters, are these examples of wasting classified as grave matter? Or is this just my scrupulosity being fueled by my OCD?

Hope you all have had a great Thanksgiving!

 

[DMC12]

You know there are things that make the sins less bad, you should talk about your priest about this, you having those problems could make thing not so bad for you, but i think your confessor is the one who should tell you.

 

[Ophelia23]

It is with great wisdom that the Church rarely states whether something is a mortal sin or not, because there is so very much grey area involved. Excessive waste is a very serious matter that absolutely can/is sinful. But to what degree? For something to be mortally sinful, you must 1) Recognize that it is wrong, 2) Recognize the gravity of the action and 3) Willfully decide to do it anyway. Key word: willfully. I am not excusing you–I certainly don’t have the ability or expertise and I am not always right (but don’t tell my husband or children that last part )–but if you legitimately have OCD, there is a cognitive discord on your sense of reality that causes the *willfulness *of your OCD actions to either be eliminated or reduced. All scruples aside, speak with your priest about this for assurance and peace of mind.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Hey there, friends!

So, I admittedly have problems with scrupulosity and, unsurprisingly, have OCD.

I know that “excessive waste” is a sin, but I’ve noticed that my OCD causes me to waste because of my germ-phobia. I waste water when showering and washing my hands, I waste (often a LOT of) toilet paper when I use the restroom, I waste food (by either not eating food that I feel has touched contaminated objects, or spitting out food [eww!] that I think has been contaminated).

So, when it comes to these matters, are these examples of wasting classified as grave matter? Or is this just my scrupulosity being fueled by my OCD?

Hope you all have had a great Thanksgiving!

You need to keep yourself healthy. It’s flu season in America and you need to wash your hands, especially if you’ve been out in public.

It would shock you how many people do not wash their hands.

If you suffer from scrupulosity and have OCD, it’s really important that **you have one spiritual director **to go to with these kinds of questions and for you to obey him/her as your conscience.

 

[Hman]

I don’t know about your situation, but I think that a mortal sin actually requires grave matter, knowledge that it is grave matter (I don’t think the words grave matter have to enter your mind, just the knowledge that it is,) and full consent.
I’m no expert on this, but I think those are the requirements. Ask your priest about it to be sure though.

 

[Cricket2]

It is with great wisdom that the Church rarely states whether something is a mortal sin or not, because there is so very much grey area involved. Excessive waste is a very serious matter that absolutely can/is sinful. But to what degree? For something to be mortally sinful, you must 1) Recognize that it is wrong, 2) Recognize the gravity of the action and 3) Willfully decide to do it anyway. Key word: willfully. I am not excusing you–I certainly don’t have the ability or expertise and I am not always right (but don’t tell my husband or children that last part )–but if you legitimately have OCD, there is a cognitive discord on your sense of reality that causes the *willfulness *of your OCD actions to either be eliminated or reduced. All scruples aside, speak with your priest about this for assurance and peace of mind.

Well said.

 

[Hman]

I thought some more about this and I think that the question you need to ask yourself is, to what degree are you being wasteful. If you are not wasting enough for it to be gravely wrong, there can be no mortal sin. If you do waste enough for it to be gravely wrong, than there may be a mortal sin.