Impure Thoughts...What should I do?

[niall]

This is…probably the worst question I’ve asked on this website yet. But I’m feeling absolutely awful about this and I need a response.

Lately, for some reason, I’ve been attacked with thoughts about Jesus that are a bit impure. They’re never explicit or anything, but everytime I get those thoughts, I’m immediately repulsed, pray to God for them to leave me, apologize for those thoughts ever entering my head to begin with, for whatever reason it is.

I feel like it may be because I’ve come across a few very
awful comments on YouTube videos on Christian videos, but I always try to scroll past those very quickly too. I’m obviously not a blameless person, but I’m really trying to convince myself that I sincerely try to put these thoughts away.

I really don’t know how these thoughts got here in the first place…I always try to will impure thoughts away once they enter my head, but sometimes the disgust I feel towards it almost makes it difficult to completely leave.

Please, do not think I am willingly trying to think impure thoughts about Jesus. I am wondering if this is a mortal sin or not, because I just went to confession and rattled off this long list, but I decided not to confess these impure thoughts, because I had heard many times before that impure thoughts, if they are not dwelled upon, are not a sin, and I was honestly very embarrassed.

I’m going to attend Mass in a little while…should I refrain from receiving the Eucharist?

 

[SuperLuigi]

You have to have full consent for there to be a mortal sin.

Also, this kind of thing is more common than you probably think.

Finally, people have asked questions on here ranging from a variety of sexual sins to ripping out pages of the Bible and smoking them. So, you’re fine.

 

[AngelusDomini]

You’d be much better off taking this to your confessor or spiritual director than asking for contributions on an Internet forum. You’ll be able to discuss these thoughts with them and give a fuller context. Don’t be discouraged; it’s important to work out if these desires, for want of a better word, are something which are ultimately a deep longing of the soul for God.

 

[Jp2.0]

In my opinion I think these thoughts are not sins if you don’t dwell on them. These certain thoughts would be because demons are trying to drag you down to hell but you must not let them get a foot hold. Keep in mind it is not a sin to be tempted. As soon as it goes into your head, get it out! Don’t feel alone, a lot of people are tempted with thoughts like these.

 

[niall]

Yes, I really would be better off with a spiritual director asking these sorts of questions…I attended Mass, and about halfway through, I decided I wouldn’t take Eucharist, but when I walked up to Father, I received it anyway. My family knew I went to confession just an hour and a half prior, so I felt ashamed and took the Eucharist. Although my main reason for taking it was because of that, I also thought that maybe I should just take it, because if it wasn’t a mortal sin, refraining from the Eucharist definitely wouldn’t help.

 

[Greenfields]

You’re not alone in thoughts coming that are totally uncalled for.Some years back I had some stupid thoughts just lazily
slip into my mind during the mass about the time of the consecration,it was a battle to shoo them away,switch them off
and I would pray to the Holy Spirit .They wern’t about Jesus but vaguely about the priest.Like I said utterly stupid and not my thinking at all.I will get lathargic in a warm room,or if I’ve eaten a big breakfast…that doesn’t help.
Pray to the Holy Spirit at soon as intrusive thoughts come tapping.God bless

 

[anna]

I also believe you should take this to your confessor and the prayer to St. Michael may be helpful.About receiving Holy Communion, cannot advise you on that. You know your heart. God Bless:

 

[Lucretius]

Yeah, you sound a little scruplous, you should talk with a trust person, maybe even a confessor.

I’ve found that the easiest approach to this sort of thing is to simply ignore the thought, and go back to doing what you were thinking or doing, and to always assume that your will is not the source of the thought (you didn’t “consent” to the thought), especially when you are uncertain if you did or not. After all, when we actually do sin like this, it is entirely clear that we really did choose this. Think of it this way, if you really did consent to the image, then why are you getting so worked up about it?

More thinking is not going to fix it, it will just make you go insane. Less thinking, ignore it, it has no power if you don’t focus on it.

Also, listening to the correct genre of music can help create the sort of images and feelings you want in your mind.

Christi pax.

 

[jas84173]

Now… Would it be a sin to rip out books from a Common English Bible such as the NRSV and rip out the pages from say 3 Maccabees which is only in the Canon in Orthodox Churches? Since it’s not Canon to Catholics would it be a sin for us to rip that out?

I’m just being a wise guy but that came to my mind for some reason.