Greater or lesser mortal sins?

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So…Mortal Sin.

If you remove sins that are punishable by law, like murder and theft, etc…are there any greater or lesser mortal sins?

Example:…if I cheated on my wife, would that be considered a greater sin than masturbation?
I’d say yes, cheating on your wife is worse than masturbation, but then I think that all mortal sin removes us from God’s Grace anyway and maybe God views that with the same seriousness?

Or, example: physical adultery, vs. lust…which is technically adultery, but surely there is more gravity to the actual act?

I’d like to get some feedback from you guys.

PM
 
PennitentMan said:
So…Mortal Sin.

If you remove sins that are punishable by law, like murder and theft, etc…are there any greater or lesser mortal sins?

Example:…if I cheated on my wife, would that be considered a greater sin than masturbation?
I’d say yes, cheating on your wife is worse than masturbation, but then I think that all mortal sin removes us from God’s Grace anyway and maybe God views that with the same seriousness?

Or, example: physical adultery, vs. lust…which is technically adultery, but surely there is more gravity to the actual act?

I’d like to get some feedback from you guys.

PM
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The traditional view is certainly that there are greater and lesser mortal sins, though I think the traditional view was that masturbation was worse than adultery. Certainly it was seen as worse than simple fornication. I might agree with the latter (since directing the sexual impulse toward oneself is a greater deviation from its intended purpose than directing it toward another human being who is not one’s spouse), but I don’t believe the former, because I believe that breaking the marriage covenant is far more serious than any merely “unnatural” act (i.e., an act that is only wrong because it is unnatural, and not because it breaks a vow or harms another person).

Edwin
 
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Sin

Gravity

While every mortal sin averts us from our true last end, all mortal sins are not equally grave, as is clear from Scripture (John 19:11; Matthew 11:22; Luke 6), and also from reason. Sins are specifically distinguished by their objects, which do not all equally avert man from his last end. Then again, since sin is not a pure privation, but a mixed one, all sins do not equally destroy the order of reason. Spiritual sins, other things being equal, are graver than carnal sins. (St. Thomas, “De malo”, Q. ii, a. 9; I-II, Q. lxxiii, a. 5).
 
For temporal reasons some grave sins may be more immediately problematic than others, but I think if it’s a grave sin, it’s a choice that you’ve made that has eternal implications on your soul’s destiny.
 
Very interesting, thanks for the quotes ppl!
but I think if it’s a grave sin, it’s a choice that you’ve made that has eternal implications on your soul’s destiny.
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Very very true! Even if you confess it straight away, there’s always added time in purgatory!

PM
 
Ramalama said:
I sure wouldn’t have to present that position to my wife!
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Hehehe, I was thinking the same thing:)

But seriously, I’m sure she would prefer me in the bathroom alone, rather than with another woman. Hence me asking in the first place…
 
<<Gravity

While every mortal sin averts us from our true last end, all mortal sins are not equally grave, as is clear from Scripture (John 19:11; Matthew 11:22; Luke 6), and also from reason. Sins are specifically distinguished by their objects, which do not all equally avert man from his last end. Then again, since sin is not a pure privation, but a mixed one, all sins do not equally destroy the order of reason. Spiritual sins, other things being equal, are graver than carnal sins. (St. Thomas, “De malo”, Q. ii, a. 9; I-II, Q. lxxiii, a. 5).>>

if all mortal sins are not equal, how do consequences differ? i had the impression that all unforgiven mortal sin results in eternal hell, e.g. the consequences of both abc and murder are the same.

is my impression wrong?
 
maisua said:
<<Gravity

While every mortal sin averts us from our true last end, all mortal sins are not equally grave, as is clear from Scripture (John 19:11; Matthew 11:22; Luke 6), and also from reason. Sins are specifically distinguished by their objects, which do not all equally avert man from his last end. Then again, since sin is not a pure privation, but a mixed one, all sins do not equally destroy the order of reason. Spiritual sins, other things being equal, are graver than carnal sins. (St. Thomas, “De malo”, Q. ii, a. 9; I-II, Q. lxxiii, a. 5).>>

if all mortal sins are not equal, how do consequences differ? i had the impression that all unforgiven mortal sin results in eternal hell, e.g. the consequences of both abc and murder are the same.

is my impression wrong?
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It is a common theological opinion that the suffering of Hell is proportional to one’s guilt.
 
dylanschrader said:
It is a common theological opinion that the suffering of Hell is proportional to one’s guilt.
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**1057 **Hell’s principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

is not <<>> an ABSOLUTE VALUE?
 
maisua said:
**1057 **Hell’s principal punishment consists of eternal separation from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.

is not <<>> an ABSOLUTE VALUE?
Click to expand...
That’s Hell’s principal punishment (poena damni). It is also a very common opinion that those in Hell suffer sensible pain (poena sensus), which could be variable.
 
PennitentMan said:
So…Mortal Sin.

If you remove sins that are punishable by law, like murder and theft, etc…are there any greater or lesser mortal sins?

Example:…if I cheated on my wife, would that be considered a greater sin than masturbation?
I’d say yes, cheating on your wife is worse than masturbation, but then I think that all mortal sin removes us from God’s Grace anyway and maybe God views that with the same seriousness?

Or, example: physical adultery, vs. lust…which is technically adultery, but surely there is more gravity to the actual act?

I’d like to get some feedback from you guys.

PM
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i asked a morality teacher in high school that same question and he replied:

Yes, littlechrismyster, it is a lesser mortal sin. perhaps your seat in hell will have a nice cushion and an armrest.
 
dylanschrader said:
That’s Hell’s principal punishment (poena damni). It is also a very common opinion that those in Hell suffer sensible pain (poena sensus), which could be variable.
Click to expand...
so, the loss of communion with the Almighty is not absolute punishment, what is?

also, would it be true to say
the attainment of communion with the Almighty is not absolute happiness
 
maisua said:
so, the loss of communion with the Almighty is not absolute punishment, what is?

also, would it be true to say
the attainment of communion with the Almighty is not absolute happiness
Click to expand...
The Beatific Vision is the principal joy of Heaven by all means since that is what man was created for. On the other hand, there are also other–what are called “accidental”–joys of Heaven such as the presence of the saints, etc.

It is also a defined dogma that there are degrees of blessedness in Heaven, which is one reason why it’s a common theory that there are degrees of punishment in Hell.
 
While the gravity of sins may vary, a mortal sin is still a mortal sin and dying in that state unrepentent means eternity in Hell. You cannot argue to God that your mortal sin is not as bad as someone else’s mortal sin.
 
I just wanted to know i didnt know that anger was a mortal sin and i never kenw what Pride sin was but i think i might have commited them both i wont be able to go to confession until next month but i have been to confession 2 days ago and i truly if i knew i would have confessed it but i didnt know and if id known i wouldnt have done it ever again or tried to atleast now i feel guilty but i didnt know it was a mortal sin and if i knew this i would have never done it i feel guilt for something i didnt know was that bad.
Anger i confessed it as Fighting because i didnt know i had to say anger but pride i didnt know what it was until yesterday and not until today fully the last time i had pride was maybe 1 month ago but since i learnt it yesterday i ahev tried all i can to think before i say stuff to people like “Im smarter then you etc”>
But like would i be judged the same way for this even though i didnt know it was a mortal sin orwould i be judged for anything after i learnty what it truly was and i let it happend anyway.
I dont want to skip the eucharist on sunday’s i feel like i ahvent gone to mass if i dont recive teh holy bread can someone help me??
 
Dante does not have the authority of Holy Writ or solemn Papal pronouncements, but since the Church has had plenty of opportunity to contradict him, and has not done so, it should be pretty clear that Hell has different levels based on the type and malice of the sin.

Of course, one unforgiven Mortal Sin is enough to consign a person to Hell.

It is commonly taught that a person with Mortal Sin on his soul has more in common with those in Hell than a living person in the State of Grace.

Without having my copy of the Summa at hand, I am sure That St Thomas Aquinas has plenty of Doctrine to state on this subject.

The remedy is a Good Confession for each and every Mortal Sin. This restores the soul to a state of the same quality as Baptism. Thank God for the Sacrament of Penance as a remedy for those who lose their Baptismal innocence.
 
dazzi,

Say an of Perfect Contrition, go to Confession as soon as possible, and I suggest you ask the priest about things called Scruples.

Google these words if you do not understand their meaning, or you may find their meaning somewhere on this site.

I hope the Moderators are reading this as such simple and heart rending questions such as dazzi asks would then be answered easily.
 
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