How Guilty Am I?

[Spera_in_Deo]

I (Catholic) have a protestant (Methodist) friend. He was pondering the use of contraception in his upcoming marraige. I noted that for a Catholic the use of contraception was a grevious (mortal) sin. However, I pointed out to him that, as a protestant, contraception was accepted by his church and not viewed as sinful.

Recently I spoke with him and he thanked me for helping him make up his mind about contraception - which he and his new wife use.

Question: My influence has helped someone commit what for me would be a mortal sin - but for them is not due to their religious belief. Am I guility of sin here and, if so what do I call it and is it venial or mortal?

 

[Newbie2]

Nope, no sin here. You merely pointed out the differences in theology between Catholics and Protestants, unless you were to have added “…but I don’t think it’s right” or “I don’t believe that ABC is sinfull” or other such thing.

However, this may give you a chance in the future to discuss it and specifically ***why ***we Catholics believe as we do.

 

[hasikelee]

I (Catholic) have a protestant (Methodist) friend. He was pondering the use of contraception in his upcoming marraige. I noted that for a Catholic the use of contraception was a grevious (mortal) sin. However, I pointed out to him that, as a protestant, contraception was accepted by his church and not viewed as sinful.

Recently I spoke with him and he thanked me for helping him make up his mind about contraception - which he and his new wife use.

Question: My influence has helped someone commit what for me would be a mortal sin - but for them is not due to their religious belief. Am I guility of sin here and, if so what do I call it and is it venial or mortal?

So just because someone else doesn’t view it as sinful, that makes it okay for them to do it? Does it have to be a very old religion, or can I make my own up right now as I go along?



Now his wife has agreed to take a hormonal replacement therapy chock full of synthetic hormones that have a host of risks and side effects, and also a failure rate. Is his particular church against abortion, too? I wonder what they are going to do when their pill fails.

 

[bilop]

So just because someone else doesn’t view it as sinful, that makes it okay for them to do it? Does it have to be a very old religion, or can I make my own up right now as I go along?



Now his wife has agreed to take a hormonal replacement therapy chock full of synthetic hormones that have a host of risks and side effects, and also a failure rate. Is his particular church against abortion, too? I wonder what they are going to do when their pill fails.

The point is not that the couple doesn’t sin, it’s that Spera in Deo didn’t sin by explaining the different teachings.

Sure, he could have done a better job trying to convince them that ABC is wrong, but he’s not a professional apologist, and we are fighting against our materialistic/relativistic culture on this one.

Spera in Deo, perhaps you could get them a copy of one of Christopher West’s books on the Theology of the Body as a gift. Who knows, maybe you could be the impetus to bring them into the church.

God Bless

 

[hasikelee]

The point is not that the couple doesn’t sin, it’s that Spera in Deo didn’t sin by explaining the different teachings.

Sure, he could have done a better job trying to convince them that ABC is wrong, but he’s not a professional apologist, and we are fighting against our materialistic/relativistic culture on this one.

Spera in Deo, perhaps you could get them a copy of one of Christopher West’s books on the Theology of the Body as a gift. Who knows, maybe you could be the impetus to bring them into the church.

God Bless

Hm, I must be interpreting the thread wrong. I gained the idea that Spera said Catholics believe it is sinful, but basically told his friend it’s fine, and then his friend thanked him for helping them decide to use ABC.

 

[bilop]

Hm, I must be interpreting the thread wrong. I gained the idea that Spera said Catholics believe it is sinful, but basically told his friend it’s fine, and then his friend thanked him for helping them decide to use ABC.

As I understand it, he just explained the two teachings. He didn’t advocate for contraceptives. If he did, that could be sinful, but that’s not my understanding.

God Bless

 

[hasikelee]

As I understand it, he just explained the two teachings. He didn’t advocate for contraceptives. If he did, that could be sinful, but that’s not my understanding.

God Bless

Yes, that would make sense. I guess the most scrupulous way of thinking about it would say at least the omission of mentioning the inherent wrong could be a sin, but that’s stretching it.

 

[bilop]

Yes, that would make sense. I guess the most scrupulous way of thinking about it would say at least the omission of mentioning the inherent wrong could be a sin, but that’s stretching it.

In an ideal world he should have done that; that’s why I mentioned the Christopher West book idea. But, I think that it’s not a sin. If I was to say, “The Church hold that abortion is murder, but it’s legal in the U.S.” I wouldn’t be sinning if that caused someone to have an abortion. He was simply stating the unfortunate fact that so many Christian groups have abandoned Christian morality completely.

God Bless

 

[m134e5]

Morality is morality. You can’t present one version of it when talking to Catholics and another when talking to Protestants. If you really believe what the Church teaches about contraception, than I would think you would consider it wrong for *anyone *to use.

 

[Seatuck]

I (Catholic) have a protestant (Methodist) friend. He was pondering the use of contraception in his upcoming marraige. I noted that for a Catholic the use of contraception was a grevious (mortal) sin. However, I pointed out to him that, as a protestant, contraception was accepted by his church and not viewed as sinful.

Recently I spoke with him and he thanked me for helping him make up his mind about contraception - which he and his new wife use.

Question: My influence has helped someone commit what for me would be a mortal sin - but for them is not due to their religious belief. Am I guility of sin here and, if so what do I call it and is it venial or mortal?

We believe the using contraception is evil for all. You had a duty to explain that. It is still a sin for all to use. You failed to instruct the ignorant correctly.If you did not imply that contraception is always evil whether one is Catholic or not then I’d consider it possibly mortal. Go to confession.

 

[jcoldc]

This is a hard one. On the one hand, I’m likely to agree with the group who say you didn’t sin. You didn’t try to get anyone to use ABC. You just made a statement.

I can understand the view that you should have done something, though. I’m picturing your conversation as, “Well Catholics believe it’s a sin. Prostestants don’t.” That kind of response, might lead your friend to feel like you were not terribly opinionated about the subject, and taken it as a sign to go ahead. Also, if he was asking, maybe he had some doubts, and was (even subconsciously) looking for some guidance. Maybe you can go back and have a more prepared talk. It’s never too late to stop sinning. (Until it’s too late. )

However, ultimately, I wouldn’t see this as a mortal sin. In order for it to be a mortal sin, you would have had to know this was a sin and deliberately committed it. It sounds like you don’t even know it’s a sin. (And for the most part still don’t. I’m confused know …) And even if it is a sin, you didn’t seem to deliberately do it to try to go against God.

 

[baltobetsy]

The original question seems like a request for help in phrasing when the OP goes to confession. You don’t need to decide whether it’s venial or mortal or under what category it falls. Just tell the priest what happened, as you have done here, and ask for his advice and forgiveness if appropriate. The fact that you are this concerned indicates that you would do well to bring it to confession.

Betsy

 

[rwoehmke]

We believe the using contraception is evil for all. You had a duty to explain that. It is still a sin for all to use. You failed to instruct the ignorant correctly.If you did not imply that contraception is always evil whether one is Catholic or not then I’d consider it possibly mortal. Go to confession.

He had to ask, so how could it have been a mortal sin for him? It is only in civil law where ignorance is not an excuse.

 

[1ke]

I (Catholic) have a protestant (Methodist) friend. He was pondering the use of contraception in his upcoming marraige. I noted that for a Catholic the use of contraception was a grevious (mortal) sin. However, I pointed out to him that, as a protestant, contraception was accepted by his church and not viewed as sinful.

Recently I spoke with him and he thanked me for helping him make up his mind about contraception - which he and his new wife use.

Question: My influence has helped someone commit what for me would be a mortal sin - but for them is not due to their religious belief. Am I guility of sin here and, if so what do I call it and is it venial or mortal?

Your error is in thinking that it is not a sin for this friend of yours. This is incorrect. God’s Law is eternal and unchangeable. Contraception is gravely immoral for ANYONE to use. Protestants have a malformed conscience due to the error of their denominations’ teachings-- therefore they may not be culpable for sin when contracepting, but they are still committing an intrinsically evil act.

I suggest you follow up and get some materials from www.omsoul.com regarding contraception and natural family planning including the book The Bible And Birth Control by Charles Provan.

You had a wonderful opportunity to witness to the truth, and hopefully you will do so in future conversations.

 

[daeve]

Spera, when you go to confession, mention this to the priest.

My interpretation is that you said the Catholic church says it’s a sin, but the Methodist church allows it. That’s plain fact. You didn’t encourage them to contracept. You merely stated a fact. You may have said more that let him know you agree with the Catholic stance, but you just didn’t put that in your original post.

We’re all taking guesses here. If you didn’t mean to do anything wrong, and I don’t believe you had bad intentions here, you didn’t commit a sin. You’ll think twice about it the next time the subject comes up either with this friend or with someone else. But unless you said something like, “Your church doesn’t say it’s wrong, so go for it!” I can’t see how you did anything sinful.