Idiots and Grave Matter

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I find that not doing things that are obviously categorised as grave matter is a simple matter. For example, I know that things such as masturbation and murder are grave matter, so I do not masturbate or murder. That is the easy part. However, aside from such obvious cases, I have great difficulty working out what grave matter is in practice. I went to confession about this yesterday, and I received some guidance about the Ten Commandments and the Seven Capital Sins. However, although I think I understand what grave matter is in theory, applying the theory to the innumerable variety of situations in my everyday life where I potentially commit sins is none the easier. Not everything falls neatly into the category of obviously sinful, let alone obviously gravely sinful.

Here is an example. Yesterday (after confession), I read an opinion article online which caused me to think the author of the article was an idiot. I tried to tell him he was an idiot in the comments, but it did not get past the moderators. However, someone wrote a response to the article on another site, so I replied to the response saying that the author of the original article was an idiot. Nor is it the first time I have called someone an idiot online. The question now torturing my conscience is whether I have committed something which is grave matter in so doing.

Now, I am not bearing false witness, because these are statements of my honest opinions or at least my honest reactions to what people say. Furthermore, I recognise that there must be a place for legitimate criticism of others, even when so criticising others is not necessarily polite. Both Our Lord and our Pope have shown themselves more than willing to use harshly critical words (“insults”?) towards others, where such words are justified. Yet both of them have also condemned insulting others in other contexts. So where is the line to be drawn?

How does one discern in practice whether something is grave matter, and is calling someone an idiot grave matter? As a follow-up question, if I am in this much doubt as to whether something is grave matter, and I do it anyway, have I fulfilled the other two conditions for mortal sin?
 
Would you call someone an idiot face to face? Follow Christ’s example. Read the New Testament. Civil dialogue means keeping your composure and responding in a civil manner. I know the internet provides plenty of bad examples, so be a good one.
 
Have you examined the enumerated grave sins from the Catechism, as a starting point? I’m pretty sure that they’re not all listed in one place, which would be helpful for your question here.
 
No way is writing you think someone is an idiot grave matter. First it is an inaccurate statement on it’s face. If the person can write his IQ is above the idiot level. So you are just calling names. Not a good thing to do but not grave matter. Don’t over think these things. You will slip into scrupulosity.
 
A key component of sin is Intent – Did you intend to offend, anger or insult the person in question? If you did, it was a sin.

The capital sins are Pride, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth. I suppose calling him an idiot would fall under wrath.

You might do what I do. I have chosen Saint Fiacre as my personal patron saint, and when I encounter someone like that, I ask him to help me.
 
Idiots are still brothers and sisters in Christ, and infinitely loved by God. A couple of quick scripture references: James 3 regarding the tongue (or keyboard) and Matthew 12:33-37 regarding our accountability for our words.

Your words are your fruits. Strive to produce sweet fruit, not bitter.
 
Jesus never called anyone an idiot, while He did rebuke people for various sins, especially the sin of pride. He actually told us not to say such things in Matt 5:22.

We can get an idea about our own intentions by judging our actions against the demands of love. Are we acting out of vindictiveness, revenge, self-righteousness, etc, or are we coming from a higher level, with everyone’s best interest in mind?
 
OP, try to get into the habit of criticising the words or actions, not the person.

Try saying ‘I don’t think that’s correct’ 'or ‘I have to disagree with you on that’ or similar phrases.

If you are really worked up, even ‘I think that’s an idiotic thing to say’, (but I would really advise never getting that irate and emotional - stay cool.) You get my point ? Never ‘You are an idiot to say such a thing’.

Learn from what parents are advised to say to their children - for example. ‘That was a naughty thing to do’, not '‘You are a naughty boy’.
 
The Catechism discusses what is “grave matter”:
1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: “Do not kill. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Do not defraud. Honor your father and your mother.” The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.
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I know when it comes to sins of impurity, the Church has been quite clear that “adultery” being grave matter also means that masturbation, fornication, homosexuality, pornography etc is grave matter.

I am not sure how you would arrive from this description of grave matter, which seems to be pointing to relatively big sins (sexual sin, lying, dishonoring your parents, committing murder), that calling some stranger an idiot over the Internet is grave matter. Was it a sin? Probably yes, because you lost your temper and lost your patience with the person and you expressed it in an unkind way. Was it grave matter? I’m not seeing how.

Having said that, it’s still a sin though, and we should be trying to avoid ALL sin, not just “grave matter” or mortal sin.
So don’t call people names.
 
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22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.

The Holy Bible. (2006). (Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition, Mt 5:22). San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
 
I doubt if it is a grave matter, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense, in general, to call someone names in an online discussion. It obviously just serves to make them more entrenched in whatever position you take exception to. Why not work on framing your responses so that they might be convincing?
 
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