Full consent question

[cjcapta]

Some of you may have heard that if someone says, “Don’t think of pink elephants,” you will automatically think of pink elephants. One of the tenets of Neurolinguistics, according to broowaha.com/articles/4267/dont-think-of-a-pink-elephant, is that the brain does not automatically process negatives. If this happens when a person tells himself or herself to not think of something, like a lustful thought, have they committed a mortal sin? Or did the person in that case not have full consent?

 

[MarianD]

The sin with lustful thoughts is entertaining them, not having them. If you dwell on a lustful thought or just think about it without trying to drive it out of your mind, that is full consent. If a lustful thought simply appears in your mind, no matter how or why, then it isn’t a sin unless you entertain it.

 

[Bookcat]

(from previous posts I made…you may find it helpful)

Regarding thoughts

while Jesus makes it clear that one can sin in ones thoughts…just cause some lustful thought happens does not mean that one sinned…

(and one can have a sufficiently good reason to think about sexual matters…for instance studying moral theology…but care must be taken to avoid things that would be a problem…but that is another question)

What should we do with* unwanted* sexual thoughts? Those pesky temptations that can come …even though we are not seeking them etc…

(there are of course some things we should avoid that cause them…and there can be sin if it is something one should reasonably avoid…but often they come uninvited)

First…Relax. Do not worry.

Now are they mortal sins?

For a mortal sin one needs a grave matter …full knowledge AND deliberate consent!!!

A. If you do not want the thought…it the thought displeases you: it can be a sign actually that you did not give consent or do not give full consent.

B. Even if you felt a temptation for the thought – and were drawn to it —but rejected it and maybe even turned to God : again a sign not full consent.

C. But what if one has a tempting thought --say of a sexual nature and even hesitated for a moment…but then rejected it for one did not want to sin? : it can be partial consent perhaps (and thus a venial sin)-- or it may be no sin at all but rather a strong temptation that drew you but then you saw what was happening and turned away.

D. A temptation can even be very strong or the thoughts very often – but this does NOT mean one has consented! so worry not…even it they go on for a long time…

remember --for it to be mortal there must be that deliberate consent!

What to do? on the spiritual side–relax first of all and remember the above.

Next – know that the more one fears the thoughts the more likely they are to come… or said another way --the more a person seeks to avoid the thoughts the more likely he will have a problem with them. (but do not worry about this either!)

for example: for the next 10 seconds try NOT to think of an apple.

tick tock …

tick tock…

Ok what did you think of? Most likely an apple.

So it is best to ignore them and just not consent and then turn your attention to some other good thing…for instance whatever you are doing. Simply do not consent and move on. and do not worry

another point – thoughts can just happen --they are the stuff with which we think…it is up to us to consent and take them further or not. and just because they are REAL VIVID and almost “think themselves” does not mean per se that one has given ANY consent.

they can be annoying…but need cause no actual harm …

 

[baltobetsy]

If this happens when a person tells himself or herself to not think of something, like a lustful thought, have they committed a mortal sin? Or did the person in that case not have full consent?

No, it is not a mortal sin, a venial sin, or any sin. It is simply a bad strategy. It is better to turn one’s attention to something else than to forbid oneself to think the lustful thought. Jesus tells us to be as little children. When a baby reaches for the electric socket, the mother does not simply forbid doing that. She distracts the baby with something even more interesting. Have at the ready something to think about that is just as fascinating to you as lust, and bring it out when you are tempted.

Betsy

 

[NCatholic]

If someone is addicted or has a habit that has been with them for years and years and that habit results in a sinful action - is full consent not present?

 

[NaturalEnquirer]

If someone is addicted or has a habit that has been with them for years and years and that habit results in a sinful action - is full consent not present?

Addictions or habits are certainly mitigating factors, according to the Catechism. But remember that one has an obligation to take steps to break the habit or cure the addiction.

 

[Ponyguy]

Some of you may have heard that if someone says, “Don’t think of pink elephants,” you will automatically think of pink elephants. One of the tenets of Neurolinguistics, according to broowaha.com/articles/4267/dont-think-of-a-pink-elephant, is that the brain does not automatically process negatives. If this happens when a person tells himself or herself to not think of something, like a lustful thought, have they committed a mortal sin?

Thoughts are spontaneous. Retention of same is discretionary.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Yes. If we are walking down the street and and an attractive woman with skimpy attire walks by, we would be tempted to look. Now, it may be a natural or instinctive action to look. But if you continue to stare and start harboring lustful thoughts, thats when it becomes mortal.